New Testament trivia questions and answers, book by book

Here are 80 New Testament trivia questions, grouped by book in Bible order: the four Gospels, Acts, Paul's letters, the general letters and Revelation. Each answer comes with a one-line explanation and its King James Version reference, so you can check it, read the context, or settle a debate. The questions run from easy (the wise men's gifts) to harder (the woman Paul commends at the start of Romans 16).

Most New Testament quizzes online stop at the Gospels and a few famous verses. That leaves out more than half the New Testament. This list covers 26 of the 27 books, including short letters like Titus, Philemon and Jude that rarely show up in trivia.

Every section links to the full quiz for that book, so if a group of questions shows you a gap, you know exactly where to keep going.

The New Testament at a glance

Before the questions, here's the shape of the New Testament, counted from the KJV text. Knowing it helps with trivia, because questions cluster where the text is long.

Hebrews is counted with the general letters here because the letter doesn't name its author. Many Christians through history have attributed it to Paul, and others to someone in his circle; the text itself doesn't settle it.

If you'd like questions pitched at your level, the app has a quiz path from beginner to expert covering every book, with every answer explained by its verse.

Gospel of Matthew trivia questions

More questions on this book in the Matthew quiz.

1. Matthew's genealogy of Jesus starts with which patriarch? Answer: Abraham. "Abraham begat Isaac" is the first link in the list (Matthew 1:2).
2. What three gifts did the wise men bring? Answer: Gold, frankincense and myrrh. The text names three gifts but never says how many wise men came (Matthew 2:11).
3. To which country did Joseph take Mary and the child to escape Herod? Answer: Egypt, after a warning from an angel in a dream (Matthew 2:13-14).
4. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls his followers the light of the world and what else? Answer: "The salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13-14).
5. Which disciple walked on the water toward Jesus? Answer: Peter, who began to sink when he saw the wind was boisterous (Matthew 14:29-30).
6. After Peter said "Thou art the Christ", what did Jesus say he would build on this rock? Answer: His church (Matthew 16:16-18).
7. How many times did Jesus tell Peter to forgive his brother? Answer: "Until seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21-22).
8. Where did the eleven disciples meet the risen Jesus and receive the command to teach all nations? Answer: On a mountain in Galilee that Jesus had appointed (Matthew 28:16-20).

Gospel of Mark trivia questions

More in the Mark quiz.

1. Mark's Gospel opens with the ministry of which man? Answer: John the Baptist, preaching the baptism of repentance in the wilderness (Mark 1:4).
2. What did John the Baptist eat? Answer: Locusts and wild honey (Mark 1:6).
3. How did four men bring a paralyzed man to Jesus when the house was full? Answer: They uncovered the roof and let down the bed he lay on (Mark 2:3-4).
4. What name did the unclean spirit give in the country of the Gadarenes? Answer: Legion, "for we are many" (Mark 5:9). See the demon-possessed man of Gadara.
5. What did the poor widow put into the temple treasury? Answer: Two mites, "all her living" (Mark 12:42-44).
6. Only Mark records a young man fleeing when Jesus was arrested. What did he leave behind? Answer: The linen cloth he was wearing; he fled naked (Mark 14:51-52).

Gospel of Luke trivia questions

More in the Luke quiz.

1. To whom did Luke address his Gospel? Answer: "Most excellent Theophilus" (Luke 1:3).
2. Which angel was sent to Mary in Nazareth? Answer: Gabriel (Luke 1:26-27). Read the angel announces Jesus' birth to Mary.
3. Where did Mary lay her newborn son, and why? Answer: In a manger, "because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7).
4. How old was Jesus when his parents found him in the temple among the teachers? Answer: Twelve (Luke 2:42-46).
5. About how old was Jesus when he began his ministry? Answer: "About thirty years of age" (Luke 3:23).
6. In the parable, who stopped to help the man who fell among thieves? Answer: A Samaritan, after a priest and a Levite passed by (Luke 10:31-33).
7. Which sister sat at Jesus' feet while the other was "cumbered about much serving"? Answer: Mary sat and listened; Martha served (Luke 10:39-40).
8. Two disciples met the risen Jesus on the road to which village? Answer: Emmaus, about threescore furlongs from Jerusalem (Luke 24:13).

Gospel of John trivia questions

More in the John quiz.

1. What does John call Jesus in the first verse of his Gospel? Answer: The Word: "the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).
2. Who said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world"? Answer: John the Baptist (John 1:29).
3. Who asked, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Answer: Nathanael (John 1:46).
4. Near which well did Jesus talk with a woman of Samaria? Answer: Jacob's well, near Sychar (John 4:5-7). See the woman at the well.
5. Finish the saying: "I am the bread of…" Answer: "…life" (John 6:35).
6. At the supper before the Passover, what did Jesus wash? Answer: The disciples' feet (John 13:5).
7. Who saw the risen Jesus at the tomb and first thought he was the gardener? Answer: Mary Magdalene (John 20:14-16).
8. How many great fish were in the net after the risen Jesus told the disciples where to cast it? Answer: 153, and the net did not break (John 21:11).
9. Which disciple did Jesus ask three times, "Lovest thou me?" Answer: Peter, who was told "Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17).

