Here are the 20 shortest chapters in the Bible:
**Old Testament:**
1. Obadiah (Obadiah 1) - 21 verses
2. Philemon (Philemon 1) - 25 verses
3. Jude (Jude 1) - 25 verses
4. Haggai (Haggai 1-2) - 38 verses total
5. Zechariah 14 (Zechariah 14:1-21) - 21 verses
6. Malachi 3-4 (Malachi 3:1-24, 4:1-6) - 30 verses total
7. Joel 1-2 (Joel 1:1-20, 2:1-11) - 31 verses total
8. Nahum 1-3 (Nahum 1:1-14, 2:1-13, 3:1-19) - 36 verses total
9. Habakkuk 1-3 (Habakkuk 1:1-17, 2:1-20, 3:1-19) - 37 verses total
**New Testament:**
1. 3 John (3 John 1) - 15 verses
2. 2 John (2 John 1) - 13 verses
3. Titus 1-2 (Titus 1:1-16, 2:1-15) - 31 verses total
4. Philemon (Philemon 1) - 25 verses
5. Jude (Jude 1) - 25 verses
6. Revelation 18 (Revelation 18:1-24) - 24 verses
These chapters are the shortest in both the Old and New Testaments, with some of them being only a few verses long!
The shortest book in the Bible is 3 John, which has only three verses and a total of 14 words!
Here it is:
"The elder to my beloved friend Timothy,
I want you to know that I am doing well.
Everything is going smoothly."
(3 John 1-3)
Isn't that tiny?
And here are some interesting facts about this shortest book in the Bible:
* It's a personal letter, probably written by the Apostle John (not to be confused with St. John, who wrote the Gospel of John).
* The purpose of the letter is to commend Gaius, a dear friend and fellow Christian, for his hospitality and generosity.
* The whole letter can be summarized in just one sentence: "Dear Timothy, I'm doing well, and I want you to know that everything is going smoothly."
That's it!
The second-shortest chapter in the Bible is Obadiah, which has only 21 verses.
The shortest chapter in the New Testament is John 11, which contains only three verses. It is a brief passage that describes Jesus' conversation with Martha and Mary after their brother Lazarus has died.
Here are the three verses:
John 11:21-23 (ESV)
21 "Lord," Martha said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
22 But now I know that God's plan is for whatever good God desires to be fully carried out. And because of Jesus' teachings and the people who believed in him, 23 many people put their faith in him.
This chapter may be short, but it highlights an important theme in John's Gospel: the importance of faith and trust in God, even in the face of death and suffering.
The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119, which has 176 verses.
The shortest verse in the Bible is John 1:1, which reads:
"In the beginning, God."
This single sentence is just one word shy of being a complete sentence. The longest verse in the Bible is Ecclesiastes 11:2-3, which contains 37 words:
"Give yourselves to prayer and keep a watchful eye on your riches, for if you use them wisely when wealth comes, it will support you."
Here are the 10 shortest chapters in the Bible:
1. Obadiah (only 21 verses) - This chapter is a prophetic message of judgment and hope for the Israelites.
2. Philemon (only 25 verses) - This letter is an appeal by Paul to Philemon, a wealthy Christian, to forgive his former slave Onesimus.
3. Jude (only 25 verses) - This epistle is a warning against false teachers and a call to believers to persevere in their faith.
4. 2 Thessalonians (only 27 verses) - This letter is an encouragement to the early Christian church at Thessalonica, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and the second coming of Jesus.
5. 1 Thessalonians (only 28 verses) - This letter is Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonian church, addressing issues such as persecution, prayer, and the return of Christ.
6. 3 John (only 14 verses) - This letter is an encouragement to Gaius, a Christian leader, to continue his good work and to receive John's fellow worker Demetrius warmly.
7. Esther (only 10 verses in chapter 1) - The book of Esther tells the story of a Jewish queen who saves her people from persecution by the king of Persia.
8. Revelation 22-23 (only 21 verses) - The final two chapters of the Bible contain Jesus' invitation to all nations to come and drink freely from the water of life.
9. Titus (only 15 verses in chapter 3) - This epistle is Paul's advice to Titus, a Christian leader on the island of Crete, about how to govern the churches and live a godly life.
10. Revelation 11-12 (only 17 verses) - These chapters describe the end times and the final judgment, including the return of Jesus Christ.
Please note that these are not necessarily the shortest books in the Bible, but rather the shortest chapters within those books.
Here are the shortest books in the Bible, listed in order from shortest to longest:
1. Obadiah (47 words)
2. Philemon (54 words)
3. 3 John (63 words)
4. Jude (72 words)
5. 2 Corinthians 11:30-12:18 (76 words)
6. 2 Thessalonians (87 words)
7. 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 (91 words)
8. Revelation 22:16-21 (92 words)
9. Hebrews 13:20-25 (94 words)
10. Matthew 27:57-66 (97 words)
Note that the word count can vary depending on the translation and formatting used. However, this order is generally accepted across most translations.
Here's a brief summary of each book:
* Obadiah: A short prophetic book warning against mistreating the poor and righteous.
* Philemon: A personal letter from Paul to Philemon, asking him to forgive and accept his former slave, Onesimus, as a brother in Christ.
* 3 John: A brief letter encouraging believers to support traveling ministers who are doing God's work.
* Jude: A short epistle warning against false teachers and urging believers to remain faithful to the faith.
* 2 Corinthians 11:30-12:18: A personal section of Paul's second letter to the Corinthian church, where he talks about his struggles and hardships as an apostle.
* 2 Thessalonians: A short letter to the Thessalonian church, reminding them that the Lord's return is near and warning against false teachings.
* 1 Corinthians 15:51-58: A section of Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church, where he talks about the resurrection of believers.
* Revelation 22:16-21: The final verses of John's apocalyptic vision, emphasizing Jesus' promise to be with his people forever.
* Hebrews 13:20-25: A concluding section of the book of Hebrews, urging believers to persevere in their faith and look forward to the return of Jesus.
* Matthew 27:57-66: The final verses of the Gospel of Matthew, describing the burial of Jesus and the soldiers' discovery of his empty tomb.
These short books are often overlooked but still contain valuable teachings and encouragement for believers.