Biblical Figures for Character Study

The following is not intended to be a complete list of people in the Bible, only a starting point for the Bible student to use when deciding whom to study.

Choose a figure and follow every passage where that person appears. Pay attention to what the text reveals about faith, obedience, failure, and God’s work in his or her life.

Name	ShortSummary	Difficulty Level	Testament	Theme	Gender
Aaron	Moses’ brother and Israel’s first high priest.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Leadership & Failure	Male
Abednego	A courageous believer who trusted God rather than bow to the king’s idol.	Beginner	Old Testament	Uncompromising Loyalty	Male
Abel	Adam and Eve’s son whose accepted sacrifice stands in contrast to Cain’s rebellion.	Beginner	Old Testament	Faith and Worship	Male
Abigail	A wise woman who turned David away from sinful vengeance.	Beginner	Old Testament	Wisdom and Peacemaking	Female
Abraham	The patriarch through whom God established His covenant promises.	Advanced	Old Testament	Faith and Covenant	Male
Adam	The first man, whose disobedience brought sin and death into the human story.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Sin and Responsibility	Male
Ahab	The king of Israel who opposed the prophet Elijah	Beginner	Old Testament	Corrupt Leadership	Male
Ananias	A disciple in Damascus whom God used to receive Saul after his conversion.	Beginner	New Testament	Obedience	Male
Andrew	The disciple who first brought people to Jesus	Beginner	New Testament	Witness	Male
Apollos	An eloquent teacher in the early church who grew in understanding and usefulness.	Intermediate	New Testament	Teaching and Growth	Male
Aquila	An early Christian worker who served alongside Priscilla and Paul.	Intermediate	New Testament	Ministry and Partnership	Male
Asaph	A worship leader associated with psalms that wrestle honestly with God and life.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Wrestling with Justice	Male
Balaam	A prophet connected with blessing, compromise, and opposition to God’s people.	Beginner	Old Testament	Compromise and Greed	Male
Barnabas	An encourager in the early church who supported others in ministry.	Intermediate	New Testament	Encouragement	Male
Bartholomew / Nathanael	A disciple of Jesus known for his sincere and straightforward faith	Beginner	New Testament	Honest Faith	Male
Bathsheba	A woman drawn into David’s sin whose story later intersects with the royal line.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Consequences and Grace	Female
Belshazzar	A Babylonian ruler whose prideful feast ended with God’s judgment on his kingdom.	Beginner	Old Testament	Arrogance & Judgment	Male
Benjamin	The youngest son of Jacob and the full brother of Joseph.	Beginner	Old Testament	Family Protection & Reconciliation	Male
Boaz	The kinsman-redeemer who married Ruth.	Beginner	Old Testament	Faithfulness & Redemption	Male
Cain	The first son of Adam and Eve who murdered his brother Abel.	Beginner	Old Testament	Disobedience & Consequences	Male
Caleb	A faithful Israelite who trusted God and helped lead Israel into Canaan.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Faith and Courage	Male
Daniel	A Jewish exile whose faithfulness to God remained firm in Babylon.	Advanced	Old Testament	Faith and Courage	Male
Darius	A Persian ruler who witnessed God’s deliverance of Daniel from the lions’ den	Beginner	Old Testament	Reluctant Authority	Male
David	The shepherd who became king and whose life joins faith, failure, and repentance.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Repentance and Leadership	Male
Deborah	A prophet and judge who led Israel during a time of oppression.	Beginner	Old Testament	Leadership	Female
Delilah	The woman who betrayed Samson by uncovering the secret of his strength.	Beginner	Old Testament	Deception	Female
Eli	The priest and judge whose weak leadership harmed his household and Israel.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Obedience and Leadership	Male
Elijah	A prophet who confronted idolatry and called Israel back to the Lord.	Advanced	Old Testament	Prophecy and Obedience	Male
Elisha	The prophet who succeeded Elijah and continued his ministry in Israel.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Continuing God's Work	Male
Elizabeth	The mother of John the Baptist who received God’s kindness in her old age.	Beginner	New Testament	Faithfulness	Female
