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 here is the best I 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 |