The actual dates for the creation of the biblical books are uncertain, and remain argued by scholars.

While you will encounter alternate date lists for the scriptures elsewhere, the dates shown here are certainly representative of the opinions of many students of the manuscripts.

Old Testament

Date (B.C.) Book Writer(s) Notes
 
1445-1406 Genesis Exodus Leviticus
Numbers		 Moses Heb. Torah: instruction or Gk: Pentateuch: five books. Traditionally attributed to Moses. Other OT books (Josh. 1:7; Josh. 8:31; 1Kings 2:3; 2Kings 14:6; Ezr. 6:18; Neh. 13:1; Mal. 4:4), Jesus Christ (Mark 7:10; Mark 12:6; John 5:46) and NT authors (Luke 2:22; Acts 3:22; Rom. 10:5) support this view.
 
1406 Deuteronomy Moses, Joshua (?) See Deut. 1:1. Chapter 34 was likely written by someone other than Moses;
style and vocabulary makes Joshua most likely.
 
1370 Joshua Joshua, Phineas (?) See Josh. 8:32; Josh. 24:26. Commentators think that the final verses of the book were written by another person, likely the high priest Phineas.
 
1085-971 Judges Unknown Jewish tradition attributes the book to Samuel. Style and vocabulary suggest
it was written in the Davidic period.
 
1085-971 Ruth Unknown Jewish tradition attributes the book to Samuel. Style and vocabulary is
similar to Judges, thus suggesting it was written in the Davidic period.
 
1030-931 Samuel Samuel, Nathan, Gad The writers of the book are traditionally identified using 1Ch. 29:29.
 
1030-931 Job Unknown The poetic parts of the book are very ancient (2 millennium B.C.), but the introduction (Job 1-2) and conclusion (Job 42:7-17) are written in the language and vocabulary of the Davidic or Solomonic era, suggesting the poetry was
edited and completed during that time.
 
971-686 Proverbs Solomon, Agur, Lemuel See Prov. 1:1; Prov. 30:1; Prov. 31:1. While most of the proverbs come from Solomon’s pen, the final form of the book was produced by editors during Hezekiah’s reign (see Prov. 25:1).
 
c. 940 Ecclesiastes Solomon Compare Eccles. 1:1 and autobiographical information in Eccles. 1:1 – 2:9.
 
c. 940 Song of Songs Solomon See Song. 1:1.
 
800-700 Joel Joel See Joel 1:1. There is not enough clear information in the book to determine
an exact date.
 
792-752 Amos Amos See Amos 1:1
 
782-722 Hosea Hosea See Hosea 1:1
 
745-630 Jonah Jonah (?) While Jonah lived the events in the book and likely passed them on, the third- person form of the book and the past tense in Jonah 3:3 suggest that it was written after the fall of Niniveh in 631 B.C.
 
739-686 Isaiah Isaiah See Isa. 1:1.
 
733-701 Micah Micah See Micah 1:1
 
663-626 Nahum Nahum See Nahum 1:1. The year that best aligns with the description of Assyria in the book is 645 B.C..
 
636-627 Zephaniah Zephaniah See Zeph. 1:1
 
627-574 Kings Jeremiah, Ezra Jeremiah is suggested as the author, because the style of Kings is similar to the style in Jeremiah. The style of the passage in 2Kings 25:27-30 is very similar to Ezra and Chronicles, so Ezra is accepted as the author.
 
626-590 Habakkuk Habakkuk See Hab. 1:1. The exact date of the book cannot be clearly determined from its content.
 
605-580 Jeremiah Jeremiah, Baruch See Jer 1:1. Baruch was Jeremiah’s scribe (see. Jer. 36:4; Jer. 45:1). According to Jer. 36:1, Jeremiah began writing his book in 605 B.C.
 
597-573 Ezekiel Ezekiel See Eze. 1:3 and first-person accounts in the book. Ezekiel was very careful in dating his visions (e.g. Eze. 1:1; Eze. 8:1; Eze. 20:1; Eze. 24:1; Eze. 29:17).
 
586 Lamentations Jeremiah The Septuagint (first century B.C.) cites Jeremiah as the author.
 
586 Obadiah Obadiah See Oba. 1:1. The date of Obadiah is very unclear. Some commentators place it in the 8th century B.C. However, the content of the book fits better with the date cited.
 
550-530 Daniel Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar The second half of the book (Dan. 8:1; Dan. 9:2) was clearly written by Daniel, therefore the first half is attributed to him. The fourth chapter is a missive written by Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan 4:1).
 
520 Haggai Haggai See Hag. 1:1; compare Ezr. 5:1. For dating see Hag. 1:1; Hag. 2:1
 
520-480 Zechariah Zechariah See Zech. 1:1; compare Ezr. 5:1. Zechariah dates many of his visions (e.g. Zech. 1:1; Zech. 6:9; Zech. 7:1)
 
515-415 (?) Malachi Malachi See Mal. 1:1. The author’s identity is disputed, because the name “Malachi” means “my messenger”. Some think Ezra, Zechariah, or Mordechai might have written it. It is clear that the book is post-Exilic.
 
474-450 Esther Unknown Mordechai is suggested to be the author.
 