Esau	Isaac’s son who treated his birthright lightly and later opposed Jacob.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Rejection and Remorse	Male
Esther	A Jewish queen whom God used to preserve His people in Persia.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Courage and Deliverance	Female
Eve	The first woman, whose deception and disobedience played a role in the fall.	Beginner	Old Testament	Temptation and Sin	Female
Gideon	A judge whom God used to save Israel despite his fear and weakness.	Beginner	Old Testament	Calling and Doubt	Male
Hagar	Sarah’s servant whose affliction was seen by God in the wilderness.	Beginner	Old Testament	God Sees the Afflicted	Female
Hannah	A woman whose prayerful dependence on God preceded the birth of Samuel.	Beginner	Old Testament	Prayer and Obedience	Female
Hezekiah	A king of Judah remembered for reform, prayer, and reliance on God.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Trust & Pride	Male
Hosea	A prophet whose marriage became a picture of God’s covenant love for unfaithful Israel.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Prophecy and Redemption	Male
Isaac	The promised son of Abraham and Sarah through whom God’s covenant continued.	Advanced	Old Testament	The Promise of God	Male
Isaiah	A prophet who proclaimed God’s holiness, judgment, and coming salvation.	Advanced	Old Testament	Prophecy	Male
Jacob	The son of Isaac whose life was marked by struggle, transformation, and covenant promise.	Advanced	Old Testament	Transformation	Male
James, Son of Zebedee	One of Jesus’ twelve disciples and part of His inner circle	Advanced	New Testament	Devotion & Sacrifice	Male
Jeremiah	A prophet who warned Judah of judgment while speaking of future restoration.	Advanced	Old Testament	Prophecy and Lament	Male
Jezebel	A queen who promoted idolatry and fiercely opposed God’s prophets.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Idolatry and Corruption	Female
Job	A righteous sufferer whose trials raise deep questions about suffering and faith.	Advanced	Old Testament	Suffering and Sovereignty	Male
John the Baptist	The forerunner who prepared the way for Jesus by calling people to repentance.	Intermediate	New Testament	Preparation and Witness	Male
John, Disciple of Jesus	A disciple of Jesus known for closeness to Christ and faithful witness.	Advanced	New Testament	Faithfulness and Friendship	Male
Jonah	A prophet who resisted God’s call and learned about His mercy.	Beginner	Old Testament	Reluctant Obedience	Male
Jonathan	Saul’s son and David’s loyal friend, known for courage and covenant loyalty.	Beginner	Old Testament	Friendship and Loyalty	Male
Joseph, Husband to Mary	The righteous man who became the earthly guardian of Jesus	Intermediate	New Testament	Faithful Obedience	Male
Joseph, Son of Jacob	Jacob’s son who rose from slavery to leadership in Egypt.	Advanced	Old Testament	Rejection and Restoration	Male
Joshua	Moses’ successor who led Israel into the promised land.	Advanced	Old Testament	Submission and Fulfillment	Male
Judah	One of Jacob’s sons and the ancestor of Israel’s royal line	Beginner	Old Testament	Transformation & Responsibility	Male
Judas Iscariot	The disciple who betrayed Jesus for money.	Intermediate	New Testament	Betrayal and Unrepentance	Male
Lazarus	The man Jesus raised from the dead in Bethany	Beginner	New Testament	Resurrection Power	Male
Levi	One of Jacob’s sons whose tribe later became Israel’s priesthood.	Beginner	Old Testament	Judgment & Redemption	Male
Lot	Abraham’s nephew whose compromised choices brought him into danger and loss.	Beginner	Old Testament	Association and Conformity to World	Male
Lot's Wife	The woman judged after looking back toward Sodom in disobedience.	Beginner	Old Testament	Disobedience and Consequences	Female
Lydia	A businesswoman in Philippi who became one of the first converts in Europe.	Beginner	New Testament	Hospitality	Female
Martha	The sister of Mary and Lazarus who welcomed Jesus into her home	Beginner	New Testament	Serving Others	Female
Mary Magdalene	A devoted follower of Jesus who witnessed His death and resurrection.	Intermediate	New Testament	Devotion	Female
Mary, Mother of Jesus	The woman chosen by God to bear and raise Jesus the Messiah.	Intermediate	New Testament	Obedience and Submission	Female
Matthew	The tax collector who became a disciple and Gospel writer.	Beginner	New Testament	Transformation & Calling	Male
