Sacred texts across history
A timeline of the major holy books and foundational scriptures, positioned by their approximate dates of composition or compilation.
~1500–1200 BCE
Hinduism
Rigveda
~1500–1200 BCE
The oldest of the four Vedas, a collection of over 1,000 hymns addressed to the gods. Composed and transmitted orally for centuries before being written down. The foundation of the Hindu scriptural tradition.
~800–500 BCE
Hinduism
Upanishads
~800–500 BCE
Philosophical texts forming the concluding portion of the Vedas. They shift from ritual practice to metaphysical inquiry — exploring the nature of Brahman (ultimate reality) and Atman (the self).
~600–400 BCE
Zoroastrianism
Avesta
~600–400 BCE
The primary scripture of Zoroastrianism. Its oldest portion, the Gathas, are hymns attributed to Zarathustra himself. The broader Avesta includes liturgical texts, myths, and laws compiled over centuries.
Judaism
Torah
~600–400 BCE
The five books of Moses — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Traditionally understood as divinely revealed at Sinai. Scholarly consensus sees a long compositional process reaching its final form in the Persian period.
~5th–3rd century BCE
Taoism
Tao Te Ching
~4th century BCE
Attributed to Laozi, this brief, poetic text of 81 chapters explores the Tao (the Way) through paradox and imagery. Central themes include wu wei (effortless action), yielding over force, and skepticism toward conventional striving.
Confucianism
Analects
~5th–3rd century BCE
Collected sayings and dialogues of Confucius, compiled by his students over generations. Concerned with ren (benevolence), li (ritual propriety), and the cultivation of the exemplary person through right relationships.
~3rd–1st century BCE
Hinduism
Bhagavad Gita
~2nd century BCE
A 700-verse dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and the god Krishna, set within the Mahabharata epic. Explores duty, devotion, knowledge, and renunciation. Probably the most widely read Hindu scripture worldwide.
Buddhism
Pali Canon
~3rd–1st century BCE
The Tipitaka ("three baskets") contains the Buddha's discourses, monastic rules, and philosophical analysis. Central to Theravada Buddhism. First written down in Sri Lanka around the 1st century BCE after centuries of oral transmission.
~50–100 CE
Christianity
New Testament
~50–100 CE
Twenty-seven books in Greek: four Gospels narrating the life of Jesus, Paul's letters (the earliest Christian documents), other epistles, Acts of the Apostles, and the apocalyptic Revelation. Canon settled by the late 4th century.
~610–632 CE
Islam
Quran
~610–632 CE
Understood by Muslims as the literal word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over 23 years. Composed of 114 surahs (chapters) covering theology, law, narrative, and moral guidance. Compiled into a standard text under Caliph Uthman.
712 CE
Shinto
Kojiki
712 CE
Japan's oldest surviving chronicle, narrating the mythological origins of the islands, the gods (kami), and the imperial line. Compiled from oral tradition by the courtier Ō no Yasumaro at imperial command.
1604 CE
Sikhism
Guru Granth Sahib
1604 CE
Compiled by Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru, and later expanded. Contains hymns by Sikh Gurus and Hindu and Muslim saints. Unique among scriptures in being regarded as a living Guru — it is treated with the reverence due a spiritual teacher, not merely a text.
Hinduism
Abrahamic traditions
Chinese traditions
Buddhism
Zoroastrianism / Shinto
Sikhism
Dates reflect scholarly estimates for composition or compilation, which often spanned generations. Many of these texts circulated orally long before being written down.