The One Page New Testament - A Short Introduction

The New Testament is comprised of 27 books, 260 chapters, and nearly 8000 verses depending upon the Greek or Latin source texts used.  Most importantly, it records the: birth; life and ministry; arrest, trial, suffering, crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. It tells us about Pentecost (the outpouring of the Holy Spirit), and the development, and expansion of the early church. In addition, there is also teaching and correction for disciples, accounts of the fulfilling of prophecy, and some further prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled.

For new and established disciples of Jesus, drawing out the main messages from its pages can be difficult. We can use commentaries, listen to our pastors or other teachers, study alone or with others, to try and understand what God requires from us before we seek to put it into practice.

However, the teaching is distributed throughout the text, and trying to draw this into an ordered form is a challenge for practical discipleship. The vision for the materials has been to present how we can “become more like Jesus” in a structured picture form.

Five key images each summarize a complete view of Christian discipleship at increasing layers of detail. The more complex images show increasing amounts of information - in the form of brief encouragements and warnings.

This is documented in two books:

  • The One Page New Testament: Volume 1 - Key Images (ISBN number: 978-1-9164405-7-9). This is now available as a free PDF download on the “OPNT - Vol 1 Download” page on this website. It will also be made available as a free eBook online shortly.

  • The One Page New Testament: Volume 2 - Systematic Discipleship (ISBN number: 978-1-9164405-2-4). The target publication date for this paperback volume is April 2025.

The key message is that the main purpose of the New Testament is to help us “Become more like Jesus”. At the layer below this, we know that Jesus told his listeners to “Love God”, invited them to “Follow me” (Follow Jesus), and to “Love your neighbor as yourself”.

The material draws together a five-year, five-thousand-hour project investigating discipleship-related words in the Greek New Testament and how they have been translated in respected Bible versions. Two-hundred-fifty themes across six levels provide wisdom and insight for learning and teaching purposes while multiple scriptures are referenced under each theme to study and apply.

Discipleship materials typically focus on loving God and our neighbors. But this analysis reveals that New Testament teachings about loving God represents 12% of developed themes, loving others 23%, while the remaining 65% challenge us to modify and develop our thinking, actions, and behaviors as led by the Holy Spirit.

Volume 1 presents the key images of discipleship teaching from the New Testament for users to use as a reference source. Volume 2 describes each level in the structure, introducing every theme with typically five different scriptures printed in full – drawn from 6 different translations. Where they exist, typically up to 20 more scripture references are provided for further study on each theme. The full analysis encompassed nearly 70% of the New Testament and, in the book, 40% is covered in the referenced scriptures.

These materials draw together an investigation of more than 2200 New Testament Greek words and idioms related to discipleship (there are 5523 Greek words in the New Testament according to Strong’s method). The analysis considered where they appear (counting stopped after 86,000 verse checks) and how they have been translated in different respected Bible versions. There are 250 themes across the 5 levels of detail. They provide wisdom and insight for teaching purposes. The themes are just labels and do not replace scripture. It is the scriptures that are most important things to study and apply.

These resources can help us understand and coach others in Christian discipleship step-by-step from Level 1 (for those young in their faith) through to Levels 4 and 5 (for established disciples). They are for everyone who wants to go deeper in their discipleship knowledge and practice and to be challenged and blessed in doing so.

The five key One Page New Testament images are illustrated below. 

For a free PDF download of Volume 1 please go to the “OPNT - Vol 1 Download” page on this website.