Guide · High · 7 min
What is the New Testament?
An introduction to the Gospels, Acts, apostolic letters, and Revelation from a historical and literary perspective.
# What is the New Testament?
Quick summary
The New Testament is the second major part of the Christian Bible. It contains writings centered on Jesus of Nazareth, the first Christian communities, apostolic teaching, and early Christian hope.
What books are in it?
The New Testament has 27 books in the canons used by most Christian traditions: four Gospels, Acts, letters attributed to or associated with apostles and early Christian leaders, and Revelation. The order is literary and theological, not a simple timeline of composition.
The main groups
The Gospels narrate the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Acts describes the spread of the early movement. Epistles address communities and individuals. Revelation uses apocalyptic imagery to speak about worship, suffering, judgment, and hope.
How it relates to the Old Testament
The New Testament constantly echoes Israel’s Scriptures. Its authors cite, allude to, and reinterpret older texts. This does not mean the Old Testament is merely a preface, but it does mean Christian interpretation reads both collections in conversation.
Reading carefully
The New Testament is short compared with the Old Testament, but it is not simple. It includes biography-like narrative, ancient letters, sermons, hymnic material, ethical instruction, and symbolic apocalyptic visions.
Read also
- What are the Gospels?
- What are Epistles?
- o-que-e-literatura-apocaliptica
- What is the biblical canon?
Sources and recommended reading
Editorial note: this article is written in an informational, non-confessional tone. Where traditions disagree, the page should describe differences of reception, use, and canon without presenting one tradition as the universal default.