Sacred Texts of World Religions
Key facts about the sacred scriptures of the world's major religions, language, length, and age.
Key facts about the sacred scriptures of major world religions
| Religion | Text | Language | Size | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christianity | Bible | Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek | ~1,189 chapters | ~3,400–1,900 years old |
| Islam | Quran | Arabic | 114 suras | ~1,400 years old |
| Judaism | Tanakh (+ Talmud) | Hebrew, Aramaic | 929 chapters (Tanakh) | ~3,400–2,100 years old |
| Hinduism | Vedas, Upanishads, Gita | Sanskrit | Multiple texts | ~3,500–2,200 years old |
| Buddhism | Pali Canon (Tipitaka) | Pali | ~10,000 suttas | ~2,400 years old |
| Sikhism | Guru Granth Sahib | Gurmukhi | 1,430 pages | ~400 years old |
Ages are approximate. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Oxford Reference.
The data behind the chart
| Religion | Text | Original language | Size | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christianity | Bible | Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek | ~1,189 chapters | ~3,400–1,900 years old |
| Islam | Quran | Arabic | 114 suras | ~1,400 years old |
| Judaism | Tanakh (+ Talmud) | Hebrew, Aramaic | 929 chapters (Tanakh) | ~3,400–2,100 years old |
| Hinduism | Vedas, Upanishads, Gita | Sanskrit | Multiple texts | ~3,500–2,200 years old |
| Buddhism | Pali Canon (Tipitaka) | Pali | ~10,000 suttas | ~2,400 years old |
| Sikhism | Guru Granth Sahib | Gurmukhi | 1,430 pages | ~400 years old |
More infographics
Source
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Oxford Reference; academic consensus.