The Great Stories of the Bible
Does the bible have great stories? Any ardent reader would answer "of course". But how many and what are they? The menu below is an attempt (maybe a weak one) to display many of these great stories. This large menu contains 189 great stories. Needless to say as I begin this - this effort is definitely under development - and will take some time. Readers should note that the titles below will remain blue until finished and will turn red as they are finished. Once they are red the reader can click on them and enjoy the story.
And immediately after each link you will see the bible verse reference (in blue) where that story is told.
Great Stories Menu
I. The Beginning: Creation and the Human Story
1. Creation: “In the Beginning” Genesis 1
2. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden Genesis 2-3
3. The Fall and the Expulson from Eden Genesis 3
4. Cain and Abel : The First Murder Genesis 4
5. The Generations of Adam and the Growth of Humanity Genesis 4-5
6. Noah and the Great Flood Genesis 6-9
7. The Covenent with Noah and the Rainbow Genesis 9
8. The Tower of Babel Genesis 11
II. Abraham and the Birth of Israel
9. The Call of Abraham Genesis 12
10. Abraham & Lot: The Separation of the Families Genesis 13
11. Abraham and the Three Visitors Genesis 18
12. Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis 18–19
13. The Birth of Isaac Genesis 21
14. Abraham and the Binding of Isaac. Genesis 22
15. The Search for a Wife for Isaac. Genesis 24
16. Jacob and Esau: Struggle of the Brothers Genesis 25–27
17. Jacob’s Dream at Bethel Genesis 28
18. Jacob, Rachel, and Leah Genesis 29–30
19. Jacob Wrestles with God Genesis 32
20. Jacob and Esau Reconciled Genesis 33
21. Joseph and His Brothers Genesis 37
22. Joseph Sold into Egypt Genesis 37
23. Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife Genesis 39
24. Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams Genesis 40–41
25. Joseph Rises to Power in Egypt Genesis 41
26. Joseph and His Brothers Reunited Genesis 42–45
27. Jacob and His Family Go to Egypt Genesis 46–50
28. Joseph’s Forgiveness of His Brothers Genesis 50
III. Moses and the Exodus
29. The Birth and Rescue of Moses Exodus 1–2
30. Moses and the Burning Bush Exodus 3
31. Moses Confronts Pharaoh Exodus 5–11
32. The Ten Plagues of Egypt Exodus 7–12
33. The First Passover Exodus 12
34. The Exodus from Egypt Exodus 12–13
35. The Crossing of the Red Sea Exodus 14
36. Manna in the Wilderness Exodus 16
37. Water from the Rock Exodus 17
38. The Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai Exodus 19–20
39. The Golden Calf Exodus 32
40. Moses and the Renewal of the Covenant Exodus 33–34
41. The Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Exodus 25–40
42. The Spies in Canaan Numbers 13–14
43. The Rebellion of Korah Numbers 16
44. The Bronze Serpent Numbers 21
45. Balaam and His Donkey Numbers 22–24
46. Moses Sees the Promised Land Deuteronomy 34
IV. Joshua, Judges, and the Conquest
47. Joshua Becomes the Leader of Israel. Joshua 1
48. Rahab and the Spies at Jericho Joshua 2
49. The Crossing of the Jordan River Joshua 3–4
50. The Fall of Jericho Joshua 6
51. Achan and the Defeat at Ai Joshua 7
52. The Gibeonites Joshua 9
53. Joshua’s Final Speeches and Death Joshua 23–24
54. Deborah and Barak Judges 4–5
55. Gideon and the Three Hundred Judges 6–8
56. Samson and Delilah Judges 13–16
57. Ruth and Naomi Ruth 1–4
58. Ruth and Boaz Ruth 2–4
V. Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon
59. The Birth and Calling of Samuel. 1 Samuel 1–3
60. The Ark of the Covenant and the Philistines 1 Samuel 4–7
61. Israel Demands a King 1 Samuel 8
62. Saul Becomes Israel’s First King 1 Samuel 9–12
63. David Is Anointed 1 Samuel 16
64. David and Goliath 1 Samuel 17
65. David and Jonathan 1 Samuel 18–20
66. David and Saul in the Wilderness 1 Samuel 23–26
67. David Becomes King 2 Samuel 5
68. David and the Ark of the Covenant 2 Samuel 6
69. God’s Covenant with David 2 Samuel 7
70. David and Bathsheba 2 Samuel 11–12
71.David and the Consequences of His Sin 2 Samuel 12–20
72. Absalom’s Rebellion 2 Samuel 13–18
73. Solomon Becomes King 1 Kings 1–3
74. Solomon’s Wisdom and the Two Mothers. 1 Kings 3
75. The Building of Solomon’s Temple. 1 Kings 5–8
76. The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon 1 Kings 10
77. The Division of the Kingdom 1 Kings 11–12
VI. Elijah, Elisha, and the Prophets
78. Elijah and the Drought 1 Kings 17
79. Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath 1 Kings 17
80. Elijah on Mount Carmel 1 Kings 18
81. Elijah Encounters God at Horeb 1 Kings 19
82. Elijah and the Naboth Vineyard Story 1 Kings 21
83. Elijah Taken into Heaven 2 Kings 2
84. Elisha and the Widow’s Oil 2 Kings 4
85. Naaman and the Healing of His Leprosy 2 Kings 5
86. Jonah and the Great Fish Jonah 1–4
87. Isaiah’s Vision of God Isaiah 6
88. Jeremiah and the Call of the Prophet. Jeremiah 1
89. Ezekiel and the Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel 37
90. Daniel and the King’s Dreams Daniel 2
91. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace Daniel 3
92. Daniel in the Lions’ Den Daniel 6
VII. Israel’s Exile and Return
93. The Fall of Jerusalem 2 Kings 24–25
94. The Babylonian Exile
95. The Lamentations of Jerusalem
96. Esther Becomes Queen Esther
97. Esther Saves Her People Esther
98. Ezra and the Return from Exile Ezra
99. Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem’s Walls Nehemiah
100. The Renewal of the Covenant
VIII. The Wisdom Stories
101. Job and the Problem of Suffering Job
102. The Psalms: Israel’s Stories of the Soul Psalms
103. Proverbs and the Search for Wisdom Proverbs
104. Ecclesiastes and the Meaning of Life Ecclesiastes
105. The Song of Songs and the Celebration of Love
IX. The Deuterocanonical Stories
This is where the Catholic and Orthodox traditions become especially important. These books should not simply be omitted because they are absent from most Protestant Bibles.
