What Is the Shortest Book in the Bible?
What Is the Shortest Book in the Bible? The shortest book in the Bible is 3 John, with only one chapter and 299 words in the original Greek.
Key verse: 3 John 1:1 (KJV)
The shortest book in the Bible is 3 John, with only one chapter and 299 words in the original Greek.
The shortest book in the Bible is 3 John, with only one chapter and 299 words in the original Greek.
"The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth." — 3 John 1:1 (KJV)
Meaning
Plain-language explanation
In Context
Surrounding KJV scripture
Related Verses
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The Biblical Answer
By word count in the original languages, the shortest book of the Bible is 3 John — a single chapter of fourteen verses containing 299 Greek words. It is a personal letter from the apostle John to his friend Gaius, commending him for his hospitality toward traveling missionaries and warning against the prideful Diotrephes. By verse count, 2 John is even shorter at thirteen verses, though it contains more words (303 in Greek). Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible — just two verses. The shortest verse in English is John 11:35 ('Jesus wept.'), though in Greek 1 Thessalonians 5:16 ('Rejoice evermore.') is equally brief. These short portions of Scripture remind us that even a few inspired words carry eternal weight — 3 John's brief encouragement to support gospel workers has shaped church practice for two millennia.
Key Scripture References
"The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth."
"O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD."
"Jesus wept."
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Related Questions
What Is the Longest Book in the Bible?
The longest book in the Bible is Psalms, with 150 chapters and 43,743 words in the original Hebrew.
How Many Books Are in the Bible?
The Bible contains 66 books — 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
What Is the Most Popular Verse in the Bible?
John 3:16 is widely considered the most popular verse in the Bible, summarizing the gospel in a single sentence.
Who Wrote the Bible?
The Bible was written by approximately 40 human authors over 1,500 years, but ultimately inspired by God through the Holy Spirit.
Is the Bible True and Reliable?
Yes — the Bible's historical accuracy, fulfilled prophecy, internal consistency, and transformative power confirm its divine reliability.
Deep Dive Commentary
For a more in-depth study, read our verse-by-verse commentary:
Related Reading
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Is the Bible True and Reliable?
History & Origins
How Many Books Are in the Bible?
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Read it in context
The answer above sits inside 3 John. The 365-day chronological plan reads it in the order the events happened.
Read 3 John on day 358 of the chronological Bible reading planKeep the verses to hand
Every verse quoted in “What Is the Shortest Book in the Bible?” comes from the King James Version, free to download and print.
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