Learn about Bible characters with this difficult Bible quiz.

Difficult Bible quiz and trivia about Bible characters

 

1. Who was Barabbas?
   
   Answer: A criminal that was crucified.
   
   Pilate released the notorious criminal Barabbas, who was believed to be a murderer.
   During Pentecost, it was customary to release one prisoner in place of another.
   Pontius Pilate gave the Jews the option to let Jesus or a criminal go.
   Pilate released Barabbas at the trial of Jesus at the request of the Jews.
   Luke 23:13
    

2. Who was asleep on a ship when the disciples thought they were going to drown during a storm?
   
   Answer: Jesus.
   
   Jesus was sleeping when the ship He and the disciples were on encountered a storm.
   The people constantly demand Jesus' attention, and it was challenging for him to obtain any rest.
   When they were on the ship, Jesus was so exhausted that He was taking a nap.
   The disciples woke him in fear, and Jesus calmed the storm to reassure them.
   Matthew 8:23-27
    

3. Who was King Solomon's father?
   
   Answer: David.
   
   King Solomon's father was David.
   David started out in life as a simple shepherd for his father.
   He gained fame after slaying a giant Philistine.
   David was also known as an accomplished harp player.
   1 Kings 1:17
    

4. Who was King Solomon's mother, who was also married to King David?
   
   Answer: Bathsheba.
   
   King Solomon's mother was Bathsheba, who was previously married to Uriah the Hittite.
   Lust filled David's heart as he watched Bathsheba next door taking a bath in the nude.
   David had Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, a member of his army, killed so that he could marry her.
   Together, David and Bathsheba had Solomon.
   1 Kings 1:11
    

5. Who said, "I do not know where my Lord is, and they took him away"?
   
   Answer: Mary Magdalene.
   
   Mary Magdalene said this statement at the entrance to the cave, where Jesus lay.
   She was the first person to arrive at the tomb of Jesus.
   An angel was at the entrance to Jesus' tomb, and Mary asked him the question.
   Mary was also the first person to see the resurrected Jesus later in the day.
   John 20:13
    

6. This woman stole the household goods from her father when she left with her husband, Jacob.
   
   Answer: Rachel.
   
   Laban's daughter Rachel took all of the household goods.
   Jacob was married to Leah and Rachel, daughters of Laban.
   They were all living together, but some friction broke out with Laban.
   God commanded Jacob to take his wives and leave Laban and go back to his homeland of Gilead.
   As they were leaving, Rachel secretly stole her father’s small household items.
   Genesis 31:17-19
    

7. Who was Joseph's master during his time as a slave in Egypt? 
   
   Answer: Potiphar.
   
   While he was an Egyptian slave, Joseph's master was Potiphar.
   Slave traders purchased Joseph from his brothers.
   The traders then sold Joseph to Potiphar, who became his master.
   Potiphar was the captain of the Egyptian guard.
   Genesis 39
    

8. Who lost their sight for three days while traveling to Damascus?
   
   Answer: Saul of Tarsus.
   
   Saul of Tarsus, persecutor of the Jews, lost his sight while traveling on the road to Damascus.
   A blinding light stopped Saul on the road, causing him to become blind.
   An angel or heavenly being (possibly Jesus) spoke to him.
   Ananias of Damascus cured him of his blindness three days later, and Saul converted to Christianity.
   Jesus renamed Saul to Paul.
   Acts 9:9
    

9. What was special about the pool at Bethesda?
   
   Answer: It was a rest spot for the disabled.
   
   The pool at Bethesda was where people with disabilities and ailments came to lie in and rest.
   The pool was located in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate.
   It was surrounded by five colonnades that provide shade from the sun.
   People with paralysis, blindness, lameness, and disabilities congregated here.
   John 5:2-5
    

10. What was the method used to cure the Israelites in the desert after they were bitten by poisonous snakes?
    
    Answer: They looked at a staff with a bronze snake on it.
    
    Moses was instructed by God to make a staff with a bronze figure of a snake on its head.
    This walking stick was given the name of Netheusada, and when one looked at it, it cured snake bites.
    Numbers 21:8
     

11. What charge did the elders and priests accuse Jesus of at the trial with the Sanhedrin?
    
    Answer: Blasphemy against God.
    