106. Tobit and the Angel Raphael Tobit
107. Tobit, Sarah, and the Healing of a Family. Tobit
108. Judith and the Defeat of Holofernes. Judith
109. The Wisdom of Solomon
110. The Maccabean Revolt 1 Maccabees
111. The Martyrdom of the Seven Brothers. 2 Maccabees
112. The Prayers and Visions of Judas Maccabeus 2 Maccabees
113. Susanna and Daniel Daniel 13
114. Bel and the Dragon Daniel 14
115. The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men Daniel 3
These stories are particularly valuable because they allow readers to see that “the Bible” is not exactly the same collection of books in every major Christian tradition.
X. The Birth of Jesus
116. The Annunciation to Mary Luke 1
117. Joseph’s Dream Matthew 1
118. The Birth of Jesus Matthew 1–2; Luke 2
119. The Shepherds and the Angels Luke 2
120. The Magi and the Star Matthew 2
121. The Flight into Egypt Matthew 2
122. The Boy Jesus in the Temple Luke 2
123. John the Baptist’s Birth and Calling. Luke 1
XI. The Ministry of Jesus
124.The Baptism of Jesus. Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1
125. The Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4
126. Jesus Calls His Disciples
127. The Wedding at Cana John 2
128. Jesus and Nicodemus John 3
129. Jesus and the Samaritan Woman John 4
130. Jesus Announces His Mission at Nazareth. Luke 4
131. The Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5–7
132. The Beatitudes
133. Jesus Calms the Storm Matthew 8; Mark 4; Luke 8
134. The Healing of the Paralytic Mark 2
135. Jesus and the Woman with the Flow of Blood Mark 5
136. The Raising of Jairus’s Daughter. Mark 5
137. The Feeding of the Five Thousand Matthew 14; Mark 6; Luke 9; John 6
138. Jesus Walks on Water. Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 6
139. The Transfiguration Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9
140. The Good Samaritan Luke 10
141. The Prodigal Son Luke 15
142. The Good Shepherd John 10
143. The Raising of Lazarus John 11
144. Jesus and Zacchaeus Luke 19
145. The Rich Young Ruler Matthew 19; Mark 10; Luke 18
146. The Woman Caught in Adultery. John 8
XII. The Final Days of Jesus
147. The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem Matthew 21; Mark 11; Luke 19; John 12
148. Jesus Cleanses the Temple
149. The Last Supper
150. Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet John 13
151. The Garden of Gethsemane
152. Jesus Is Arrested
153. Peter’s Denial
154. Jesus Before the Jewish Authorities
155. Jesus Before Pilate
156. The Crucifixion
157. The Seven Last Sayings of Jesus
158. The Death of Jesus
159. The Burial of Jesus
160. The Empty Tomb
161. The Women at the Tomb
162. The Road to Emmaus
163. Jesus Appears to Thomas
164. The Great Commission
165. The Ascension of Jesus
XIII. The Birth of Christianity
166. Pentecost and the Coming of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2
167. Peter Heals the Lame Man Acts 3
168. Stephen and the First Christian Martyrdom. Acts 6–7
169. The Conversion of Paul Acts 9
170. Peter and Cornelius Acts 1
171. The Council of Jerusalem Acts 15
172. Paul and Silas in Prison Acts 16
173. Paul in Athens. Acts 17
174. Paul’s Arrest in Jerusalem
175. Paul’s Journey to Rome
176. Paul Shipwrecked on Malta Acts 27–28.
XIV. The Great Stories of Revelation
177. The Vision of John on Patmos
178. The Seven Churches
179. The Throne of God in Heaven
180. The Four Horsemen
181. The Seven Seals
182. The Seven Trumpets
183. The Woman and the Dragon
184. The Beast
185. Babylon the Great
186. The Final Judgment
187. The New Heaven and the New Earth
188. The New Jerusalem
189. The River of Life and the Tree of Life