What is the longest book in the Bible? The majority of sources claim that the book of Psalms is the Old Testament’s and the Bible’s longest book.
The claim is probably false.
The estimate is accurate if it takes into account the number of verses, “chapters,” or pages. Nevertheless, since they are not a part of the original and some books may have more words per verse or chapter than other books, neither of these would be the best criteria to utilize.
All You Need To Know: What Is The Longest Book In The Bible
In Sunday school, I would have responded with a snappy and assured “Psalms” if you had questioned me about it. I came to this conclusion because the book has 150 psalms, and Isaiah would have come in second in terms of chapter count with only 66, or less than half of Psalms.
The results of the top 10, which make up roughly 55% of the 39 books of the Old Testament, are as follows:
Order
Book
# Verses in Book
Graph-unit Hits
Morph-unit Hits
Bytes
1.
Jeremiah
1,364
22,285
30,203
241,209
2.
Genesis
1,533
20,722
28,848
226,894
3.
Psalms
2,527
19,662
25,465
238,562
4.
Ezekiel
1,273
19,053
26,572
214,416
5.
Isaiah
1,291
17,197
23,204
191,777
6.
Exodus
1,213
16,890
23,934
184,372
7.
Numbers
1,289
16,583
23,363
182,945
8.
Deuteronomy
959
14,488
20,329
159,872
9.
2 Chronicles
822
13,520
20,000
154,125
10.
1 Samuel
811
13,506
19,211
147,392
Yet, three of the top five longest books by chapter are found in the Old Testament’s prophetic literature: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
The Gospel of Matthew and the book of Acts, which have a combined 28 chapters, are the first two New Testament books on the list. The next New Testament book on the list is the Gospel of Luke, which has 24 chapters. Revelation follows with 22 chapters. Eight New Testament books are included in the Top 25. (including ties).
Book
Chapters
Testament
Psalms
150
Old
Isaiah
66
Old
Jeremiah
52
Old
Genesis
50
Old
Ezekiel
48
Old
Job
42
Old
Exodus
40
Old
Numbers
36
Old
2 Chronicles
36
Old
Deuteronomy
34
Old
Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are four of the Pentateuch’s five books that rank among the top 10. Number 16 on the list is Leviticus (see below). The only book from the part of historical books in the Old Testament to rank in the Top 10 is 2 Chronicles.
When book length is calculated using the total number of verses and words, how do these rankings change? Is it possible to find novels with fewer chapters overall yet more verses and words overall? See below.
Book
Chapters
Testament
1 King
22
Old
Revelation
22
New
Judges
21
Old
John
21
New
Mark
16
New
1 Corinthians
16
New
Romans
16
New
Only two epistles or letters—Romans and 1 Corinthians—appear in the Top 25. Both of the works were written by Paul. According to some experts, the reason letters were initially short was that individuals had to transport scrolls over great distances, which was made simpler if the scrolls were little.
Q 1: What Are The Bible’s Longest Book And Chapter?
A 1: Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. One chapter contains all of Jude, Philemon, 2 and 3 John, and Obadiah. For these texts, the chapter number is frequently deleted in printed editions, and verse numbers are used instead.
Q 2: Is The Book Isaiah The Longest?
A 2: The Book of Psalms is the longest book in the Authorized Version of the Bible, whereas the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, which has 66 chapters, is the longest book in prose.
Q 3: How Many Books Are There In The Bible?
A 3: The Bible is exceptional and deep. It was authored by common people and academics, commoners and nobility, under the miraculous guidance of the Holy Spirit, and it contains 66 ancient writings that have produced laws, shaped culture, and inspired billions to religion over three millennia.
Q 4: Who Gave The Bible’s Books Their Names?
A 4: Bruce points out that John Chrysostom appears to be the first author to use the Greek term ta biblia (literally, “the books”) to refer to both the Old and New Testaments collectively (in his Homilies on Matthew, delivered between 386 and 388).
Wrapping Up
To sum up, the Bible is a vast and complex book of many stories. While it’s impossible to definitively answer the question of what is the longest book in the Bible, most agree that the longest book by direct verse count is Psalms.
Additionally, Job and Proverbs both have lengthy books as well, with Job potentially being longer in actual length than several other books listed above due to differences in text and letter size.
Finally, there are letters such as Paul’s epistle to the Romans that contain long sections of discourses. Ultimately, people can spend a lifetime trying to understand the depths and detail of these books, so it’s essential to take time analyzing and exploring each scripture book to better understand its contents.
Anne Chris is a woman who loves to delve deep into the spiritual realm. She is interested in manifestation and the law of attraction and loves to read and research about angel numbers. Her passion for helping others find their path in life shines through in her work as an intuitive coach more
