Reference
How many chapters and verses are in the Bible?
How many chapters and verses are in the Bible? Totals by testament, plus a note on why chapter/verse divisions exist.
Updated 18 May 2026 · By the Bibles.co.uk editorial team
The short answer
In more detail
A standard Protestant Bible has 1,189 chapters and approximately 31,100 verses. The Old Testament has 929 chapters and ~23,145 verses; the New Testament has 260 chapters and ~7,957 verses. Chapter divisions date to c. 1227 (Stephen Langton); verse divisions to 1551 (Robert Estienne).
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How many books are in the Bible?
Protestant Bibles contain 66 books — 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Catholic Bibles contain 73 (adding 7 Deuterocanoni…
When was the Bible written?
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