The Bible spans thousands of years, has hundreds of characters and speaks on countless topics. This devotional tool gives highlights of events, characters and themes so that you can easily find and reference them in your Bible study.

A Guide to Key Events, Characters and Themes of the Bible

The Bible is filled with countless stories that inspire and challenge. The passages listed below include some of the most familiar stories and passages from the Old and New Testaments. These stories are divided into three groups to make it easy for you to select a Bible text that will suit you needs—Key Events, Key Characters, and Key Themes.

Some stories are short and easy to read in a single sitting; these are marked with a single asterisk (*). Longer stories and stories that are slightly more complex are marked with two asterisks (**). Stories that may require multiple sittings to work through adequately or that might require the use of a Bible dictionary, commentary, or website are marked with three asterisks (***). For suggestions on how to get the most out of reading these texts see
“Getting the Most Out of Your Bible Reading.”

Key Events

(Listed in chronological order)

*Creation Genesis 1.1—2.25
*Human Rebellion Genesis 3.1-24

**Noah and the Flood

Genesis 6.1—9.17

*Tower of Babel

Genesis 11.1-9
***The Exodus from Egypt Exodus 3.1—15.21

***Wilderness Wanderings

Exodus 15.22—20.26; 31.18—34.35; Numbers 1.1—2.34; 10.11—14.45; 16.1—17.12; 20.1—27.23; 31.1—34.15

***The People Settle in the Promised Land

Joshua 1.1—24.33

*Israel Gets a King

1 Samuel 8.1—10.27
*Israel Builds a Temple 1 Kings 5.1—8.66
**The Kingdom Splits in Two 1 Kings 11.26—12.33
*The Exile in Babylonia 2 Kings 23.36—25.30
*Returning from the Exile Ezra 1.1-11

*Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem

Nehemiah 1.1—7.4
The Life and Ministry of Jesus (See “Jesus of Nazareth” under
Key Characters below.)
*The Holy Spirit Comes on Pentecost Acts 2.1-47

*Christian Leaders Meet in Jerusalem

Acts 21.17-26

Key Characters

(Listed alphabetically after “Jesus”)

Jesus of Nazareth: His Life, Death, and Resurrection
**Jesus Is Born Matthew 1.18-2.15; Luke 2.1-20
*Jesus Presented in the Temple Luke 2.21-40
*The Young Jesus Luke 2.41-52
*Jesus Is Baptized Matthew 3
*The Temptation of Jesus Luke 4.1-13
*Jesus Calls His First Disciples Mark 1.16-20
*Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles Mark 3.13-19
*The Transfiguration of Jesus Matthew 17.1-13
*Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem Luke 19.29-44
*The Last Supper of Jesus Mark 14.12-26
*Jesus Prays in Gethsemane Luke 22.39-46
**Jesus’ Trial and Crucifixion Matthew 26.47—27.66; John 18.1—19.37
**The Resurrection of Jesus Luke 24.1-49; John 20.1-29
*The Great Commission Matthew 28.16-20
*Jesus Ascends to Heaven Luke 24.50-53; Acts 1.1-12
   
Jesus’ Miracles and Healings
*Jesus Turns Water into Wine John 2.1-11
*Jesus Feeds Many People Matthew 14.13-21; 15.32-39; John 6.1-15;
*Jesus Calms a Storm Mark 4.35-41
*The Great Catch of Fish Luke 5.1-11
*Jesus Walks on Water Matthew 14.22-33
*Jesus Heals Skin Diseases Luke 5.12-16; 17.11-19
*Jesus Casts Out Demons Mark 1.21-28; 3.20-30; 5. 1-20; 9.14-29
*Jesus Heals the Blind Matthew 9.27-31; 20.29-34
*Jesus Heals a Deaf Man Mark 7.31-37
*Jesus Heals the Paralyzed Luke 5.17-26; 6.6-11; John 5.1-17
*Jesus Heals Many Women Luke 8.1-3; 8.40-56; 13.10-17
*Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant Matthew 8.5-13
*Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother in law Mark 1.29-31
*Jesus Heals an Official’s Son John 4.46-54
*Jesus Raises a Girl to Life Luke 8.40-42,49-56
*Jesus Raises the Dead Luke 7.11-17; John 11.1-44
   
