Bible reference
How Many Chapters Are in the Bible?
The Protestant Bible has 1,189 chapters in total: 929 in the Old Testament and 260 in the New Testament.
A few notable chapter facts
| Total chapters | 1,189 |
| Old Testament | 929 |
| New Testament | 260 |
| Longest chapter | Psalm 119 (176 verses) |
| Shortest chapter | Psalm 117 (2 verses) |
| Middle chapter | Psalm 117 |
| Longest book by chapters | Psalms (150) |
| One-chapter books | 2 John, 3 John, Philemon, Jude, Obadiah |
Longest chapter: Psalm 119, with 176 verses — an acrostic poem structured around the Hebrew alphabet, celebrating God's law. Shortest chapter: Psalm 117, just 2 verses, and also the middle chapter of the entire Bible — meaning there are exactly 594 chapters before it and 594 after it.
Why chapter numbers don't mean much theologically
It's worth knowing that chapter and verse divisions weren't part of the original texts — they were added centuries later (chapter divisions are credited to Stephen Langton in the 13th century, verse numbers to Robert Estienne in the 16th) purely to make referencing and navigation easier. Occasionally a chapter break falls in an odd spot relative to the actual flow of the text, which is why reading a few verses on either side of a chapter boundary sometimes gives better context than treating each chapter as a fully self-contained unit.
Related: how many books are in the Bible and books of the Bible in order.
Frequently asked questions
How many chapters are in the Bible?
The Protestant Bible has 1,189 chapters — 929 in the Old Testament and 260 in the New Testament.
What is the longest chapter in the Bible?
Psalm 119, with 176 verses. It's an acrostic poem structured around the Hebrew alphabet, celebrating God's law.
What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?
Psalm 117, just 2 verses — and also the middle chapter of the entire Bible, with 594 chapters before it and 594 after.
Who added chapters and verses to the Bible?
Chapter divisions are credited to Stephen Langton in the 13th century, and verse numbers to Robert Estienne in the 16th. Neither was part of the original texts; both were added to make referencing easier.
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