Influential People From the Bible Quiz

By: Olivia Cantor
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Influential People From the Bible Quiz
Image: Kemter/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Any existing classic book in human history is full of touching stories, courageous characters, uplifting underdog narratives and people who have lost their way (but realized it and repented, or didn't and remained that way 'til the end.) The Bible is no different. Starting from the Old Testament books (also known as the Torah) and continuing through to the last books of the New Testament, the book features characters who have withstood the test of time and survived the modernization of the ages. We cheer the efforts of the good people, and we despise the twisted maneuverings of the not-so-good ones. Yes, some of these famous do-gooders and evildoers are included in this quiz! We're sure you can name them all!

At the heart of unforgettable Bible stories are influential characters. Whether their influence falls on the right or wrong side of the moral spectrum, they still influence how people think about the world and the kinds of stories we continue to tell. We learn from their mistakes, and continue to debate what their stories mean in a modern context.

Take this quiz and see if you can pinpoint who's who among influential people from the Bible. We have faith that you can do it!

He’s the one who built an ark.
Nineveh
Noah
Noah was known for building the Ark, the giant boat that was meant to save his family and all of the animals in existence from a catastrophic flood.
Nazareth
Naomi

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He is the youth who defied odds and toppled a giant Philistine soldier.
Jonah
David
David, who was a small man, is said to have killed the giant, Goliath, with a single stone from his slingshot. David eventually became the second king of Israel.
Aaron
Esau

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She is the mother of Jesus Christ.
Mary
Mary is known as the Virgin Mary because of the immaculate conception of her son, Jesus. Both the Catholic church and Islam revere Mary, whereas Protestants feel like she had a minimal biblical role comparatively.
Magdalene
Esther
Ruth

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He was almost fed to lions because he prayed to God.
Duriel
Dammeil
Daniel
Daniel continued to pray to the Israelite God, in secret, and all the while became more powerful in the Babylonian court. Eventually, a rival tries to have him killed by having him thrown into a room with lions, but God protects Daniel from the lions, and they do not attack him.
Doriel

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He is the strong man whose strength lies in his long hair.
Shiva
Saul
Samson
Samson appeared in the Torah as a the last biblical judge before the Kingdom of Israel became a monarchy. He had superhuman powers, due to his long hair. His lover, Delilah, had someone cut his hair because she was bribed by his enemies.
Samuel

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She is Adam’s partner.
Ave
Eve
Eve ate and shared the forbidden fruit (from the tree of knowledge of good and evil) with Adam, which led to their banishment from the Garden of Eden by God. The Hebrew word for "Eve" means "living."
Aven
Evan

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He is technically the first man ever, if we are to believe the creation story of the Bible.
Adorno
Adam
Adam lived in a paradise garden, the Garden of Eden, to be precise. Eve, the first woman, was created by God from Adam's rib bone.
Cain
Abel

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He was preparing people for the coming of Christ by baptizing them.
John The Preacher
John The Baptist
John The Baptist was a wandering Jewish religious teacher. He is told by the Archangel Gabriel of Jesus' coming. John is said to have baptized Jesus.
John The Savior
John The Brother

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He is known as one of the Gospel writers.
Lark
Luke
Luke is actually a doctor by profession, and likely either a Greek or a Hellenic Jew. He is one of the Four Evangelists who are thought to have written the biblical Gospels.
Look
Loki

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He is perhaps the most well-known angel figure in the Bible.
Gabriel
Gabriel appeared in visions of many biblical figures throughout the Old and New Testament. He is considered a high ranking angel in all of the Abrahamic religions.
Azrael
Raphael
Ezekiel

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He is described as the epitome of evil.
Draco
Mariel
Satan
He was once a good angel, but he rebelled against God. Satan is considered a "fallen angel." He was punished and left only with the ability to wield power over evil-doers and demons. Satan (and his fellow fallen angels) tempt humans and then punish them for committing sins, according to many Abrahamic religions.
Alhambra

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He is considered as the very first king of Israel.
Paul
Saul
Saul was the first King of Israel. He was a member of the Tribe of Benjamin.
Raul
Haul

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She is the first person to see Jesus being resurrected.
Moira Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene is actually one of the closest followers of Jesus Christ, like a female apostle of sorts. She witnessed his death, burial and eventually, his empty tomb.
Miriam Magdalene
Mina Magdalene

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He is known as a huge betrayer.
Jeremiah Iscariot
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus's disciples. He betrayed Jesus, which led to his eventual death by crucifixion.
James Iscariot
John Iscariot

