Test your Bible literacy

Here’s Stephen Prothero’s Bible Literacy Quiz. Only one-third of Americans know Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, and 10 percent believe that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. Are you biblically literate? Take this biblical literacy quiz and find out.

1. Name the four Gospels.

2. Name the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament.

3. According to the Bible, which man led the Israelites across the Red Sea?

4. Who is credited with writing most of the Epistles?

5. “God helps those who help themselves.” Is this in the Bible?

6. “Blessed are the poor.” Is this in the Bible?

7. According to the Bible, where was Jesus born?

8. According to the Bible, who was the first murderer?

9. President George W. Bush spoke in his first inaugural address of the Jericho road. Which Bible story was he invoking?

10. Name the Ten Commandments. List as many as you can.

ANSWERS

1. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (1 point each).

2. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (1 point each).

3. Moses (2 points).

4. Paul (2 points).

5. No (2 points). The words are Ben Franklin’s.

6. Yes (2 points). It’s in Luke 6:20. (Elsewhere Jesus says “Blessed are the poor.”)

7. Bethlehem (2 points).

8. Cain (2 points).

9. The Good Samaritan (2 points).

10. The Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish versions of the Ten Commandments differ. Give yourself credit for any 10 of the following 12 commandments, each of which appears in at least one of those three versions (1 point each):

(1) I the Lord am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage.

(2) You shall have no other gods before me.

(3) You shall not make yourself a graven image.

(4) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

(5) Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

(6) Honor your father and your mother.

(7) You shall not kill/murder.

(8) You shall not commit adultery.

(9) You shall not steal.

(10) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

(11) You shall not cover your neighbor’s wife.

(12) You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

SCORING

There are 33 total points. Multiply by three and then add one to get your score on a scale of 100. A = 90 and up; B = 80-89; C = 70-79; D = 60-79; F = 59 and lower.

Adapted from Stephen Prothero’s “Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know — and Doesn’t” via PBS’ Religion & Ethics Newsweekly

This story was originally published May 9, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Test your Bible literacy."