    The religious authorities of the time did not like Jesus preaching and messing up their world.
    Jesus was viewed as a troublemaker and a sinner who violated the rules of the Sabbath.
    The religious folks could not locate any real evidence to charge Jesus with.
    The best excuse they could come up with was to charge Jesus with blasphemy.
    This was based on witness testimony that Jesus said,
    "I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days."
    Matthew 26:57-67
     

12. Who was the most famous prophet during the time of King Ahab?
    
    Answer: Elijah.
    
    Elijah was a powerful, well-respected, and famous prophet who performed miracles.
    He challenged 450 prophets of Baal to bring down "fire from heaven" to cook meat on the altar like God did; they failed.
    Elijah was the prophet who told King Ahab that his health would never get better because he did not obey God.
    He prophesied a drought, healed people, spoke to God, and did several other astonishing things.
    1 Kings 21
     

13. Who came across an Ethiopian eunuch sitting in a chariot reading the book of Isaiah?
    
    Answer: Philip.
    
    Philip was leaving Jerusalem, and an angel of the Lord appeared and told him to take the road south.
    While traveling southward toward Gaza, Phillip met an Ethiopian court official.
    The official was taking a break, sitting in his chariot, and reading the book of Isaiah.
    The official was newly converted and asked Philip to explain the book of Isaiah to him. 
    Acts 8:26-31
     

14. Who said he would never deny Jesus?
    
    Answer: Peter.
    
    Peter was adamant that he would never deny knowing Jesus.
    During the Passion of Christ, at the Last Supper, Jesus predicted that Peter would deny knowing Him three times that evening.
    Jesus was taken to Caiaphas, the high priest, to be accused of his crimes.
    As Peter followed at some distance, he was accused of being a disciple of Jesus by crowd members while he was in the high priest's courtyard, at the gate, and in the street.
    Peter denied knowing Jesus all three times when the bystanders recognized him before the rooster crowed as Jesus announced.
    Matthew 26:69-75
     

15. Which orphaned Jewish maiden married a Persian king?
    
    Answer: Esther.
    
    The Jewish orphan who married a Persian king was Esther.
    Esther's original name was Hadassah, which she later changed to Esther.
    Mordecai, her cousin, took her in after she became an orphan.
    She became part of King Xerxes' harem before the king married her.
    Esther 2
     

16. Who delivered the sermon during the disciples' meeting with the multitude at Pentecost?
    
    Answer: Simon Peter.
    
    Simon Peter was probably the most prominent of the apostles.
    Peter stood with all the other apostles before the multitude during Pentecost, delivering a sermon.
    They declared Jesus was the Christ.
    The crowd heckled him and the disciples for their declaration.
    Acts 2
     

17. Which king committed suicide after refusing to surrender following a battle he lost?
    
    Answer: Saul.
    
    King Saul committed suicide after losing a battle.
    Saul sustained wounds during the battle at Mount Gilboa against the Philistines.
    He was afraid of what the enemy would do to him if captured alive.
    When his men refused to kill him, Saul fell onto his sword.
    He was the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin.
    Saul was the first king of Israel, as appointed by Samuel at God's request.
    1 Samuel 31
     

18. This ruler asked Jesus to raise his only daughter from the dead.
    
    Answer: Jairus.
    
    Jairus came to Jesus and asked Him to save his daughter.
    At the Jewish synagogue in Capernaum, Jairus was a leading figure.
    Jesus agreed, and as He was walking to the house of Jairus, a woman touched His cloak.
    The woman was instantly cured of a lifelong bleeding disorder.
    Jesus proceeded to the house of Jairus and brought his 12-year-old daughter back to life.
    Mark 5:21
     

19. Who was paid thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus on the night of his arrest?
    
    Answer: Judas Iscariot.
    
    Judas Iscariot was paid thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus on the night of His arrest.
    He was an outsider who was not from the general area where the other disciples lived and always felt unaccepted by them.
    He had a slight greedy streak and served as the treasurer of Jesus' ministry, managing the financial matters.
    Judas approached the elders and asked them how much they would pay.
    They offered 30 pieces of silver.
    Matthew 26:14-16
     

20. Which apprentice took over for Elijah?
    
    Answer: Elisha.
    
