Order of the New Testament Books

In recent posts we have been addressing the criticism that Mormons are adding to the Bible in violation of Revelation 22:18-19.

18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

We have shown in previous posts (1, 2) that the Bible wasn't even compiled until the 4th century. Next we shall examine the historical order in which the books of the New Testament were written. In compiling this list I have been careful to avoid even looking at the work of LDS scholars on the same subject. My list is from a traditional Christian website. Although there is disagreement about the following list in minor ways, it is representative of a consensus among a majority of New Testament scholars.

1. James - 50 AD
2. First Thessalonians - 52-53 AD
3. Second Thessalonians - 52-53 AD
4. Galatians - 55 AD
5. First Corinthians - 57 AD
6. Second Corinthians - 57 AD
7. Romans - 57-58 AD
8. Philippians - 62-63 AD
9. Colossians - 62-63 AD
10. Philemon - 62-63 AD
11. Ephesians - 62-63 AD
12. Luke - 63 AD
13. Acts - 64 AD
14. First Timothy - 65 AD
15. Titus - 65 AD
16. Second Timothy - 66 AD
17. Mark - 66 AD
18. Matthew - 67 AD
19. Hebrews - 67 AD
20. First Peter - 67-68 AD
21. Second Peter - 68 AD
22. Jude - 68 AD
23. Revelation - 68 AD
24. John - c 85 AD
25. Epistles of John - 90-95 AD

You will notice that Revelation was the first of John's writings. John wrote 5 books of the New Testament. Four of them were written after the Book of Revelation.

If John truly meant that no one was to add to a book that wasn't compiled yet; then why did he add most of his writings to it? The argument that enemies of the Mormon Church make claiming that we are adding to the Bible is false. It represents a total lack of understanding of the history of the Bible and is a really bad interpretation of Revelation 22:18-19.