What Is the Longest Book in the Bible? The Best Ultimate Guide (2026)

What Is the Longest Book in the Bible? (Psalms vs. Jeremiah)

If you’ve ever wondered what is the longest book in the Bible, the short answer is Psalms — it has the most chapters (150) and the most verses (2,461) of any book in Scripture. But there’s a twist: measured by word count in the original Hebrew, Jeremiah actually edges it out. Which one you call “longest” really depends on what you’re counting. For more insights, read here:- apollyon and energized

Quick Answer

Measure	Longest Book	Count
Chapters	Psalms	150 chapters
Verses	Psalms	2,461 verses
Original Hebrew words	Jeremiah	~33,000 words
English words (KJV)	Psalms	~43,700 words

What Is the Longest Book in the Bible by Chapters?

By chapter count, there’s no real contest. Psalms runs 150 chapters, more than double the next closest book, Isaiah, which has 66. That’s because Psalms isn’t one continuous story — it’s a collection of individual songs, prayers, and poems gathered over centuries, so each short psalm gets its own chapter. If someone asks what is the longest book in the Bible and they mean “most chapters,” Psalms is your answer, hands down.

What Is the Longest Book in the Bible by Verses?

Psalms again takes the crown with 2,461 verses — nearly a thousand more than Genesis, which comes in second at 1,533. A high verse count doesn’t automatically mean more words, though, since verse length varies a lot from book to book. Some psalms run just a line or two; others, like Psalm 119, stretch across 176 verses on their own. So by this measure too, the answer to what is the longest book in the Bible is still Psalms.

What Is the Longest Book in the Bible by Word Count?

Here’s where things get interesting. In the original Hebrew, Jeremiah contains roughly 33,000 words, edging out Psalms at around 30,000 and Genesis close behind. So if you’re measuring by original-language word count, the honest answer to what is the longest book in the Bible shifts — Jeremiah, not Psalms, is technically the longest book of the Old Testament, and of the whole Bible.

Translation flips the script again. In the King James Version, Psalms swells to about 43,700 English words, more than any other book, because Hebrew poetry often needs extra English words to carry the same meaning. So an English reader working through the KJV will spend more time in Psalms than in Jeremiah, even though the reverse is true in Hebrew.

Why the Answer Changes Depending on How You Count

Asking what is the longest book in the Bible isn’t a trick question — it’s just that “longest” can mean three different things:

• Most chapters: how the book is divided for reading and reference
• Most verses: the smallest numbered units within the text
• Most words: the actual volume of language, which shifts between the original Hebrew or Greek and any given English translation

None of these measures is more “correct” than the others. They’re just answering slightly different questions, so it helps to know which one you actually need before you quote a number.

Top 5 Longest Books in the Bible (By Chapters)

Rank	Book	Chapters
1	Psalms	150
2	Isaiah	66
3	Jeremiah	52
4	Genesis	50
5	Ezekiel	48

The Longest Book in the New Testament

Outside the Old Testament, the title shifts entirely. Luke is generally recognized as the longest book of the New Testament by word count, and when you add its companion volume, Acts, the same author accounts for more New Testament text than any other writer. By chapters, Matthew and Luke both rank near the top, with 28 and 24 respectively.

The Shortest Book, for Contrast

It helps to see the other extreme. 3 John is widely cited as the shortest book by word count, and John 11:35 — “Jesus wept” — holds the record as the shortest verse in most English translations. Seeing both ends of the spectrum makes the “longest book” question easier to picture.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When people answer what is the longest book in the Bible, these are the slip-ups worth watching for:

• Assuming “longest” always means Psalms. True for chapters and verses, not always true for word count.
• Ignoring the translation. A book’s rank can shift between the original language and an English version.
• Mixing up longest chapter with longest book. Psalm 119 is the longest individual chapter in the Bible, but that’s a different fact from the longest book overall.
• Forgetting the New Testament has its own leaderboard. Luke, not Psalms or Jeremiah, tops that list.

Quick Tips / Cheat Sheet

Keep this cheat sheet handy the next time someone asks what is the longest book in the Bible:

• Need “most chapters” or “most verses”? Say Psalms.
• Need “most words in the original language”? Say Jeremiah.
• Talking about an English Bible specifically? Say Psalms, since translation adds length.
• Asked about the New Testament only? Say Luke.

Related Word Guides

• Other ways to say “brief” or “concise”
• Synonyms for “lengthy” and “extensive”
• What does “canon” mean in a biblical context

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the longest book in the Bible by chapters?

Psalms is the longest book in the Bible by chapters, with 150 in total. That’s more than double the next longest book, Isaiah, which has 66.

What is the longest book in the Bible by word count?

It depends on the language. In the original Hebrew, Jeremiah is longest at roughly 33,000 words. In the King James Version’s English translation, Psalms is longest at about 43,700 words.

Is Psalms or Jeremiah the longest book in the Bible?

Psalms wins on chapters and verses, while Jeremiah wins on original-language word count. Neither answer is wrong — they’re just measuring different things.

What is the shortest book in the Bible?

3 John is usually cited as the shortest book by word count, though 2 John and Philemon are close contenders depending on the translation used.

What is the longest chapter in the Bible?

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter, with 176 verses built as an acrostic poem that moves through the Hebrew alphabet.

What is the longest book in the New Testament?

Luke is the longest book in the New Testament by word count, with Acts — written by the same author — close behind.

How many chapters does the Bible have in total?

The Bible has 1,189 chapters across the Old and New Testaments combined, spread over 66 books in most Protestant Bibles.

Why does Psalms have so many chapters?

Psalms is a collection of 150 individual songs and prayers written by multiple authors over centuries, so each one is numbered as its own chapter rather than forming one continuous narrative.

So, what is the longest book in the Bible — in one sentence?

Psalms is the longest book in the Bible by chapters and verses, while Jeremiah is longest by original Hebrew word count — so the “correct” one-word answer really depends on which measure you mean.

---

Wrapping Up

Now you’ve got a clear answer to what is the longest book in the Bible, in every sense that matters: Psalms leads by chapters and verses, Jeremiah leads by original Hebrew word count, and Luke tops the New Testament. Next time someone asks, you can give them the exact number they’re actually looking for instead of a single guess. For a full rundown of every book in order, take a look at the list of books of the Bible on Wikipedia, and browse more word and Bible fact guides on SmartWordings while you’re at it.