Acts of the Apostles trivia questions

Acts is where trivia gets interesting, because the cast is huge. More in the Acts quiz.

1. To whom is the book of Acts addressed? Answer: Theophilus, the same name as in Luke's Gospel (Acts 1:1).
2. From which mount did the disciples return to Jerusalem after Jesus was taken up? Answer: The mount called Olivet (Acts 1:9-12).
3. About how many souls were added to the church on the day of Pentecost? Answer: About three thousand (Acts 2:41).
4. What was the temple gate called where Peter and John healed a man lame from birth? Answer: The gate called Beautiful (Acts 3:2-7).
5. Which Pharisee and doctor of the law advised the council to leave the apostles alone? Answer: Gamaliel (Acts 5:34-39).
6. Who explained Isaiah to an Ethiopian official reading in his chariot? Answer: Philip (Acts 8:30-35). Read Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch.
7. Which disciple in Damascus was sent to lay hands on Saul so he could see again? Answer: Ananias (Acts 9:10-17).
8. Which Roman centurion's household received the Holy Ghost while Peter was still speaking? Answer: Cornelius of Caesarea (Acts 10:1, 10:44).
9. Who answered the door when Peter, freed from prison, knocked at Mary's house? Answer: A damsel named Rhoda, who was so glad she forgot to open it (Acts 12:12-14).
10. Paul and Barnabas parted ways over taking which companion? Answer: John, whose surname was Mark (Acts 15:37-39).
11. In which city did Paul and Silas pray and sing praises in prison at midnight? Answer: Philippi (Acts 16:12, 16:25).
12. The Jews of which city "searched the scriptures daily" to check what Paul taught? Answer: Berea (Acts 17:10-11).
13. On which island were Paul and the crew washed ashore after the shipwreck? Answer: Melita, today's Malta (Acts 28:1).

Paul's letters trivia questions

These thirteen letters make up about a quarter of the New Testament's verses, and they're where most quizzers drop points. Each has its own quiz page: Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and the rest from the Bible trivia hub.

1. Finish Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death; but…" Answer: "…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
2. According to Romans 8:28, all things work together for good to whom? Answer: "To them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).
3. Which woman, "a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea", does Paul commend at the start of Romans 16? Answer: Phebe (Romans 16:1).
4. Which three things abide in 1 Corinthians 13, and which is the greatest? Answer: Faith, hope and charity; "the greatest of these is charity" (1 Corinthians 13:13).
5. Paul says the believer's body is the temple of whom? Answer: The Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19).
6. According to Paul, how many brethren saw the risen Christ at once? Answer: "Above five hundred" (1 Corinthians 15:6).
7. What did Paul call the affliction he asked the Lord three times to remove? Answer: "A thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7-8).
8. How does Paul say he escaped from Damascus? Answer: He was let down in a basket through a window in the wall (2 Corinthians 11:32-33). Acts tells the same event (see Saul escapes from Damascus in a basket).
9. Which apostle did Paul withstand "to the face" at Antioch? Answer: Peter (Galatians 2:11). Many modern translations read "Cephas" here, Peter's Aramaic name, following other Greek manuscripts.
10. Finish Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but…" Answer: "…Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20).
11. Finish Ephesians 2:8: "For by grace are ye saved through…" Answer: "…faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).
12. In the armour of God, what is "the sword of the Spirit"? Answer: The word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
13. Which two women in Philippi does Paul urge to "be of the same mind in the Lord"? Answer: Euodias and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2).
14. According to Philippians 2, at the name of Jesus what should every knee do? Answer: Bow (Philippians 2:10).
15. Colossians calls Christ "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every…" what? Answer: "…creature" (Colossians 1:15).
16. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and what else? Answer: "The trump of God" (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
17. Finish Paul's rule in 2 Thessalonians: "If any would not work…" Answer: "…neither should he eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
18. What were the names of Timothy's grandmother and mother? Answer: Lois and Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). See Timothy's character profile.
19. Paul says the love of money is the root of what? Answer: "All evil" (1 Timothy 6:10).
20. On which island did Paul leave Titus to "set in order the things that are wanting"? Answer: Crete (Titus 1:5).
21. What does Paul offer Philemon if Onesimus owes him anything? Answer: "Put that on mine account… I will repay it" (Philemon 1:18-19).

General letters trivia questions

Hebrews, James, Peter, John and Jude. Short books, sharp questions. Start with the Hebrews quiz or the James quiz.

