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{{Christianity}}

{{Christianity}}

The '''New Testament''' is a collection of biblical books written by various authors between 45 AD and 140 AD, revolving around the life and work of [[Jesus]] of Nazareth, and the apostles he worked with.

The '''New Testament''' is a collection of biblical books written by various authors between 45 AD and 100 AD, revolving around the life and work of [[Jesus]] of Nazareth and His apostles, as well as the history of the early church.

The books are traditionally classified into categories:

The books are traditionally classified into categories:

*The four [[Gospel]]s (literally "Good news"): [[Alleged Bible contradictions|varying]] accounts of the life and ministry of [[Jesus]], consisting of the gospels attributed to [[Matthew]], [[Mark]], [[Luke]], and [[John]] (rather than up to sixteen known others of similar attribution<ref>James. M.R, ''The Apocryphal New Testament'' (Clarendon, Oxford, 1924) Among fragments that still survive are the gospels according to the Hebrews (much prized by the early Jewish Church), according to the Egyptians, of the Ebionites, of Philip, of Matthias, of Peter, of Thomas (almost complete), of Nicodemus, of Bartholomew, of Pseudo-Melito, of Joseph of Arimathaea, of James, of Pseudo-Matthew, of Barnabas and a whole collection of infancy gospels.</ref>, which were rejected by the early Church).

*The four [[Gospel]]s (literally "Good news"): [[Alleged Bible contradictions|varying]] accounts of the life and ministry of [[Jesus]], consisting of the gospels attributed to [[Matthew]], [[Mark]], [[Luke]], and [[John]].

*[[The Acts of the Apostles]] (or just "Acts") (which J. B. Phillips evocatively called "The Young Church In Action,") which concerns the ministry of the Apostles after the death of Christ. It is similar in language and style to, and reads as a continuation of, the Gospel of [[Luke]].

*[[The Acts of the Apostles]] (or just "Acts") (which J. B. Phillips evocatively called "The Young Church In Action,") which concerns the ministry of the Apostles after the death of Christ. It is similar in language and style to, and reads as a continuation of, the Gospel of [[Luke]].

*The Epistles (which J. B. Phillips called "Letters to Young Churches,") ''Romans'' through ''Jude'', consisting of fourteen letters attributed to St. Paul and seven by other writers.

*The Epistles (which J. B. Phillips called "Letters to Young Churches,") ''Romans'' through ''Jude'', consisting of fourteen letters attributed to St. Paul and seven by other writers.

*[[The Book of Revelation]] (or just "Revelation,") the prophetic book which ends the New Testament. It is also known as "the Apocalypse" (Greek for 'revelation') - though many such apocalyses, both Christian and Jewish, were in fact in circulation at the time.  It is somewhat similar in style to the [[Old Testament]] book of [[Daniel]] (from which it borrows), and tells of the end of the world, including [[Armageddon]], Judgment Day, and the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven, but despite Jesus' thrice repeated promise in it that 'I shall come very soon', opinions vary as to whether it refers to supposedly imminent events set amid the then Roman Empire or to the far future.

*[[The Book of Revelation]] (or just "Revelation,") the prophetic book which ends the New Testament. It is also known as "the Apocalypse" (Greek for 'revelation') - though many such apocalyses, both Christian and Jewish, were in fact in circulation at the time.  It is somewhat similar in style to the [[Old Testament]] book of [[Daniel]] (and indeed weaves common prophecy), and tells of the end of the world, including [[Armageddon]], Judgment Day, and the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven. Despite Jesus' thrice repeated promise in it that 'I shall come very soon', opinions vary as to whether it refers to imminent events set amid the then Roman Empire or to the far future.

As with the Old Testament, the chapter and verse divisions and numbers of the various books are not original, but of purely medieval origin.

As with the Old Testament, the chapter and verse divisions of the various books are not original, but were added in medieval times for greater understanding.

==References==

==References==