Do You Know the New Testament As Well As You Think You Do?
By: Beth Hendricks
5 min
Image: krisanapong detraphiphat / Moment / Getty Images
About This Quiz
You remember Sunday School, right? You probably made some crafts out of popsicle sticks and learned more about the stories of Noah and his Ark, Moses and his commandments and David and his slingshot. You likely sang tunes about being in the Lord's army (Yes, sir!) and a fountain flowing deep and wide. But, you may have avoided the more complex topics tucked in the pages of the Bible -- specifically, the pages of the New Testament.
The Old Testament and the New Testament are two halves of the same Book, but they couldn't be more different. Old Testament? Full of stories of famous Bible characters you remember from childhood. New Testament? A focus on Jesus -- everything He did and what Christians can look ahead to. Old Testament? Principles and parables. New Testament? Prophecies and plans. Old Testament? Groundwork. New Testament? Revelations. (Literally!)
Take a break from the "begats" of I Chronicles and dive into the "Beatitudes" of Matthew. Put your whole Bible knowledge to the test with this quiz on the second half of the Book. See if you are worthy of the title "New Testament Know-It-All" or if you need an advanced class in New Testament know-how!
Thirty days has September, April, June and November. How many books does the New Testament have?
27
The New Testament's portion of the Bible makes up 27 of the Bible's 66 total books. That includes, among other books, four Gospels, 21 epistles and the Book of Revelation, starting from Matthew.
Timing is everything. During what period of history did the events of the New Testament take place?
5,000 BC
1st Century AD
Much of the New Testament is set in the period of time after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. Many of these Scriptures were actually letters to early churches instructing them how to live.
Some books don't need to be lengthy to make a point. Which one of these is the shortest of the New Testament's books?
Matthew
Acts
Jude
3 John
Maybe its author said everything they needed to say in 1 John or 2 John, but this much is sure: 3 John barely qualifies as a book at fewer than 300 total words. The book would be better qualified as a letter, since that's what it is.
Many people have reported seeing lights in the sky. Who saw a light on the road to Damascus?
Simeon
Saul
Saul's conversion to Paul is an important component of the New Testament, and his experience on the road to Damascus is chronicled in Acts. Saul/Paul's brush with a light in the sky was actually Jesus himself.
He didn't come prepared for a dinner party, but Jesus managed to feed a bunch with five loaves and two fishes. How many did He feed?
5,000
The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with just two loaves of bread and five fishes is perhaps one of the most familiar stories in the New Testament. It illustrates one of the miracles He performed during His earthly ministry.
Jesus had 12 disciples, but only four who had previous lives as fishermen. Which four?
Simon, Nathaniel, Thomas and Judas
Peter, Andrew, James and John
Of course, there may have been other disciples who enjoyed fishing, but these four -- Peter, Andrew, James and John -- were fishing when they were called to follow Christ.
When the text of the New Testament was being written, what language were its authors using?
English
Greek
Though most people in Biblical times chose to speak in Aramaic, a Semitic language spoken in that region, the text of the Bible was originally written in Greek. It has since been translated into languages all over the world.
Most of us start working around age 18. How old was Jesus when His earthly ministry began?
30
Described in Luke 3, Jesus' earthly ministry is believed to have started around his 30th year. It didn't last very long, however, since He was crucified just three years later.
Only two people have ever walked on water. The first was Jesus. Who was the second?
Peter
Peter may have been testing Jesus when he asked Jesus to allow him to walk on water. His watery walk didn't last long, as he started to sink when he took his eyes off of Christ.
It's not the item itself that's the problem; it's the love of the item that the Bible calls the "root of all evil." What is it?
Money
The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil. This verse is often misquoted in popular culture to say that money itself is the root of all evil. The Bible makes a clear distinction.
In the Gospel of Mark, we learn how Mary found out she was pregnant with the Son of God. How was she told?
By a king
In a telegram
By her mother
By an angel
The angel, Gabriel, visited Mary and told her that she would give birth to the Son of God. Similarly, an angel visited Joseph to also give him the news of the impending birth.
There's a first time for everything. Where did Jesus give his first public sermon?
At a church
On the cross
On a mountain
Jesus' first public sermon, known in the Bible as the Sermon on the Mount, occurred shortly after His baptism by John the Baptist and His return from the desert. He is followed onto the mountain by His disciples.
Jesus performed many miracles during his ministry. Who asked Him to perform the first?
His mother
Jesus' first miracle was at the request of his mother, Mary, at the wedding at Cana. When she discovered they had run out of wine, she mentions it aloud. Bible scholars believe she did this as a sign of her faith in Christ.
The eight blessings preached by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount came to be known a the Beatitudes. In what New Testament book are all eight found?
Matthew
The Book of Matthew illustrates the eight blessings, or Beatitudes, preached by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. An incomplete list of those Beatitudes is also found in the Gospel of Luke.
Luke authored two books in the New Testament. Which ones were they?
Luke and Romans
Luke and Mark
Luke and Acts
Luke's authorship in the New Testament is limited to the gospel titled with his own name and The Book of Acts. The Book of Acts talks a lot about the work of Peter and Paul after Jesus' ascension into Heaven.
The four first books of the New Testament have a special name. What is it?
The Recording
The Annals
The Big Four
The Gospels
The first four books of the New Testament are often referred to collectively as The Gospels. They share stories of the life of Jesus, with some -- like His birth and His death -- being found in multiple books.
Baptisms can take place anywhere with water. Where was Jesus baptized?
In the Mississippi River
In a church baptistry
In the River Jordan
John the Baptist had the honor of baptizing Jesus in the River Jordan, though not without a bit of a fight from John. John felt as though it was he who should be baptized by Jesus, but eventually relented and performed the act.
The New Jerusalem described in Revelation mentions 12 gates. What are they made of?
Gold
Diamond
Steel
Pearl
The description of the New Jerusalem, or Heaven, depicts gates made of pearl and streets made of gold. Perhaps even more impressive is that each gate is made from one giant pearl!
To survive in the desert, you have to eat what you can find. What did John find to eat?
Manna
Locusts
While in the desert, John dined on what the Bible calls "locusts and honey." Locusts would remind you of grasshoppers in their shape (and possibly taste?). Matthew 3 also says his garments were made of camel's hair.
Though He gave us 10, which two of the 10 Commandments did Jesus call the greatest?
To love God and love your neighbors
When asked, Jesus stated that the two greatest commandments were to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. From these two commandments, he continued, hang all the laws and prophets.
The Beatitudes are pretty easy to remember. What do they have in common?
They're the same as the commandments.
They were all written by Moses.
They're all about one topic.
They all start with "Blessed are."
When Jesus delivered the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, he started each with the words "Blessed are." He then continued to explain who would be blessed and what their reward would be.
Mary took time to anoint Jesus' feet with oil. Afterward, she wiped them with what?
The hem of her dress
Her hair
Jesus' anointing at Bethany shows both Mary's humility and her willingness to part with what was a very expensive gift in the ointment. Using her hair to wipe his feet was a symbol of her love for Him.
There must have been plenty that could have been said, but what were Jesus' first words to his disciples after his resurrection?
"Peace be unto you."
Spoken in the Upper Room following his resurrection but before his ascension, Jesus uttered the words, "Peace be unto you." One of his disciples, Thomas, refuses to believe it is Him until he sees the wounds from the crucifixion.
The New Testament is full of adventure, explaining Paul's experience being shipwrecked. On what island was he shipwrecked?
Bermuda
Adria
Malta
Paul was on his way to Rome to face charges when the ship he was aboard was caught in a storm and later wrecked near Malta. Paul and the others aboard swam to shore, and the experience is chronicled in the Book of Acts.
The New Testament introduces us to the first Christian martyr. Who was it?
Peter
Stephen
Stephen's martyrdom came as a result of his Christian professions, which angered the Jewish religious leaders. As a result, he was taken from the city and stoned to death, becoming the first martyr of the Christian faith.
Actions mean more than words. What action did Judas take in betraying Jesus to the Romans?
A handshake
A hug
A kiss
Judas identified Jesus to the Roman officials seeking to put Him to death with a kiss, an intimate picture of betrayal. Judas later received 30 pieces of silver for his betrayal of his one-time friend.
Paul wrote a lot of letters to Christians instructing them about whose example they should follow. Who did he point to?
Missionaries
Preachers
Himself
Christ
Paul is addressing how Christians should seek to live in the Book of Ephesians, telling them they should be followers or imitators of Christ, the only perfect, sinless example.
John is a pretty common name in the New Testament. All of these are famous Johns EXCEPT which?
John the Baptist
John the Apostle
John Mark
John Jones
John the Baptist was a central figure in the New Testament, followed by John the Apostle, who authored five books in the Bible. John Mark accompanied Paul on his first travels as a missionary.
This guy had a lot he needed to say. How many books in the New Testament did Paul author?
14
Paul is responsible for more than half of the books that make up the New Testament. Some people believe that number is actually smaller, but one thing is for certain: Paul dominates the content of this half of the Bible.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse ride out on horses described in colorful terms in the Bible. Which of these is one of those colors?
Yellow
Blue
Brown
White
The four horses are described as being red, white, black and pale. The horsemen are said to represent the ideas of famine, plague, war and conquest at the end days in the Book of Revelation.
Everybody always wants to have the last word. What is the absolute last word in the New Testament?
Jesus
End
Amen
Revelation 22:21 delivers the final verse and word in the New Testament: " The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." The word "amen" is said to mean "so be it," making it a fitting conclusion.
Jesus did not bear His cross alone for the entire journey. Who stepped in to help?
Pilate
Simon
Simon of Cyrene was actually compelled by Roman authorities to help carry the cross of Jesus as he was carrying it to where He would be crucified. A soldier found Simon in the crowd of people who had gathered.
We know them from Christmas stories and songs as "the three wise men." Who were they, really?
Religious leaders of the day
Spies from King Herod
Visitors from the East
The Gospel of Matthew describes the three wise men as foreigners who were seeking baby Jesus to bestow gifts upon Him. These men – known by name as Gaspar, Balthasar and Melchior – were believed to be wealthy, influential figures from the East.
Jesus gave a special nickname to his disciples James and John. What did he call them?
The sons of God
The immortal gods
The Christian brothers
The sons of thunder
In Mark 3, we learn of a special nickname that Jesus gave to James and John called "Boanerges," which means "sons of thunder." The pair are two of only three known in the Scriptures to have been given a special name by Jesus during His time on earth.
You could say Peter had something of a volatile temper. He once used a sword and removed this body part of another person.
Their hand
Their ear
Malchus was on the receiving end of Peter's temper in the garden just before Jesus was taken into custody by officials. He used a sword to cut of Malchus' ear in an attempt to thwart Jesus' arrest and eventual crucifixion. Jesus was able to mend the man's ear with just His hands!