Bible timeline

The whole Bible story in ten eras

The Bible is 66 books written over many centuries, but it tells one connected story. Here is that story in ten eras, with the key moments, people and books for each. It's the same map you light up in the Scrollway app.

Era 1
Beginnings
Creation · Fall · New Start
God makes a good world, people turn away, and God begins a rescue plan that runs through the whole Bible.
Key moments: Creation · The Fall · The Flood · Babel
People: Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah
Books: Genesis
Era 2
Patriarchs
Abraham · Isaac · Jacob · Joseph
God calls one family and promises that through them every nation on earth will be blessed.
Key moments: The Call · The Promise · Jacob · Joseph
People: Abraham, Sarah, Lot, Hagar, Ishmael, Melchizedek, Isaac, Rebekah
Books: Job
Era 3
Exodus
Freedom · Covenant · Journey
God rescues Israel from slavery in Egypt, gives the Law at Mount Sinai, and leads them through the wilderness.
Key moments: Slavery · The Plagues · The Sea · Sinai · Wilderness
People: Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Pharaoh of the Exodus, Jethro, Jochebed, Zipporah, Korah
Books: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Era 4
Promised Land
Conquest · Judges · Ruth
Israel enters Canaan, then cycles through rebellion and rescue under the judges.
Key moments: Conquest · Judges · Ruth
People: Joshua, Caleb, Rahab, Achan, Deborah, Barak, Gideon, Samson
Books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth
Era 5
Kingdom
Samuel · Saul · David · Solomon
Israel asks for a king. David unites the nation and Solomon builds the temple in Jerusalem.
Key moments: Samuel · Saul · David · Solomon
People: Hannah, Eli, Samuel, Saul, Jonathan, Jesse, David, Goliath
Books: 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 1 Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
Era 6
Divided Kingdom
Israel · Judah · Prophets
The kingdom splits in two. Prophets call both nations back to God before Assyria and Babylon conquer them.
Key moments: The Split · Elijah & Elisha · Prophets · Fall of Judah
People: Rehoboam, Jeroboam, Ahab, Jezebel, Elijah, Elisha, Naaman, Jonah
Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah
Era 7
Exile & Return
Babylon · Persia · Rebuilding
Judah is taken to Babylon. Under Persia the people return to rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem.
Key moments: In Babylon · Persia · Rebuilding
People: Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Ezekiel, Cyrus, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
Books: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Obadiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Era 8
Jesus
Birth · Ministry · Cross · Resurrection
Jesus of Nazareth teaches, heals, dies on a Roman cross, and rises again, as told in the four Gospels.
Key moments: Birth · Ministry · Miracles · Teachings · The Cross · Resurrection
People: Mary, Joseph of Nazareth, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, Andrew, John the Apostle
Books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Era 9
Early Church
Pentecost · Peter · Paul
The Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost and the message about Jesus spreads from Jerusalem to Rome.
Key moments: Pentecost · The Spread · Paul's Journeys · To Rome
People: Stephen, Philip the evangelist, Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Lydia, Cornelius
Books: Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
Era 10
New Creation
Letters · Revelation
Letters guide the young churches, and Revelation ends the Bible with a vision of a new heaven and new earth.
Key moments: The Letters · Revelation
People: John of Patmos, James brother of Jesus
Books: Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation