There are plenty of bestselling books in the world, but the book that has sold more copies than any other is the Bible. According to Guinness World Records, we can’t possibly know exactly how many copies of the Bible have been sold in the past 1,500 years, but the number is well over 5 billion.
The Bible was originally written in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic but has since been translated into over 700 languages. In the United States and most other Western countries, you can easily find a Bible in most bookstores. However, the Bible wasn’t available to most people until the 1500s after the invention of the printing press.
Even though the New Testament of the Bible was written by the end of the first century A.D., the entirety of the Biblical canon wasn’t determined until 382 A.D. at the Council of Rome. The canon established during the Council of Rome was later confirmed in numerous other councils, including the Council of Carthage. It was also confirmed at the Council of Florence and the Council of Trent over 1,000 years after the canon was first established.
Some read the Bible as a spiritual book while others read it as a historical book. Regardless of how you may read it, there are so many stories and historical accounts in the Bible that it’s challenging to remember them all. We’ve created a list of Bible trivia so you can test your knowledge or quiz your friends.
To create this list of Bible trivia questions with answers, 24/7 Tempo consulted numerous sources, including Christianity.com, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (You can also text your knowledge with these movie trivia questions.)
What is the first book of the Bible?
What books would be included in the Bible was determined at the Council of Rome in 382 A.D.
Answer: Genesis
Although there are different versions of the Bible, Genesis is the first book in the canon.
What was God’s sign to Noah that he wouldn’t flood the Earth again?
It states in Genesis that Noah found favor with God, so God warned him to prepare for a flood by building the ark.
Answer: A rainbow
After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah, and the rainbow was the sign of his covenant.
Who was the first king of Israel?
In 1 Samuel, the first king of Israel was chosen after God spoke to Samuel about sending a man from the land of Benjamin.
Answer: Saul
Saul was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel and to save God’s people from the Philistines.
What gifts did the three wise men bring Jesus after his birth?
The three wise men are also known as the Three Kings or the Three Magi.
Answer: Gold, frankincense, and myrrh
When the three wise men came to worship Jesus, they brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
How many commandments did God give Moses?
In Exodus, God descended upon Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain.
Answer: 10
After Moses went to the top of the mountain, God gave him the Ten Commandments.
What town was Jesus born in?
The birthplace of Jesus fulfilled a prophecy from the Old Testament of the Bible.
Answer: Bethlehem
It states in Micah that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, where Mary and Joseph were traveling for the census before she gave birth.
Who appeared to Mary to tell her she would give birth to Jesus?
When Mary was betrothed to Joseph, God sent someone to tell her she would give birth to Jesus.
Answer: The Angel Gabriel
The Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary in what is commonly known as the Annunciation.
How long was Jesus in the wilderness?
In the Gospels, it states that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Answer: 40 days and 40 nights
Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights.
How many plagues were there in Egypt?
When Pharaoh would not let God’s people go, there were many plagues in Egypt.
Answer: 10
The 10 plagues sent to Egypt were water turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, disease that killed the cattle, boils, hail, locusts, darkness for three days, and death of all the firstborn children.
Which one of the apostles betrayed Jesus by turning him over to the Sanhedrin?
One of the twelve apostles of Jesus betrayed him in the Garden of Gethsemane by turning him over to the Sanhedrin.
Answer: Judas
Judas kissed Jesus on the cheek to show the Sanhedrin who to arrest. After Judas realized what he had done, it says in the Gospel of Matthew he hanged himself.
What was Jesus’ trade?
Before Jesus started his ministry, he would have been taught a trade by Joseph.
Answer: Carpenter
In Mark 6, Jesus is referred to as the carpenter, when people in the synagogue are surprised at his wisdom and the miracles he performed. In Matthew, he is also referred to as the carpenter’s son, showing that Joseph was also a carpenter.
What language was the Old Testament written in?
Most of the Old Testament was written in the same language; since then, it has been translated into over 700 languages.
Answer: Hebrew
The majority of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, although some parts were written in Aramaic.
Which apostle did Jesus say would deny him three times?
Before Jesus is arrested, he predicts that one of his apostles will deny him three times before the rooster crows.
Answer: Peter
Even though Peter tells Jesus that he will never deny or disown him, Jesus tells Peter that he will deny him three times.
How did God speak to Moses in the wilderness?
In Exodus 3, Moses led his flock to the wilderness before coming to the mountain of God where an angel of God appeared to him.
Answer: Through a burning bush
At the mountain of God, there was a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire. God spoke to Moses once Moses stopped to see why the bush was not burning up.
While Moses was on Mount Sinai, what did the Israelites worship?
When Moses was speaking to God on Mount Sinai, the Israelites were waiting for him and asked Aaron to make them a god because Moses hadn’t come down from the mountain.
Answer: A golden calf
Aaron used all the gold rings from the Israelites and made them into a golden calf, which they began to worship. (Check out these 17 world-changing events that shaped the Earth as we know it.)