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 |