In simple words, Bible is a book that has religious texts and scriptures divided into several other books that also include laws, stories, prayers, and many wise words of Christians, Jews, and others.
As per the beliefs of both Christians and Jewish Dogma, Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible in 1300 B.C.
Key Takeaways
- New and Old Testaments are two parts of the Christian Bible, representing different historical periods and teachings.
- The Old Testament comprises 39 books, including the Pentateuch, the historical books, the wisdom literature, and the prophetic books, which were written before the birth of Jesus Christ.
- The New Testament contains 27 books, including the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles, and the Book of Revelation, which were written after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and focus on his teachings, life, and legacy.
New Testament vs Old Testament
The difference between the New Testament and The Old Testament is that the Old Testament is written before the New Testament, and both focus on different aspects and beliefs of salvation. Both of them have a different number of books in different languages.
The New Testament has 27 books in the Greek Language which mainly focuses on Jesus, life, teachings, and the Christian Church. During the End time, as per the New Testament, Jesus will save the Earth also. To gain forgiveness, a person has to feel repent, and he’ll be forgiven automatically.
The Old Testament, on the other side, is the first-ever division of the Bible which a several books categories accordingly such as; in Catholic, there are 51 books; in Protestant, there are 39 books; in Orthodox, there are 55 books; in Coptic Bible, there are 57 books, written in Hebrew and Aramaic Languages. It mainly focuses on the history and creation of the World.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | New Testament | Old Testament |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | It is the second division of the Bible. | It is the very first division of the Bible. |
| Main Focus | Focuses more on Jesus’ life, teachings, and church. | Focuses on the history and the creation of the world. |
| No. Of Books | 27 books | Catholic = 51 Protestant = 39 Orthodox = 55 Coptic Bible = 57 |
| Language | Greek | Hebrew and Aramaic |
| Doomsday | A messenger sent by God will bring salvation. | Salvation will be brought by a messenger sent by God. |
What is New Testament?
The primary division of the Bible after the Old Testament is the New Testament, also known as New Covenant or the New Law. The arrangement of books in the New Testament is not in chronological order.
Some Additional Books that New Testament have are:
- Tobit,
- Judith
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Wisdom of Jesus Search and many others
All of these above and other books focus on and teach about the teachings and life of Jesus and are written in the Greek Language.
As per the New Testament, people who have done any sins and realize their mistakes and want to gain forgiveness have to feel repentance only.
No sacrifice is required to gain forgiveness. The Vocabulary words of the New Testament are less, i.e. 4800 words. Ultimately, the New Testament states that Jesus will save the Earth.
New Testament functions as a medium of guide for people who want to gain salvation; it functions to make people follow the footsteps of Jesus.
The New Testament doesn’t have the belief in sacrificing animals and others. The New Testament conveys how God saves his people by healing them.
What is Old Testament?
The Old Testament is similar to Hebrew Bible. Along with the history and creation of the world, it also includes the following:
- Ten Commandments God gave to Moses
- The exodus of Israelites
The books in the Old Testament are written in Hebrew and Aramaic languages. It has the following number of books:
- Protestant: 39 books
- Catholic: 51 books
- Orthodox Bibles: 55 books
- Coptic Bibles: 57 books
These are the books of poetry, prophets, and wisdom sayings. All the contents of the books and their order vary in various churches.
Old Testament has more vocabulary words, i.e. 5800 words. As per the Old Testament, if a person wants forgiveness of his sins, he has to bring and sacrifice a lamb.
If the sacrifice is not made, that person can never be forgiven. The Lord is the God as explained in the Old Testament also that in the end time, Salvation will be bought by the messenger of God.
This mainly aims to give people knowledge through others’ experiences. It also tells the end of the world and the arrival of the Messiah.
Main Differences Between New Testament and Old Testament
- The major division of the Bible after the Old Testament is the New Testament, whereas the Old Testament is the division before the New Testament.
- The basis of the New Testament is Jesus’ Life, teachings, and Christian Church, whereas the Old Testament’s primary focus is the world’s history and creation.
- The language used in the New Testament is Greek, whereas Old Testament is in Hebrew and Aramaic languages.
- As per the New Testament on Doomsday, Jesus will come and save the world, and as per the Old Testament, Salvation will be brought by the Messenger sent by God.
- There are 4800 vocabulary words in New Testament and 5800 in Old Testament.
- As per the New Testament, forgiveness is attained by feeling repentance, whereas as per the Old Testament, the lamb has to be brought to as a sacrifice to attain forgiveness.
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=yXqKAAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT7&dq=old+and+new+testament&ots=yNHoMfbnvn&sig=X5dhNOGMwNvrsCtMXnoxEQh14S4
- https://philpapers.org/rec/HARITT-13
Last Updated : 11 June, 2023
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
The historical and linguistic contrasts between the Old and New Testaments are well-articulated in this article. It’s a compelling read for anyone interested in these religious texts.
The distinction between the Old and New Testaments is well-explained here. It provides a comprehensive overview of the historical context and teachings of each part.
The clear distinctions between the salvation beliefs and procedures in the Old and New Testaments are effectively highlighted in this article. It’s a comprehensive comparison.
I find the emphasis on both the historical and language differences between the Old and New Testaments to be enlightening. It’s indeed a valuable comparison.
The detailed comparison table adds clarity to the distinctions between the Old and New Testaments. It’s a useful reference for those seeking to understand the differences.
While this article is educational, it could benefit from providing more insights into the significance of the differences between the Old and New Testaments.
I appreciate the clear explanations on the core focus and language differences between the Old and New Testaments. It’s a valuable resource for studying this topic.
I feel the differences in beliefs and salvation approaches highlighted in the Old and New Testaments are clearly presented here. It’s a good reference for understanding these aspects.
The information presented in this article is very informative and helpful. It provides clear insights into the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, offering an in-depth comparison.
I completely agree. It’s great to see such detailed explanations of the differences between the Old and New Testaments.
This article effectively outlines the differences between the Old and New Testaments, providing insightful details on their historical contexts and teachings.