Who is the most important person in the Bible?

Christians hold that Jesus is the center of the whole Bible. The Old Testament looks forward to him and the New Testament tells his story, so every other figure is understood in relation to him.

Who are the main people in the New Testament?

Besides Jesus, the New Testament centers on figures like Mary his mother, John the Baptist, the twelve disciples (including Peter, John, Thomas, and Judas), Mary Magdalene, Paul the apostle, and the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

The people of the story

Who’s Who in the Bible

This is a clear, warm guide to the central figures of the Christian faith, answering the simple question, who is or was this person, accurately and without spin. It begins with the Godhead (Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, and the Trinity) and moves to the people around Jesus, from his mother Mary and the fisherman Peter to Paul, Thomas, Judas, and Pilate. Every path leads back to Jesus, who stands at the center of them all.

Behind every question people ask about Christianity stands a cast of real people: some divine, most human, all caught up in one story. These pages answer, plainly and warmly, who each one is or was. We aim to be historically careful, honest where Christian traditions differ, and clear that every road here leads back to Jesus.

The Godhead

Who is Jesus? – The central figure of the faith: teacher, Messiah, and, Christians confess, God come among us.
Who is God? – The one eternal Creator, holy and personal, whom the Bible says is love.
Who is the Holy Spirit? – God present and at work: the Comforter who dwells within believers.
Who is the holy Trinity? – One God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
What is the Trinity? – A clear, plain explanation of the Christian belief in one God, three persons.
Who Jesus is to Christians – Not only history, but the living Lord, Saviour, and friend that believers follow.

People around Jesus

Mary, the mother of Jesus – The young woman of Nazareth who said yes to God and bore the Messiah.
John the Baptist – The prophet who prepared the way and baptised Jesus.
Peter – The fisherman who denied Jesus, was restored, and led the early church.
Paul the apostle – The persecutor who met the risen Christ and became the church's greatest missionary.
Mary Magdalene – The follower healed by Jesus who became the first witness of the resurrection.
John the apostle – The disciple whom Jesus loved, and the writer of a Gospel of love.
Thomas the apostle – The honest doubter who confessed the risen Jesus as 'My Lord and my God.'
Lazarus – The friend of Jesus raised from the dead after four days in the tomb.
Judas Iscariot – The disciple who betrayed Jesus, and the sober mercy his story points to.
Pontius Pilate – The Roman governor who found no fault in Jesus yet condemned him.
The twelve disciples – The ordinary men Jesus called, and sent to change the world.

Where to go from here: Meet Jesus → · Why Jesus? → · Find a church →

✝

Come and see

You do not have to take anyone’s word for it, ours least of all. The living Christ is not a fact to be filed away but a Person to be met, and he still draws near to everyone who comes to him with an open heart. Read his own words, watch what he does, and see for yourself. The Gospel of John is a gentle place to begin, and it costs you nothing but a little quiet and an honest look.

Meet Jesus Read the Gospel of John Ask for prayer

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the most important person in the Bible?: Christians hold that Jesus is the center of the whole Bible. The Old Testament looks forward to him and the New Testament tells his story, so every other figure is understood in relation to him.
Who are the main people in the New Testament?: Besides Jesus, the New Testament centers on figures like Mary his mother, John the Baptist, the twelve disciples (including Peter, John, Thomas, and Judas), Mary Magdalene, Paul the apostle, and the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.