John 20:31, Luke 1:1-4, Hebrews 1:1-2
The Fulfilment of the Promise
The New Testament opens with four books that describe the arrival of what the Old Testament spent fifteen hundred years preparing for: the Messiah. Jesus of Nazareth — born of a virgin in Bethlehem, ministering in Galilee and Judea, crucified under Pontius Pilate, raised on the third day — is the fulfilment of every promise, every type, every prophecy in the Old Testament.
The New Testament's twenty-seven books can be grouped into five categories:
The Gospels
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each present the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus from a distinct perspective and for a distinct audience.
Matthew presents Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, writing primarily for a Jewish audience.
Mark is the briefest and most action-packed — a fast-paced narrative of the servant Messiah, written for a Roman audience.
Luke emphasises Jesus' care for the marginalised — women, Samaritans, the poor — writing for a Greek audience as part of a two-volume work (Luke-Acts).
John is the most theological of the four — presenting Jesus as the eternal Word of God made flesh, writing so that readers "may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." (John 20:31).
Acts
Luke's second volume traces the expansion of the early church from Jerusalem to Rome through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the essential historical bridge between the Gospels and the letters.
The Letters (Epistles)
The bulk of the New Testament consists of letters written by apostles to specific churches and individuals. Paul wrote thirteen letters — to churches in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica, and to individuals (Timothy, Titus, Philemon). Other letters came from Peter, James, John, and the writer of Hebrews.
Letters must be read as letters — written to specific people in specific situations. Understanding the original context is essential to applying them correctly.
Revelation
The final book is apocalyptic literature — symbolic, visionary, highly allusive to Old Testament imagery. It was written to persecuted Christians in Asia Minor to assure them that God is in control and that Christ will triumph.
Where to Start
For new readers, most Bible teachers recommend starting with the Gospel of John, then Acts, then one of Paul's shorter letters (Philippians or Galatians), before working through the rest systematically.