    Elijah's apprentice was Elisha, who took over Elijah's ministry.
    Elisha was the son of Shaphat and was a major prophet.
    He was with Elijah when God sent a fiery chariot to take him to heaven.
    Elisha took Elijah's place at the school and took over Elijah's ministry.
    He preached for over 60 years.
    1 Kings 19:19
     

21. Who was the oldest recorded person in the Bible and was 696 years old when he died?
    
    Answer: Methuselah.
    
    Methuselah was the oldest person in the Bible and lived 969 years.
    Enoch was his father, the first person taken to heaven alive.
    Lamech was his son, who lived for 777 years.
    Noah was his grandson, who lived for 950 years.
    Genesis 5:21
     

22. Who considered himself the chief of sinners?
    
    Answer: Paul.
    
    After his conversion, Paul claimed to be the chief of all sinners.
    Paul's name was originally Saul before God changed it to Paul.
    Before his conversion, Saul condemned and persecuted the believers.
    1 Timothy 1:15
     

23. Who ordered several of Daniel's friends to be thrown into a fiery furnace for worshipping God?
    
    Answer: Nebuchadnezzar. 
    
    Nebuchadnezzar placed Daniel's three friends in the furnace, but when he looked inside, he saw four entities.
    He jumped up in amazement and told his advisers that one of them looked like a son of gods.
    Daniel 3:24-25
     

24. Who placed several of his brothers in jail for three days?
    
    Answer: Joseph.
    
    Joseph placed three of his brothers in jail when they arrived in Egypt begging for food.
    Joseph was the second youngest brother among the twelve brothers of the family.
    Benjamin was the youngest.
    Several older brothers sold Joseph into slavery to the Ishmaelites.
    Potiphar, the chief Egyptian guard, bought him as a slave.
    Joseph eventually became Pharaoh's right-hand man and governor of the land.
    During the famine, several of his older brothers came to Egypt asking Joseph for food.
    They didn't recognize Joseph, and he put three of his brothers in jail until they brought his youngest brother Benjamin, whom he had never seen, to him.
    Genesis 42
     

25. Who was John the Baptist’s father?
    
    Answer: Zacharia.
    
    The father of John the Baptist was Zacharia.
    Zacharia was a priest in the Jerusalem temple.
    His wife was Elizabeth, the cousin of the Virgin Mary.
    Gabriel visited the couple to announce that they would have a child and to name him John.
    God told them that John would announce the arrival of the Messiah.
    Luke 1
     

26. Whom did King Ahab's wife have killed so that the king could acquire ownership of a vineyard near the palace?
    
    Answer: Naboth.
    
    Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, orchestrated the death of Naboth to acquire his vineyard.
    King Ahab tried to negotiate a sale or make a trade to obtain a vineyard, but the owner refused.
    Therefore, in an attempt to please her husband, King Ahab's wife, Jezebel, arranged for the authorities to discredit and execute Naboth, the vineyard's owner.
    1 Kings 21
     

27. Who was the highest priest and the king of Salem?
    
    Answer: Melchizedek.
    
    The high priest and the king of Salem was Melchizedek.
    The Melchizedek priesthood has the highest authority in the church, over all things and offices.
    It is greater than the Aaronic priesthood, which cares for the church's affairs and upkeep, because it holds the authority to perform sacred ordinances and administer higher spiritual matters within the church.
    The Aaronic priesthood baptizes and performs the other duties of the church, such as administering the sacrament and conducting meetings, which are essential for the spiritual nourishment of the congregation.
    Genesis 14
     

28. Whose family was the only one that survived the collapse of the Jericho walls?
    
    Answer: Rahab.
    
    Rahab's family was the only one that survived the collapse of the Jericho walls
    She was a prostitute that assisted two of Joshua's spies in escaping their pursuers.
    Rahab tied a red cord to her windowsill to identify her location to God's invading army, ensuring that her family wouldn't be harmed.
    She and her family survived the slaughter of every man, woman, child, and animal during the collapse and downfall of Jericho.
    Joshua 2
     

29. What is a restless evil that is full of poison?
    
    Answer: The tongue.
    
