What Do You Know About Scripture?

Take this test to see how much you know.

Quick. Who wrote ? What does it mean to walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Who was Jehoshaphat? Can you answer questions like these? An increasing number of Christians can't. Or do you know more than you think you know? To help you find out, we have put together some short tests of Christian knowledge—some easy, some more difficult—about people, places, Bible verses, and writings.

Answers are given in at the end. With a little boning up, you will amaze yourself (and your friends) with your knowledge.

Test 1: Common Bible Sayings

  1. Am I my brother's _____?
  2. Daniel in the _____ den
  3. Do unto _____ as you would have them do unto you.
  4. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we _____.
  5. A friend that sticks closer than a _____
  6. God so loved the _____ that he gave his only begotten son
  7. I am the _____, the truth, and the life.
  8. In my Father's _____ are many mansions.
  9. Land flowing with milk and _____
  10. Lay up for yourselves _____ in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt nor thieves break through and steal.
  11. _____ is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
  12. No _____ in the inn
  13. Now abideth faith, hope, _____, these three; but the greatest of these is _____.
  14. Suffer the little _____ to come unto me, and forbid them not.
  15. Turn the _____ cheek.
  16. Walk by _____, not by sight.
  17. _____ up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
  18. All we like _____ have gone astray.
  19. Be ye _____ of the word, and not hearers only.
  20. Create in me a clean _____, 0 God.

Test 2: In the Bible

  1. Name the first four books of the New Testament.

  2. In what book of the Bible is the Christmas story found, the version familiar to most people?

  3. What is another well-known name for "the Evil One"?

  4. In the Old Testament, who was turned into a pillar of salt?

  5. Name the first five books of the Old Testament.

  6. Who was Joseph's younger brother (the youngest son of Jacob)?

  7. What was the name of the daily food God provided as Moses led his people through the wilderness?

  8. Who was the first king of Israel?

  9. What town is known as the "City of David"?

  10. Name the wicked queen who wanted to kill Elijah.

  11. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, … soul, … mind." What did he say the second greatest command is?

  12. Who was the man who wrestled with an angel at Peniel?

  13. What body of water parted for Moses?

Test 3: Common Bible Sayings

  1. Death, where is thy _____?
  2. Don't hide your _____ under a bushel.
  3. Gold, frankincense, and ______.
  4. I am come that they might have _____ and that they might have it more abundantly.
  5. I am the light of the _____.
  6. If_____ be for us, who can be against us?
  7. If ye love me, _____ my commandments.
  8. In the _____ God created the heavens and the earth.
  9. The just shall live by _____.
  10. Lead us not into _____, but deliver us from evil.
  11. Man shall not live by _____ alone, but by every word of God.
  12. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye ____one another.
  13. Our _____ who art in heaven …
  14. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their _____.
  15. Though your _____ be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
  16. The valley of the _____ of death
  17. The wages of sin is _____.
  18. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also _____.
  19. Ye shall know the _____, and the _____ shall make you free.
  20. Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and the _____."

Test 4: Sayings that May Surprise You

  1. A good name is better than _____.
  2. Giving honor unto the _____, as unto the weaker vessel
  3. Four _____of the Apocalypse
  4. Go to the ______, thou sluggard.
  5. A _____ is not without honor except in his own country.
  6. How _____ upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring good tidings.
  7. The race is not always to the swift, nor the ______ to the strong.
  8. Though he slay me, yet will I _____him.
  9. It is _____ _____ to give than to receive.
  10. None doeth _____, no, not one.
  11. The heavens are telling the _____ of God.
  12. _____ your enemies … and do good to them … which despitefully use you.
  13. Pride goes before _____.
  14. The love of _____ is the root of all kinds of evil.
  15. Blessed are they that have not _____ and yet have believed.
  16. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the _____ of his saints.
  17. He that spares the rod _____ _____ _____.
  18. How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 _____, son of the morning.
  19. How lovely is thy _____ _____, 0 Lord of Hosts.

Test 5: Ten Commandments

Name the Ten Commandments.

Test 6: Beatitudes

List the Beatitudes.

Test 7: Fruit of the Spirit

Name the nine-part "fruit of the Spirit" as listed by Paul.

Test 8: Seven Last Statements

What were Christ's seven last statements from the cross as recorded in the Bible?

Test 9: Armor of God

When Paul said, "Put on the whole armor of God," what were the six items he named?

