The Harrowing of Hell, 14th-century icon, Constantinople.

Wikimedia Commons. Public domain image. Source

Christ the Almighty seated upon his throne, from an eighteenth century icon at the Kizhy Monastery, Russia. He holds a Gospel book in fulfilment of his promise to ‘write the law of Moses on our hearts.’ The New Testament takes the story of Israel to a new stage, when the promises scattered about the Old Testament, of a New Covenant between God and Israel which will invite the gentiles (non-Jews) to share in its blessings and receive God’s Spirit, are fulfilled. The manner of the fulfilment was, however, nothing like what most were expecting: for the Anointed One of God, his Messiah, was crucified.

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The Authorized Version

The New Testament

The story of Jesus Christ, his birth, his ministry, his death, and how the Apostles preached the good news of his resurrection and the promise of his return.

Introduction

The New Testament is the name for a collection of twenty-seven ancient Christian documents, comprising histories and letters written by the Apostles themselves. It is so named because at his Last Supper with his Apostles, Jesus Christ declared that the bread and wine he gave them were a new covenant (or testament) in his blood. This fulfilled a prophecy given through Jeremiah some six centuries before, promising that God would one day reaffirm all the covenants that God had made with Israel, but in an entirely new way.

1

Matthew

The Gospel According to St Matthew

The story of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, by the Apostle St Matthew.

2

Mark

The Gospel According to St Mark

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, by the Apostle St Mark.

3

Luke

The Gospel According to St Luke

The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by St Luke, a companion of St Paul.

4

John

The Gospel According to St John

The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by St John, called ‘the beloved disciple’.

5

Acts

The Acts of the Apostles

The story of the early Christian churches from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to St Paul’s appeal to Caesar in Rome, told by St Luke, author of the third Gospel.

6

Romans

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

A letter written to the church at Rome by St Paul, in which he explains how Jesus Christ fulfilled God’s covenant with Abraham by bringing Jews and Gentiles together into one chosen people.

7

1 Corinthians

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

A letter written to the church at Corinth in Greece by St Paul, in which he addresses the role of the Law of Moses in the moral life of the Christian churches.

8

2 Corinthians

The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

A second letter to the Christians in Corinth, in which St Paul addresses self-described ‘Apostles’ who tried to alter the gospel message.

9

Galatians

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians

A letter to the Christians in Galatia, in modern-day Turkey, in which St Paul deals with those who wanted Christians to get circumcised and keep the Jewish law in order to escape persecution by the authorities.

10

Ephesians

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians

A letter to the Christians at Ephesus in modern-day Turkey, in which St Paul speaks of the ‘armour of God’ that every Christian should wear.

11

Philippians

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Philippians

A letter to the Christians of Philippi in Greece, in which St Paul explains more about who Jesus Christ really was.

12

Colossians

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians

A letter to the Christians of Colossae in Greece, in which St Paul presents Jesus Christ as the incarnation of God’s wisdom.

13

1 Thessalonians

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians

A letter to the Christians of Thessaloniki in Greece, in which St Paul exhorts them to conduct themselves in a manner that is a credit to their faith.

14

2 Thessalonians

The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians

A further letter to the Christians of Thessaloniki in Greece, in which St Paul exhorts his readers to remain steadfastly committed to Christian tradition.

15

1 Timothy

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy

A letter from St Paul’s to his young protege Timothy, seeking to build his confidence as he takes on the responsibilities of a bishop.

16

2 Timothy

The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy

A further letter to St Timothy, urging him to remain committed to the traditional Christian faith.

17

Titus

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus

A letter from St Paul to Titus, to whom the Apostle had entrusted the management of the church in Crete, urging him to keep good relations with the secular powers while remaining committed to Christian doctrine.

18

Philemon

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle To Philemon

A letter from St Paul to a man named Philemon, asking him to forgive runaway slave Onesimus, and even treat him henceforth as a brother.

19

Hebrews

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews

A letter addressed to readers of Jewish background, explaining that Jesus was not a prophet or an angel, but the incarnation of God’s own Wisdom, and that he fulfilled many prophecies in the Scriptures.

20

James

The General Epistle of James

A letter to all the churches from St James, the first bishop of Jerusalem and a brother of Jesus Christ, in which he urges them to endure discrimination, and to anoint the sick for their healing.

21

1 Peter

The First Epistle General of Peter

A letter from St Peter to all the churches, concerning family duties, the duties of clergy, and the duties of hospitality and kindness.

22

2 Peter

The Second Epistle General of Peter

Another letter by St Peter, warning of false apostles preaching a deceiving gospel, and warning that Christ will come to judge the world without warning.

23

1 John

The First Epistle General of John

A letter to all the churches from St John, author of the fourth Gospel, in which he emphasises his personal friendship with Jesus, and reminds of the ‘new commandment’ of love.

24

2 John

The Second Epistle of John

A second letter to all the churches from St John, author of the fourth Gospel, warning Christians not to listen to any doctrine but that of the incarnation, the coming of Christ in the flesh.

25

3 John

The Third Epistle of John

A third letter from St John, author of the fourth Gospel, to a church where one man has made himself ruler and has barred John from visiting.

26

Jude

The General Epistle of Jude

A letter to all the churches written by St Jude, a brother of Jesus Christ, in which he warns against men who have infiltrated the churches and are undermining traditional doctrine and morality.

27

Revelation

The Revelation of St John the Divine

The vision seen by St John (author of the fourth Gospel) during Sunday worship on the island of Patmos, in which the courts of heaven are glimpsed, and the promise of a New Creation and a New Jerusalem is made to the faithful who endure.