The New Testament in Pictures Trivia Quiz

Matthew chapter 2 gives the account of the wise men, or Magi, who came from the east to visit Jesus some time after his birth. They followed a bright star, which they interpreted as a sign that the Messiah had been born, and they had set out on a long trek so that they could pay their respects. Tradition accounts for the presence of three Magi, due to the three gifts they bore of gold, frankincense and myrrh, though the text does not specify the number of Magi.

Mark chapter 16 is one of many accounts of Jesus's resurrection found in the New Testament. The resurrection of Jesus is a key tenet of the Christian faith, with the belief that he was crucified to personally absorb the punishment for humanity's unfaithfulness and then resurrected after three days, with the resurrection taken as proof that he had conquered both sin and death. Chapter 16 is the final chapter of the Gospel of Mark, the shortest of the four Gospels.

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke both give accounts of Jesus's birth. Luke chapter 2 notes that after Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary, angels appeared from heaven to announce the birth to a group of nearby shepherds, saying "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11, New International Version).

The passage is popularly sung about in various Christmas carols.

John chapter 11 depicts the death of Lazarus and subsequent raising from the dead as one of Jesus's many recorded miracles. Lazarus of Bethany was the brother of sisters Mary and Martha, and they were recorded as being friends of Jesus. When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead for four days.

When Jesus commanded the tombstone to be rolled away, this led to one of the more humorous quotes in the Bible, as Martha interrupted, "But Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days" (John 11:39, New International Version).

The chapter also contains the shortest verse in the Bible: after learning of his friend's death, "Jesus wept" (John 11:35, New International Version).

The book of Acts, or Acts of the Apostles, was written by Luke, and was meant as part two of a two-part volume with the Gospel of Luke. Luke ends and Acts chapter 1 begins with an account of the ascension of Jesus into heaven, forty days after his resurrection. Per the text, Jesus had gathered with his disciples on the Mount of Olives, giving them final instructions before ascending into the clouds.

The prophecy written in the book of Revelation ends with the conquest of sin and the end to all pain and suffering, the boundary between heaven and earth erased, and the creation of the New Jerusalem, the Holy City of streets of gold, with Eden restored.

The passage describes the New Jerusalem in poetic detail. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4, New International Version).

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are found in chapter 6 of the book of Revelation, a prophecy recorded by John while in exile on the island of Patmos. They are representations of the first four of seven seals opened or unleashed upon the earth, personifications of war, famine, conquest and death. Once released, they were authorized to exact judgment over a fourth of the earth.

Acts chapter 9 gives the account of Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus. Later becoming the Apostle Paul, then known as Saul, he was on his way to Damascus to arrest and persecute Christians. Suddenly, a bright light shone down from heaven, temporarily blinding Saul, and he heard the voice of Jesus. Saul went from being an enemy to the early Christians, to the most influential missionary spreading Christianity throughout much of the Roman Empire, despite constant threats of persecution and death.

Modern idioms like "blinded by the light," "road to Damascus," and "Damascene moment" can all be traced back to this passage.

Chapter 2 of the Gospel of John gives the account of what many believe to be Jesus's first recorded miracle, turning water into wine. Jesus was with his mother, Mary, along with his disciples, in attendance of a wedding feast in the town of Cana, which is in the Galilee region. Wedding feasts were multi-day affairs in the ancient Near East, and after some time, the party ran out of wine. Jesus's mother urged him to do something about it.

He saw six stone jars and instructed them to be filled with water. And when the water was tasted, it had turned to wine, and not low quality plonk, either. John records the groom as saying, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now" (John 2:10, New International Version).

Luke chapter 22 is one of four New Testament accounts of what has popularly been termed as "The Last Supper." It was the final meal that Jesus shared with his disciples before his arrest and crucifixion. It was the origin of the Christian tradition of Holy Communion, or the Eucharist. Taken place over Passover week, Luke records Jesus as instructing Peter and John to make preparations for the Passover meal together, in the furnished upstairs guest room of a local man's house just outside Jerusalem. Luke records Jesus as saying, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the Kingdom of God" (Luke 22:15-16, New International Version).

The Gospel of Mark begins with an account of Jesus's baptism in the Jordan River by his cousin, John the Baptist. The scripture states that as Jesus came out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove. Matthew chapter 3 and Luke chapter 3 also give accounts of Jesus's baptism, both adding various details about the life and ministry of John the Baptist.

Matthew chapters 5-7 give an account of Jesus's most famous sermon, the "Sermon on the Mount." Noteworthy is the Beatitudes, found in Matthew chapter 5, such as: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they would be comforted..." (Matthew 5:3-4, New International Version).

A sermon with a similar message was recorded in Luke chapter 6, called the "Sermon on the Plain."