Start with the prophets and other key people of the Old Testament, then follow Jesus's family line from Adam to Joseph and Mary. The guide ends with the twelve disciples and the key people of the New Testament. Every entry lists where to read about that person.
Part 1
Prophets and key people of the Old Testament
How the prophets fit
A prophet spoke God's message to the people. Most of them called Israel and Judah back to the covenant, warned of judgment, and promised a future restoration and a coming King.
"Major" and "Minor" refer to the length of the books, not their importance. The twelve shorter books are sometimes called "the Twelve."
The prophetic books are not printed in date order. Each card below gives the prophet's period so you can place them in the story told in 1–2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.
People who are part of Jesus's family line, such as Abraham, David, and Ruth, appear in Part 2. Each card here has an NT link showing where the New Testament picks up that person.
Part 2
From Adam to Jesus
Two genealogies, read side by side
Matthew 1:1–17 starts with Abraham and runs forward through King Solomon. It is arranged in three groups of 14 generations (1:17) and presents Jesus as the rightful heir of David and Abraham.
Luke 3:23–38 runs backward from Jesus all the way to Adam, and through David's son Nathan rather than Solomon. It presents Jesus as connected to all humanity.
The two agree from Abraham to David, then diverge until Joseph. A common explanation is that Matthew gives Joseph's legal, royal line and Luke gives Mary's family line (or Joseph's biological line). Scholars and traditions differ on this.
Old Testament sources for the line: Genesis 5Genesis 11:10–26Ruth 4:18–221 Chronicles 1–3
Part 3
Promises traced through the line
The genealogy matters because Old Testament promises narrowed step by step: from humanity, to Abraham, to Judah, to David's house. The New Testament writers point back to these.
Old Testament promise
What it says
New Testament link
Part 4
The Twelve disciples
The four lists of the Twelve appear in Matthew 10:2–4Mark 3:16–19Luke 6:14–16Acts 1:13. Peter is always named first and Judas Iscariot last.