   
***Abraham Genesis 12.1—19.29; 20.1—23.20

*Adam

Genesis 3.1-24

**Balaam

Numbers 22.2—24.25

**Daniel

Daniel 1.1—6.28
***David 1 Samuel 16.1—27.12; 29.1—30.31; 2 Samuel 1—24.27; 1 Kings 1.1—2.11
*Deborah Judges 4.1—5.31
**Elijah 1 Kings 17.1—19.21; 21.1-29; 2 Kings 1.1—2.15
**Elisha 2 Kings 2.1—2.25; 4.1—7.2; 8.1-6; 13.14-21
**Esther Esther 1.1—10.3
*Eve Genesis 3.1-24
Ezekiel Ezekiel 1.1—3.15; Ezekiel 37.1-14
***Gideon Judges 6.11-8.35
*Hagar Genesis 16.1-16; Genesis 21.1-21
*Hannah 1 Samuel 1.1—2.11,18-21

*Hezekiah

2 Kings 18.1—20; 21

**Isaac

Genesis 18.1-15; 21.1-21; 22.1-19; 24.1-67; 25.19-34; 26.1—28.9; 35.27-29
**Isaiah Isaiah 6.1-13; Isaiah 37.1—39.8; Isaiah 40.1-31; Isaiah 65.17-25

***Jacob (Israel)

Genesis 25.19-34; 27.1—35.29; 37.1-36; 42.1—50.14

**Jeremiah

Jeremiah 1.1-19; Jeremiah 31.31-34; Jeremiah 34.1—38.28

**John the Baptist

Luke 1.5-25,57-80; Matthew 3.3-17; 14.1-12

**Jonah

Jonah 1.1—4.11

**Joseph

Genesis 37.1—50.26
***Joshua Deuteronomy 31.1-8; 34.9-9; Joshua 1.1—11.23; 18.1-10; 23.1—24.31
**Josiah 2 Kings 22.1—23.30
*Lydia Acts 16.11-15

**Mary (mother of Jesus)

Luke 1.26—2.52; John 2.1-12; 19.16-27; Acts 1.12-14
*Mary Magdalene Luke 8.1-3; Mark 15.33-41; Mark 16.1-8; John 20.11-18
*Miriam Exodus 2.1-10; Exodus 15.19-21; Numbers 12.1-16; 20.1
***Moses Exodus 1.1—20.26; 24.1—25.22; 32.1—34.35; Deuteronomy 31.1—34.12
**Nehemiah Nehemiah 1.1—2.20; 4.1—6.16
***Paul Acts 8.1,2; 9.1-31; 13.1—28.31; Galatians 1.11—2.10

***Peter

Matthew 4.18-22; 10.1-4; 14.22-33; 16.13—17.13,24-27; 26.31—26.75;

John 18.1-27; 20.1-10; 21.1-25; Acts 2.1—5.16; 9.32—11.18; 12.1-19

*Rahab

Joshua 2.1-24

*Rebekah

Genesis 24.1-67
**Ruth Ruth 1.1—4.22
**Samson Judges 13.1—16.31

**Samuel

1 Samuel 1.19—3.21; 7.3—12.25; 15.1—16.13; 19.18-24; 25.1

**Sarah

Genesis 12.1-20; 16.1—18.15; 20.1—21.21; 22.1-19; 23.1-20
***Saul 1 Samuel 8.1—11.15; 13.1—28.25; 31.1-13; 2 Samuel 1.1-27

***Solomon

2 Samuel 12.24,25; 1 Kings 1.28—11.43
*Stephen Acts 6.1—7.60

Key Themes

(Listed alphabetically)