    The restless evil, full of poison, is the human tongue.
    Quotes from the Bible:
    "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts."
    "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body."
    "It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."
    James 3:8
     

30. Where did the congregation of 5,000 sit during Jesus' teaching when the disciples fed them with bread and fish?
    
    Answer: On the green grass along the shoreline.
    
    A congregation gathered on the green grass along the Galilee shoreline to hear Jesus.
    Jesus spoke from a boat at the shoreline where everyone had come to see and hear Him.
    It was late in the day, and the congregation got hungry, so the disciples provided lunch with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.
    Mark 6:39
     

31. How many bread fragments were left over after the congregation finished eating along the shore?
    
    Answer: Twelve baskets full.
    
    After the multitude was fed, there were two full baskets full of bread fragments left.
    Jesus was discussing his sometimes misbelieving disciples about providing bread to the crowds that gathered to see him.
    On three separate occasions, Jesus performed a miracle by stretching the amount of available bread to more than was needed.
    Mark 8:19
     

32. Who was the god of the Philistine camp?
    
    Answer: Dagan.
    
    The Phillistines worshipped a god they called Dagan.
    Tradition says that Dagan was a god and father of another god, Baal.
    Dag translates as "fish," and Dagan was half fish and half human. Really!
    Judges 16:23
     

33. How old was Joshua when he died?
    
    Answer: 110 years old.
    
    Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land because Moses and Aaron had died.
    He died at the age of 110 and was buried at Timnath Serah in Ephraim.
    Joshua 24:29
     

34. How did the Israelites in the desert know when it was time to break camp and move out?
    
    Answer: The cloud over the tabernacle would move.
    
    There was a cloud over the tabernacle; when the cloud lifted, it was time to break camp.
    After the cloud stopped moving and settled, it marked the spot where we would stop and make camp.
    Numbers 10:11-12
     

35. Who was the judge who held court out in the open air under the shade of palm trees?
    
    Answer: Deborah.
    
    Deborah sat under the palm trees, judging people and resolving their issues and controversies.
    Her most famous decision was telling Barak to take 10,000 men to battle against Sisera.
    She is the only female to judge Israel.
    Judges 4
     

36. Who did Jacob work for to secure his daughter's hand in marriage?
    
    Answer: Laban.
    
    Jacob worked for Laban in exchange for a promise from Laban to marry one of his daughters.
    Laban had two daughters, and Jacob wanted to marry the younger daughter, Rachel.
    But Laban tricked Jacob into marrying the older daughter, Leah, first.
    It was tradition to marry off the daughters based on age.
    After working for a total of 14 years, Laban allowed his younger daughter, Rachel, to marry Jacob.
    Genesis 29
     

37. What remarkable warrior led 300 soldiers on God's command to defeat the Midianites at Moreh?
    
    Answer: Gideon.
    
    Gideon defeated the Midianite army with only 300 soldiers.
    He wanted to use his entire army to attack the enemy.
    God commanded him to use only 300 soldiers split into three companies of 100 men each.
    Judges 7
     

38. Why were the owners of a slave girl upset and had Paul arrested when he caused a demon to leave her body?
    
    Answer: She made them money telling fortunes.
    
    The demon-possessed slave girl was making them money by telling fortunes to their customers.
    The slave girl with a demon inside kept following Paul and Silas, shouting about who they were.
    After several days of this, Paul had enough, and he commanded the demon to leave her body in the name of Jesus.
    Paul and Silas were stripped and beaten, severely flogged, and then thrown into jail for interfering with their livelihood and their property, the slave girl.
    Acts 16:16-24
     

39. Who often played the harp to soothe Saul in his chambers?
    
    Answer: David.
    
    David was called to play the harp, providing Saul relief and making him feel better.
    Saul would often develop headaches and feel ill, saying that he had an evil spirit in him.
    David's harp playing would sooth Saul and make him feel better.
    1 Samuel 16:21-23
     

40. Which one of these three, a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan, came across the victim of a robbery along the road and helped him?
    
    Answer: Samaritan.
    
    The only person who would assist the victim was the most unlikely one, the Samaritan.
    The Israelites shunned the Samaritans because they practiced pagan religions.
    This incident was a parable spoken by Jesus to prove a point.
    The main point is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.
    Luke 10