Test 10: Biblical Allusions in a Contemporary Speech
"I Have a Dream"

Find ten or more biblical allusions, phrases, or quotations in this excerpt from the best-known speech of Martin Luther King, Jr.:

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation … It came as the joyous daybreak to end the long night of [Negro] captivity …

Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

… The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

… Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

No, no, we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like the waters of righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations … Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

… I say to you today, my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream … I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal."

… I have a dream that one day down in Alabama … little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

… I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. … With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning: "My country 'tis of thee, / Sweet land of liberty,/Of thee I sing … "

From every mountainside, let freedom ring. And when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village, from every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speedup that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands (and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! thank God almighty, we are free at last!"

Answers to Tests

Test 1: Common Bible Sayings
1. keeper 2. lions' 3.others 4. die 5. brother 6. world 7. way 8. house 9. honey 10. treasures 11. Faith 12. room 13. love (or charity) 14. children 15. other 16. faith 17. Train 18. sheep 19. doers 20. heart

Test 2: In the Bible
1. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John 2. Luke 3. Satan/Devil 4. Lot's wife 5. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy 6. Benjamin 7. manna 8. Saul 9. Bethlehem 10. Jezebel 11. "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31) 12. Jacob 13. the Red Sea

Test 3: Common Bible Sayings
1. sting 2. light 3. myrrh 4. life 5. world 6. God 7. keep 8. beginning 9. faith 10. temptation 11. bread 12. love 13. Father 14. strength 15. sins 16. shadow 17. death 18. reap 19. truth, truth 20. Omega

Test 4: Sayings that May Surprise You
1. riches 2. wife 3. horseman 4. ant 5. prophet 6. beautiful 7. battle 8. trust 9. more blessed 10. good 11. glory 12. Love 13. destruction 14. money 15. seen 16. death 17. hateth his son. 18. Lucifer 19. dwelling place

Test 5: Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17, KJV)

  1. Thou shalt have no other gods besides me.
  2. Thou shalt not worship any graven image.
  3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
  4. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.
  5. Honor thy father and mother.
  6. Thou shalt not kill.
  7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
  8. Thou shalt not steal.
  9. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
  10. Thou shalt not covet.

Test 6: Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12 KJV)

(Give yourself credit if you get the gist of these)

  1. Blessed are the poor in spirit …
  2. Blessed are they that mourn …
  3. Blessed are the meek …
  4. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness …
  5. Blessed are the merciful …
  6. Blessed are the pure in heart …
  7. Blessed are the peacemakers …
  8. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake …
  9. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you …

Test 7: Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24, KJV)
Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Test 8: Seven Last Statements

  1. "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do."
  2. "Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise."
  3. "Woman, behold thy son." To John, "Behold thy mother."
  4. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
  5. "I thirst."
  6. "It is finished."
  7. "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."

Test 9: Armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17)
belt of truth; breastplate of righteousness; feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; shield of faith; helmet of salvation; sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Test 10: Biblical Allusions in a Contemporary Speech (Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream")
Look for italicized and bracketed phrases for the answers.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation … It came as the joyous daybreak [echo of 2 Pet. 1:19, etc.) to end the long night of captivity [cf. Egyptian and Babylonian captivities] …

Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley [echo of Ps. 23]of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock [Ps. 40] of brotherhood [1 Pet. 2:17, etc.]. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children [Matt. 5:9].

… The whirlwinds [echo of Zech. 9:14, etc.] of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges [hint of Isa. 62:1, etc.].

… Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst [echo of Jer. 2:13 , 25, etc.] for freedom by drinking from the cup [echo of Rev. 8:11 , 16:19, etc.] of bitterness and hatred.

No, no, we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like the waters of righteousness like a mighty stream [Amos 5:24].

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations [Rev. 7:14] … Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering [1 Pet. 3:14, 17] is redemptive.

… I say to you today, my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream … I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created [Gen. 1:27] equal."

… I have a dream that one day down in Alabama … little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers [James 2:15, etc.].

… I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together [Isa. 40].

This is our hope. … With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day [hint of John 8:32].

This will be the day when all of God's children [Matt. 5:9, etc.] will be able to sing with new meaning: "My country 'tis of thee, / Sweet land of liberty, [hint of Lev. 25:10, etc.]/Of thee I sing …"

From every mountainside, let freedom ring. And when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village, from every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speedup that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands [echo of Gal. 3:28] (and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! thank God almighty, we are free at last!"

—From What Every Christian Should Know by Jo. H. Lewis and Gordon A. Palmer

Related Bible Studies

Free Newsletters

More Newsletters

Follow us