** Blessing Genesis 1.1—2.4; Genesis 12.1-3; Numbers 6.24-26; Psalm 1; Psalm 128; Matthew 5.1-10; Romans 15.13; Philippians 4.7; Hebrews 13.20,21; Jude 1.24,25
***Care of the Earth Genesis 1.1—2.25; Psalm 24.1,2; Psalm 145.10-21; Psalm 148.1-13; Acts 17.24-28; Colossians 1.15-20; Deuteronomy 11.8-17; 2 Corinthians 9.6-15; Isaiah 42.5,6; Ezekiel 47.6-12; Isaiah 11.6-9; 65.17-25
**Covenant (Agreement) Genesis 8.20—9.17; 12.1-7; 15.4-21; 17.1-6; Exodus 20.1-17; 24.1-11; 2 Samuel 7.12-16; Psalm 89.1-36; Jeremiah 31.31-37
   
***Forgiveness and Salvation Through Jesus Christ
Sin separates us from God: Isaiah 59.1-15; Romans 3.9-20; 5.12-21; 7.14-25
God seeks us and desires what’s best for us: Exodus 19.3b-8; Jeremiah 31.31-34; Isaiah 54.1-10; 1 Peter 1.1-10; 1 John 3.1-10
God sent his son Jesus Christ so that our relationship with God can be restored: Colossians 1.15-23; Romans 5.1-11; 1 Peter 2.10-25; 2 Timothy 1.9,10; Ephesians 2.1-10; Romans 8.31-39
God gives us new life and call us to live in a Christ-like way: Romans 6.1-14; Ephesians 4.17-32; Galatians 5.16-26; 1 John 4.7-21; Romans 12.1-21
   

**Giving

Exodus 35.20-29; Leviticus 27.26-33; Deuteronomy 14.22-29; Ezra 8.24-30; Proverbs 11.24,25; Mark 12.41-43; Matthew 19.16-30; 2 Corinthians 8.1—9.15

**God as King

Psalms 5; 47; 74; 93; 96-99; 145; Jeremiah 10.6-16
**Healing Numbers 21.4-9; 2 Kings 5.1-19; Psalm 41; Jeremiah 17.14; Mark 5.21-43; Luke 18.35-43; John 9.1-41; Acts 3.1-10; James 5.13-15

**Hospitality

Genesis 18.1-15; Exodus 22.21; 1 Kings 17.8-16; Matthew 5.43-48; Luke 7.36-50; Luke 19.1-9; Matthew 25.21-46; Acts 2.43-47; Romans 12.9-18; Philippians 4.10-20; Hebrews 13.2
***Kingdom of Heaven (Kingdom of God) Isaiah 11.1-9; Matthew 13.24-33,44-50; John 3.1-21; Matthew 10.1-15; Luke 10.1-12; Luke 13.22-30; Luke 22.24-30; John 14.1-14; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18; 1 Corinthians 15.42-54; Philippians 3.20,21

**Prayer

1 John 5.13-21; Luke 11.5-13; Matthew 6.5-15; Ephesians 3.14-21; James 5.13-18; Psalm 25; 51; 67; 142; 150
**Servanthood Isaiah 42.1-4; Isaiah 49.1-6; Isaiah 50.4-9; Isaiah 52.13—53.12; Mark 10.42-45; John 13.1-20; Philippians 2.6-11; Romans 6.15-23

**What God Requires

Deuteronomy 5.1-22; Amos 5.21-24; Micah 6.8; Mark 12.28-34; Luke 6.31

**Wisdom

Proverbs 1.20—2.9; Proverbs 8; Deuteronomy 6.4-9; Psalm 19; Jeremiah 9.23,24; 1 Kings 3.1-15; 1 Kings 10.1-10; Matthew 12.42; Matthew 5.1—7.29; 1 Corinthians 1.18—2.16

**Worship

Psalms 84; 122; 134; 149; Exodus 20.8-11; Hebrews 10.20-25; Acts 2.43-45; 1 Corinthians 11.23-34; Colossians 3.12-17; Revelation 4.1-11