For my own use, I consulted various Bible commentaries and reference books (including New Testament Introduction by Guthrie) to compile a table of Bible books, their authors and dates of composition. There are, of course, disagreements over these issues, but what IÂ have is the best IÂ could come up with.
The Bible – Dates and Authorship |
||
Book |
Author |
Writing Completed |
| GENESIS | Compiled from several oral traditions, Possibly by Ezra | |
| J source | 950 BCE | |
| E source | 750 BCE | |
| P source | 539 | |
| EXODUS | J,E,P,D sources | As above |
| LEVITICUS | P source | As above |
| NUMBERS | J, E, P source | As above |
| DEUTERONOMY | D source | 800 BCE? |
| JOSHUA | Several | 587 BCE |
| JUDGES | Several + editor, some 8th and 9th Century BCE sources | 6th Century BCE |
| RUTH | Unknown | as late as 3rd Cent BCE |
| 1 SAMUEL | Several + Editor | Compiled around 560 BCE (some argue for 610) |
| 2 SAMUEL | As above | As above |
| 1 KINGS | Unknown | ca 560 BCE |
| 2 KINGS | As above | As above |
| 1 CHRONICLES | Unknown | ca 400 BCE |
| 2 CHRONICLES | Unknown | early 4th century BCE |
| EZRA | Ezra possibly | early 4th century BCE |
| NEHEMIAH | NEHEMIAH | 4th century BCE |
| ESTHER | Unknown | 125 BCE |
| JOB | Unknown | 3rd-6th Century BCE |
| PSALMS | Several | before 586 BCE |
| PROVERBS | Several | 8th century BCE or later |
| ECCLESIATES | Unknown | 3rd Century BCE |
| SONG OF SOLOMON | Unknown | Unknown |
| ISAIAH (ch 1-39) | Isaiah | 6-7th Century BCE |
|
Others | 200-300 years later |
| JEREMIAH | Jeremiah | 626-586 BCE |
|
Baruch | ? |
|
Others | 626-586 BCE |
|
Editor | 626-586 BCE |
| LAMENTATIONS | Jeremiah (?) | 597 BCE |
| EZEKIEL | Ezekiel + others | after 597 BCE |
| DANIEL | Unknown | between 167-164 BCE |
| HOSEA | Hosea | 745 B.C.E |
| JOEL | Joel | 1st Half of 4th Century BCE |
| AMOS | Amos | 750 BCE |
| OBADIAH | Obadiah | after 586 BCE5th Century |
| JONAH | Jonah (not the guy in the story) | 5th Cen BCE |
| MICAH | Micah et al | 6th or Early 5th Cen BCE |
| NAHUM | Nahum, et al | Early 5th Century |
| HABAKKUK | Habakkuk | Early 5th Century |
| ZEPHANIAH | Zephaniah | 612-640 BCE |
| HAGGAI | Haggai | 520 BCE |
| ZECHARIAH | Zechariah | 518 BCE |
| MALACHI | Unknown | 450 BCE |
| MATTHEW | Matthew (?) | 80-85 CE |
| MARK | Mark (?) | 64-70 CE |
| LUKE | Luke (?) | 85-96 CE |
| JOHN | John (which?) | 85-90 CE |
| ACTS | Same as Luke’s Gospel | 90-100 CE |
| ROMANS | Paul | 55-59 CE |
| 1 CORINTHIANS | Paul | 57 CE |
| 2 CORINTHIANS | Paul | 58 CE |
| GALATIANS | Paul | 57-72 CE |
| EPHESIANS | Paul (?) | before 95 CE |
| PHILIPPIANS | Paul | 54-62 CE |
| COLOSSIANS | Paul (probably) | 60-61 CE |
| 1 THESSALONIANS | Paul | 50-51 CE |
| 2 THESSALONIANS | Paul (?) | 75-90 CE |
| 1 TIMOTHY | Paul (unlikely) | 63-180 CE |
| 2 TIMOTHY | Paul (unlikely) | 63-180 CE |
| TITUS | Paul (unlikely) | 63-180 CE |
| PHILEMON | Paul | 54-56 |
| HEBREWS | Unknown | 60-96 CE |
| JAMES | James (not the brother of Jesus) | 100-125 CE |
| 1 PETER | Peter (?) | 62-64 CE or later if not by Peter |
| 2 PETER | not Peter | 125 or later |
| 1 JOHN | John | 100 CE |
| 2 JOHN | John (which?) | 100 CE |
| 3 JOHN | John (which?) | 100 CE |
| JUDE | not Jude | 2nd century CE |
| REVELATION | John (which?) | Early 90’s |