1. How does Hebrews 11:1 define faith? Answer: "The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).
2. Hebrews says Jesus is a priest for ever after the order of whom? Answer: Melchisedec, the KJV New Testament spelling of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:6).
3. Who, according to Hebrews 11, "was translated that he should not see death"? Answer: Enoch (Hebrews 11:5).
4. James says faith without works is what? Answer: Dead (James 2:26).
5. James compares the tongue to a small fire. What does he say "a little fire" does? Answer: It kindles "how great a matter" (James 3:5-6).
6. Finish 1 Peter 5:7: "Casting all your care upon him; for…" Answer: "…he careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7).
7. According to 2 Peter, one day with the Lord is as how long? Answer: "As a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8).
8. Finish this three-word statement from 1 John: "God is…" Answer: "…love" (1 John 4:8).
9. To whom is 3 John addressed? Answer: "The wellbeloved Gaius" (3 John 1:1).
10. Which archangel disputed with the devil about the body of Moses? Answer: Michael (Jude 1:9).

Revelation trivia questions

More in the Revelation quiz, and the story of John on Patmos sets the scene.

1. How many churches in Asia did John write to? Answer: Seven, starting with Ephesus and ending with Laodicea (Revelation 1:11).
2. Which church was told it was "neither cold nor hot"? Answer: Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-16).
3. Who was found worthy to open the book sealed with seven seals? Answer: "The Lion of the tribe of Juda", seen as a Lamb that had been slain (Revelation 5:5-6).
4. What is the number of the beast? Answer: "Six hundred threescore and six", that is 666 (Revelation 13:18).
5. What are the last words of the Bible in the KJV? Answer: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." (Revelation 22:21).

Here is a short Revelation quiz from the app's question bank:

Quick quiz: Revelation

On which island was John when he received the revelation?

CyprusPatmosCreteMalta

Which church does Christ rebuke because it is “neither cold nor hot”?

SardisPergamumSmyrnaLaodicea

Who is found worthy to open the scroll sealed with seven seals?

The archangel MichaelOne of the eldersThe slain LambThe prophet John

Continue the quiz

There are many more questions like these in Bible Academy, each with its explanation and verse. Start free, no card needed.

How to use these questions

For a group quiz night, split the list by section and use one section per round: Gospels, Acts, Paul, general letters, Revelation. It mirrors the New Testament's own structure, and the people who only know the Gospels learn quickly where the rest of the books sit. Our Bible trivia for youth group page has rules, scoring and timing you can reuse.

For personal study, cover the answers, go through one section, and mark every miss. Then read the chapter behind each one. Missing three questions on Acts is a good reason to read Acts, which runs about 24,000 words in the KJV, or roughly an hour and a half to two hours of reading. A New Testament reading plan gets you through all 260 chapters in a few months.

For harder questions, see hard Bible trivia questions. For the Hebrew Bible side, our Old Testament quiz questions and answers uses the same format. If you mainly want the life of Christ, try the Bible trivia questions about Jesus, which follow the Gospels in order.

One verse is worth keeping in mind as you quiz. John says plainly why his Gospel was written, and it isn't for trivia:

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Trivia is a good start, and reading is what lasts. The app pairs both: a reading plan of 1 to 5 chapters a day with a short quiz after each reading, so what you read sticks.

Frequently asked questions

How many books are in the New Testament?

The New Testament has 27 books: the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), Acts, thirteen letters of Paul (Romans to Philemon), eight general letters (Hebrews to Jude) and Revelation. In the King James Version they contain 260 chapters and 7,957 verses.

What is the longest book in the New Testament?

By verses, Luke is the longest New Testament book, with 1,151 verses in 24 chapters in the KJV. Matthew and Acts each have more chapters (28), but fewer verses: 1,071 and 1,007. By word count Luke is also the longest, with about 25,900 words in the KJV, ahead of Acts (about 24,200) and Matthew (about 23,700).

What is the shortest book in the New Testament?

In the KJV, 2 John is the shortest book by verses, with 13 verses in a single chapter. By words, though, 3 John is shorter: about 294 words in the KJV against 298 for 2 John. Philemon and Jude, also one chapter each, have 25 verses.

What are good New Testament trivia questions for beginners?

Start with the big stories: the wise men's gifts (Matthew 2:11), Jesus born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger (Luke 2:7), Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:29), the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:33) and Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). Each has one clear answer and a famous passage behind it.

Who wrote most of the New Testament?

Paul's name is attached to 13 letters, more books than any other author. By word count, Luke wrote the largest share: his Gospel and Acts total about 50,000 words in the KJV, more than Paul's 13 letters together (about 43,500). Luke's authorship comes from tradition. Neither the Gospel nor Acts names its author in the text, but early church tradition names Luke, and most churches accept it.