Definition

Noun: 1. The second major division of the Christian Bible: The New Testament is a collection of 27 books that form the foundational scripture of Christianity. It documents the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the history of the early Christian church, and the teachings of the Apostles. 2. The covenant established by Jesus Christ: The term "testament" means "covenant" or "agreement." The New Testament is understood as the new covenant between God and humanity, brought about through Jesus, which completes or supersedes the covenant described in the Old Testament.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The sermon focused on a passage from the New Testament.
  • Scholars study the historical context of the New Testament writings.
  • The Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Advanced Usage

• "New Testament theology": The study of the theological themes and doctrines presented within the New Testament writings.
  • His doctoral thesis explored themes of grace in New Testament theology.
• "New Testament canon": Refers to the officially accepted list of 27 books that constitute the New Testament.
  • The formation of the New Testament canon was a process that took several centuries.

Variants and Related Words

• Testament (n): In this context, a covenant or agreement. Also used to refer to either of the two main divisions of the Christian Bible (e.g., Old Testament, New Testament).
• Gospel (n): Literally "good news." Refers to the message concerning Christ, or specifically to the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).
• Epistle (n): A formal letter. A term for many of the New Testament books (e.g., the Pauline epistles).
• Scripture (n): The sacred writings of a religion. The New Testament is Christian scripture.

Synonyms

• The Gospels and Epistles: A descriptive phrase for its primary content.
• The Christian Scriptures: A broader term that can encompass the New Testament.

Related Phrases

• New Testament church: A term often used to describe the early Christian community as described in the New Testament, or a modern church seeking to model itself after that community.
  • Their community strives to be a New Testament church in its practices.

Noun

1. the collection of books of the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, the Pauline and other epistles, and Revelation; composed soon after Christ's death; the second half of the Christian Bible