What Are the Torah, Psalms (Zebur) and Gospel?
The names Torah, Zebur (Psalms) and Gospel are familiar to many people. These three names in fact correspond to particular groups of books found within the Bible we have today. This page explains, neutrally, which books each name points to, how they relate to the Old and New Testament and where they sit within the Bible; afterward you can begin reading these books here for free.
What is the Torah?
"Torah" is the shared name of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Beginning with the creation of the world, these five books recount the origins of the people of Israel, their exodus from Egypt and the laws they received. In the Jewish tradition this section is called the "Torah." It is the opening part of the Old Testament.
What is the Zebur (Psalms)?
The Zebur corresponds to the book of Psalms in the Bible. The Psalms are a text of 150 chapters of prayer, praise, lament and poetry, traditionally associated in large part with King David. Because they express human emotions — joy, grief, gratitude and hope — in a heartfelt voice, they have been among the most widely read parts for centuries. The Psalms are among the poetic books of the Old Testament.
What is the Gospel (İncil)?
"Gospel" (İncil) literally means "good news" and refers to the New Testament portion of the Bible. In its narrowest sense it denotes the four books recounting the life of Jesus Christ (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). More broadly it also includes the whole New Testament of 27 books, together with the story of the early church and the letters of the apostles.
Where these names sit within the Bible
The Torah and the Psalms lie within the Old Testament: the Torah is the first five books, and the Psalms (Zebur) is one of its books. The Gospel refers to the New Testament. So these three familiar names correspond to different parts of a single whole — the Bible. The Bible contains 66 books in total: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
How can I read these books on this site?
On this site you can read all parts of the Bible — the Torah, the Psalms (Zebur) and the Gospel — chapter by chapter, free and ad-free. As a starting point, Genesis is a good entry for the Torah, the Psalms for the Zebur, and John for the Gospel. You can go to any book from the index.
Start here
Guides
- What Is the Gospel (İncil)?
- What Are the Torah, Psalms (Zebur) and Gospel?
- The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Who Wrote the Bible? When Was It Written?
- How Many Books Are There in the Bible?
- Chapters and Verses: How to Read a Reference Like "John 3:16"
- Who Is Jesus Christ?
- What Is the Zebur (Book of Psalms)?
- What Is Baptism?
- How Did the Bible Reach Us? (Manuscripts and Translation)
- What Is Prayer and How Do You Pray?
- What Are the Ten Commandments?
- What Are the Parables of Jesus?
- What Are the Old and New Testaments?
- What Is Christmas? When and Where Was Jesus Born?
- What Are Easter and the Resurrection?
- Who or What Is the Holy Spirit?
- What Is a Church (Kilise)?
- What Is Christianity?
- What Is Sin (Günah)?
- What Are Angels?
- What Are Heaven and Hell?
- What Is a Prophet?
- What Is the Trinity?
- Satan and Evil According to the Bible
- How Do You Memorize Bible Verses?
- Kadıköy Kilise Translation (KKR): Sources and Revision Notes
What is the Torah and which books make it up?
The Torah is the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. It is the opening part of the Old Testament.
Which book does the Zebur correspond to?
The Zebur corresponds to the book of Psalms in the Bible. The Psalms are a text of prayer and poetry in 150 chapters, found within the Old Testament.
Are the Torah, Zebur and Gospel in the Bible?
Yes. The Torah (the first five books) and the Zebur (Psalms) are within the Old Testament; the Gospel refers to the New Testament. All three are parts of the Bible we have today.
How are these three related?
The Torah and Zebur belong to the Old Testament, and the Gospel to the New Testament. So the three correspond to different parts of a single whole — the 66-book Bible.
Can I read the Torah, Zebur and Gospel online?
Yes. On this site you can read the whole Bible — including the Torah, the Zebur (Psalms) and the Gospel — chapter by chapter, free and ad-free.