450-400 Chronicles Ezra Chronicles is clearly the work of one author. Ezra is accepted both due to Jewish tradition and the style of Chronicles being very similar to that of the book of Ezra.
 
440 Ezra Ezra See first-person expressions in Ezr. 8.
 
440-400 (?) Psalms David, Sons of Korah, Asaph, Solomon, Henan the Ezrahite, Ethan the Ezrahite, Moses, and many other anonymous authors The Psalms are a compilation. It is unclear when the compilation was completed. The oldest Psalm (Ps. 90) is attributed to Moses, which would have to be written before 1406 B.C. David began writing in the 1030s. The other Psalms would have been written in the following centuries. The final form of the book was completed sometime after the return from the Exile to Babylon and before the ministry of John the Baptist, though most likely before the 400 years of silence. Jesus cites it as one of the major parts of the Bible (see Luke 24:44).
 
430 Nehemiah Nehemiah See Neh. 1:1
 

New Testament

 
Date (A.D.) Book Writer(s) Notes
 
45-50 James James, son of Joseph See James 1:1. James is assumed to be the son of Mary and Joseph, thus the half-brother of Jesus Christ
 
48-52 Galatians Paul See Gal. 1:1-2. The early date assumes the addressees were the south Galatian churches Iconium, Lystra, Derby and Antioch. The late date assumes the addressees are unnamed north Galatian churches Paul founded during his second journey.
 
50 1 Thessalonians Paul, Timothy See 1Th. 1:1. Written in Corinth.
 
50 2 Thessalonians Paul, Timothy See 2Th. 1:1. Written in Corinth.
 
55 1 Corinthians Paul See 1 Cor. 1:1. Written in Ephesus.
 
56 2 Corinthians Paul See 2 Co. 1:1. Written while in Macedonia.
 
57 Romans Paul See Rom. 1:1. Most likely written while Paul was in Corinth.
 
58-60 Ephesians Paul See Eph. 1:1. Either written in Caesarea or Rome. Most likely written at the same time as Colossians and Philemon.
 
58-60 Philemon Paul, Timothy See Phm 1:1-2. Either written in Caesarea or Rome. Most likely written at the same time as Ephesians and Colossians.
 
58-60 Colossians Paul, Timoteos See Col. 1:1-2. Either written in Caesarea or Rome. Most likely written at the same time as Ephesians and Philemon.
 
60-65 Jude Jude, son of Joseph See Jude 1:1. The author calls himself “the brother of James”. The general view is that this James is the same who wrote the letter of James. The church fathers write that Jude is a half-brother of Jesus (a son of Mary and Joseph).
 
60-66 Matthew Matthew Levi Synoptic Gospel. The early church gave this Gospel primacy. Matthew is attributed as author by the church fathers.
 
61-64 Luke Luke Synoptic Gospel. Luke is attributed as author by the church fathers. Luke was Paul’s companion (see Acts 16:10; Acts 20:5; Acts 21:1; Acts 27:1; Col. 4:14; Phm. 1:24; 2 Tim. 4:11). This is supported by Gospel of Luke and Acts having the same writing style and the first-person accounts in Acts. Luke states that Acts is his second book (Acts 1:1-2), thus the Gospel must have been written first.
 
61 Philippians Paul, Timothy See Php. 1:1. Written in Rome
 
62-64 1 Peter Simon Peter, Silas See 1Pe. 1:1. Written in Rome. According to 1 Pe. 5:12 Peter uses Silas (“Silvanus”, see Acts 15:40) as his scribe.
 
63-64 Acts Luke This book is the continuation of the Gospel of Luke according to Acts 1:1-2. Some commentators think that this was written in Paul’s defense for his trial before Caesar.
 
62-66 1 Timothy Paul See 1Tim. 1:1. Written while in Macedonia (see 1Tim 1:3)
 
63 Titus Paul See Tit. 1:1. Place of writing is unknown, though Corinth is suggested.
 
64-67 Mark John Mark, Simon Peter Synoptic Gospel. John Mark is mentioned as Paul’s companion in Acts 12:12; Acts 13:15; Acts 15:37-39. The church fathers state that Mark wrote down what he heard from Simon Peter, thus requiring the Gospel to have been completed before Peter’s martyrdom at the hands of Nero.
 
64-68 2 Peter Simon Petrus See 2 Pe. 1:1. Authorship is disputed because it was added to the canon at a very late date. The given dates assume Peter’s authorship.
 
66-70 Hebrews Unknown The author is unknown, though Paul, Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37;), Apollos (Acts 18:24-28), and Priscilla (Acts 18:18) are suggested.
 
67 2 Timothy Paul See 2 Tim. 1:1-2. Written in Rome
 
70-96 Revelation John son of Zebedee See Rev. 1:1, Rev. 2, Rev. 4-6. The earliest writings of the church fathers paired with the internal evidence of the book support the authorship of John.
 
85-90 1 John John son of Zebedee The letters attributed to John do not name an author. The testimony of the church fathers and the similarity of the language to John’s Gospel support the authorship claim.
 
85-90 John John son of Zebedee The church fathers state that Jesus’ disciple John son of Zebedee wrote the fourth Gospel. This is supported by the content of the Gospel itself. Some commentators think it was written in the A.D. 60s or 70s.
 
90 2 John John son of Zebedee  
 
90 3 John John son of Zebedee