The New Testament consists of 27 books that are central to Christianity

. These books detail the teachings and life of Jesus and document the beginning of the Christian church

. The 27 books are arranged into five categories

:

• Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)

• Acts of the Apostles

• Pauline Epistles

• General Epistles

• Book of Revelation

Not all writings by early Christians were included in the New Testament. The texts that are included are considered canonized, meaning they are officially part of the Bible

. The canon of the Catholic Bible was finalized in 1546 at the Council of Trent