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He is the king who’s supposed to possess great wisdom.
Solomon
King Solomon was the son of David. He built the First Temple in Jerusalem.
Salome
Sumatra
Shiva

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He is the famous brother of Cain.
Abram
Abel
Cain and Abel are the first two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain murdered Abel because God liked Abel's sacrifices more than Cain's.
Alphan
Alacran

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He is the child who was about to be sacrificed by his own father until God told him to stop.
Isaac
Abraham had been ordered by God to prove his faith by sacrificing his son, Isaac. Just as Abraham was about to kill him, an angel (sent by God) told him to stop and sacrifice a ram instead.
Asimov
Bathsheeva
Ilona

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He is known as the great prophet.
Raphael
Samuel
Samuel is seen as a prophet by the three main Western religions. He helped the Israelites transition from the era of judges to a monarchy.
Gabriel
Archangel

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He is the prophet who challenged the evil King Ahab.
Ezekiel
Elijah
Elijah is a very important prophet in the Hebrew Bible. Elijah's return is supposed to signal the coming of the Messiah.
Erasmus
Elbina

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She is known as the wife of Abraham, but she is technically his half-sister, too.
Rebecca
Leah
Naomi
Sarah
Sarah is the mother of Isaac. He, in turn, was one of the patriarchs of the Israelites.

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He's one of the apostles who didn’t believe that Jesus could come back from the dead.
Thomas
The Apostle Thomas (also called "doubting Thomas") wanted physical proof that Jesus has risen. He demanded to touch Jesus' wounds as proof. This appears in The Gospel of John.
Timothy
Terrence
Thames

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He led the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt.
Job
Noah
Moses
After protecting the Israelites from the worst of the plagues and leading them out of Egypt, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai.
Abraham

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He is the father of the 12 men who established the 12 Tribes of Israel.
Judah
Jason
Jacob
Jacob’s sons were the heads of their respective tribes. This was during the Iron Age.
Jeremiah

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He is called the Father of Many Nations.
Isaac
Abraham
Abraham became the father of the three most common Western religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Jacob
David

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She is the strong-willed sister of Moses.
Minerva
Mathilda
Miriam
Miriam was considered a prophetess. She appears on the Book of Exodus, referring (of course) to the Exodus out of Egypt.
Manoah

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He is the famed figure in the Battle of Jericho.
Joseph
Joshua
Joshua was Moses' assistant, and helped him build the army needed to defend the Israelites during and after the Exodus. Joshua was supposed to lead the Israelites after Moses' reign.
Jacob
John

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He was tested heavily by Satan to see if he would renounce God in the process.
Judas
Job
Job is a figure that stands for integrity in the face of hardships. Job is known for accepting God's will, despite the way it seems to destroy his life.
Jacob
John

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He is infamous for letting Jesus Christ be sentenced to crucifixion.
Pontius Pirate
Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate was the leader of the province of Judaea. He is said to have sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion.
Pontius Pilates
Pontius Plato

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She was able to save the lives of many Jewish people.
Ruth
Esther
Esther saved the Jews of the Persian kingdom from death at the hands of Haman. This is celebrated during the Jewish holiday, Purim.
Naomi
Salome

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She is the only female judge that was recorded in the Bible.
Desiree
Damiana
Delilah
Deborah
Deborah was a prophetess and the fourth judge of Israel. "The Song of Deborah," her poem about a military victory, is believed to be the oldest Hebrew poetry.

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He is the first son of Adam.
Abel
Cain
Cain murdered his younger brother, Abel. Cain was then exiled.
Ahab
Canaan

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Her influence caused John the Baptist to be beheaded.
Sheila
Salome
Salome demanded the head of John The Baptist to be served to her on a platter. Salome is also known for dancing for Herod.
Sarah
Somelia

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He is one of the writers of the Gospels who probably had the most financial literacy.
Mark
Matthew
Matthew is also a disciple of Jesus, and a former tax collector. He was also one of the Four Evangelists.
Luke
John

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He is technically the first pope of the Christian world.
Parker
Paul
Peter
Peter established the first church after the death of Jesus. In Catholicism, he is a saint.
Pilate

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The Virgin Mary is his mother.
Jonah
Jesus
Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God, as well as the Messiah mentioned in the Torah (or Old Testament.) He was Jewish, as Christianity did not exist until after his death.
Jerusalem
Jehosaphat

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