Bible Quiz Bee: Rules, Format and Reviewer Questions (with Answers)
A Bible quiz bee is a Bible knowledge contest where contestants answer questions in rounds of rising difficulty, usually Easy (1 point), Average (3 points) and Difficult (5 points), with a clincher round to break ties. Contestants study an announced coverage, such as one book or the Gospels, and the highest total score wins.
The Bible quiz bee is a favourite in churches, schools and youth camps, especially in the Philippines, where it is a regular part of youth fellowships, camps and church anniversaries. It is a contest, but a friendly one, and the preparation is the real prize: contestants spend weeks reading and re-reading the coverage.
This guide explains the usual quiz bee format, gives you a scoring sheet and rules you can copy, and ends with a reviewer of 15 sample questions with answers.
What is a Bible quiz bee?
A Bible quiz bee is a question-and-answer contest about the Bible. Individual contestants or small teams answer questions read by a quizmaster, write or show their answers within a time limit, and earn points for each right answer. The questions get harder as the contest goes on, and the contestant or team with the most points at the end wins.
Most quiz bees announce a coverage in advance, for example the book of Acts, the life of Joseph (Genesis 37–50), or the four Gospels, so contestants know what to study.
A common quiz bee format
There is no single official format, but this structure is widely used and easy to run.
| Round | Questions | Points each | Time to answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 10 | 1 | 10 seconds |
| Average | 10 | 3 | 20 seconds |
| Difficult | 5–10 | 5 | 30 seconds |
| Clincher (ties only) | As needed | Sudden death | 15 seconds |
Total possible: 10 + 30 + 25 to 50 points, depending on how many difficult questions you use.
Rules you can copy
- The coverage and the Bible version are announced at least two weeks before the contest.
- Contestants write their answers on answer boards (or answer on their phones) and raise them only when the quizmaster says "Boards up."
- Answers must be spelled clearly enough to be recognised. The judges' decision on spelling is final.
- Each question is read twice. Timing starts after the second reading.
- No Bibles, notes or phones (unless phones are used for answering) are allowed during the contest.
- Any protest must be raised before the next question is read.
- Ties for first, second or third place are broken by clincher questions: the first contestant to answer correctly when the others miss wins the place.
Choosing the coverage
A good coverage is big enough to reward preparation, but small enough that a contestant can read it several times.
- For children (8–12): one story cycle, such as Joseph (Genesis 37–50) or David (1 Samuel 16–31).
- For youth (13–18): one book, such as Acts, Daniel or a Gospel.
- For adults: a section, such as the Pentateuch or the Gospels.
Need questions on a specific book? We have ready-made reviewers for Genesis (50 questions), the book of Daniel (36 questions) and David (30 questions).
Bible quiz bee reviewer: 15 sample questions
Use these to practise, or as a warm-up on the day. Tap "Show answer" to check.
Easy round (1 point each)
Who built the ark?
Show answer
Answer: Noah (Genesis 6:13-14)
God told Noah to make an ark of gopherwood for himself and his family.
What is the first book of the Bible?
Show answer
Answer: Genesis (Genesis 1:1)
How many apostles did Jesus choose?
Show answer
Answer: Twelve (Mark 3:14)
He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.
Who was thrown into the den of lions?
Show answer
Answer: Daniel (Daniel 6:16)
Who agreed to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver?
Show answer
Answer: Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26:14-15)
Average round (3 points each)
Who was the mother of the prophet Samuel?
Show answer
Answer: Hannah (1 Samuel 1:20)
Which prophet was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind?
Show answer
Answer: Elijah (2 Kings 2:11)
Enoch was also taken by God (Genesis 5:24), but the whirlwind and chariot of fire belong to Elijah.
How many books are in the New Testament?
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Answer: 27 (The New Testament runs from Matthew to Revelation)
Who was the first Christian martyr?
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Answer: Stephen (Acts 7:59-60)
Which king asked God for an understanding heart to judge the people?
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Answer: Solomon (1 Kings 3:9)
Difficult round (5 points each)
Who was the father of John the Baptist?
Show answer
Answer: Zacharias (Luke 1:13)
Which judge of Israel had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys?
Show answer
Answer: Jair (Judges 10:3-4)
What was the name of Ruth's first husband?
Show answer
Answer: Mahlon (Ruth 4:10)
Which king of Judah began to reign when he was eight years old and later found the Book of the Law in the temple?
Show answer
Answer: Josiah (2 Kings 22:1, 8)
On which island was John when he received the Revelation?
Show answer
Answer: Patmos (Revelation 1:9)
Running a quiz bee on phones
Answer boards and markers work, but scoring by hand is slow and easy to dispute. With MyBibleQuiz, each contestant answers on a phone after entering a game PIN, the timer runs on the big screen, and the scoreboard updates instantly. You can write your own quiz bee questions in the host console, set a time limit per question, and give the final question double points.
For a church-wide event with a more relaxed feel, read our guide to hosting a Bible quiz night, or our guide to organizing a Bible quiz competition for multi-church contests.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Bible quiz bee and a Bible quiz?
A Bible quiz can be any set of Bible questions, often played for fun. A Bible quiz bee is a formal contest with announced coverage, rounds of increasing difficulty, judges and a clincher round to decide winners.
How many points is each round in a quiz bee?
A common scheme is 1 point for easy questions, 3 points for average questions and 5 points for difficult questions. Ties are broken with sudden-death clincher questions.
How do I make a Bible quiz bee reviewer?
Read the coverage chapter by chapter and write two to four questions per chapter, each with one clear answer and a verse reference. Mix who, what, where and how-many questions, and include a few longer "difficult" questions about less familiar details.
Which Bible version should a quiz bee use?
Announce one version in advance and take every answer from it, so wording and spellings of names are consistent. The questions on MyBibleQuiz use the New King James Version.