Melchizedek	The priest-king who blessed Abraham and foreshadows a greater priesthood.	Advanced	Old Testament	Shadow and Type	Male
Meshach	A devoted servant of God who stood with his companions against idolatry in Babylon.	Beginner	Old Testament	Steadfast Conviction	Male
Miriam	The sister of Moses and Aaron who helped protect Moses and later served as a prophetess among Israel.	Beginner	Old Testament	Faith & Leadership	Female
Moses	The leader God used to deliver Israel from Egypt and give them His law.	Advanced	Old Testament	Law and Leadership	Male
Naomi	A grieving widow whose story shows God’s kindness through loss and return.	Beginner	Old Testament	Loss and Restoration	Female
Nebuchadnezzar	A powerful Babylonian king who came to recognize the authority of the God of Israel	Intermediate	Old Testament	Pride & Humbling	Male
Nicodemus	A Pharisee who came to Jesus and learned about the new birth.	Beginner	New Testament	Seeking and Sacrifice	Male
Noah	A righteous man who obeyed God by building the ark before the flood.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Obedience and Judgment	Male
Paul	An apostle whose conversion and missionary work helped spread the gospel widely.	Advanced	New Testament	Mission and Transformation	Male
Peter	A leading disciple whose boldness, failure, and restoration shaped his ministry.	Advanced	New Testament	Redemption and Restoration	Male
Pharaoh	The ruler of Egypt who hardened his heart against God’s command to release Israel.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Disobedience and Consequences	Male
Philip, Disciple of Jesus	One of the twelve disciples who often helped bring others to Jesus	Beginner	New Testament	Growing in Wisdom	Male
Pontius Pilate	The Roman governor who authorized Jesus’ crucifixion.	Intermediate	New Testament	Politics and Pressure	Male
Priscilla	An early church worker who taught and served alongside Aquila.	Intermediate	New Testament	Teaching	Female
Rachel	Jacob’s beloved wife and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Family and Longing	Female
Rahab	A woman in Jericho who trusted Israel’s God and protected the spies.	Beginner	Old Testament	Faith and Redemption	Female
Rebekah	The wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Trusting God	Female
Reuben	The firstborn son of Jacob who struggled to lead his brothers wisely.	Beginner	Old Testament	Responsibility & Lost Leadership	Male
Rich Young Ruler	A wealthy man who turned away from Jesus because he would not surrender all.	Beginner	New Testament	Sacrifice and Rebellion	Male
Ruth	A Moabite widow whose loyalty and faith placed her in the line of David.	Beginner	Old Testament	Loyalty and Providence	Female
Samaritan Woman	A Samaritan woman whose encounter with Jesus led her to testify about Him to others.	Beginner	New Testament	Grace & Transformation	Female
Samuel	The prophet and judge who anointed Israel’s first two kings	Intermediate	Old Testament	Listening to God	Male
Sarah	Abraham’s wife who gave birth to Isaac in fulfillment of God’s promise.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Promise and Waiting	Female
Saul, King of Israel	Israel’s first king, whose disobedience led to his downfall.	Intermediate	Old Testament	Jealousy and Decline	Male
Shadrach	A faithful exile who refused to worship the king’s image and was preserved in the fiery furnace	Beginner	Old Testament	Faithful Courage	Male
Silas	A ministry companion of Paul who served through hardship and imprisonment.	Intermediate	New Testament	Perseverance	Male
Simeon	One of Jacob’s sons known for violent retaliation against the city of Shechem	Beginner	Old Testament	Consequences of Anger	Male
Solomon	Israel’s king known for wisdom, wealth, and later spiritual compromise.	Advanced	Old Testament	Wisdom and Decline	Male
Stephen	The first Christian martyr, known for bold witness and forgiveness.	Beginner	New Testament	Faithfulness and Martyrdom	Male
The Suffering Servant	The servant figure in Isaiah who suffers to bear the sins of others.	Advanced	Old Testament	Prophecy & Redemption	Male
Thomas	A disciple of Jesus remembered for doubt that gave way to confession.	Beginner	New Testament	Doubt & Faith	Male
Timothy	A younger ministry partner of Paul who served the churches faithfully.	Beginner	New Testament	Leadership	Male
Titus	A trusted coworker of Paul who helped strengthen and organize churches.	Intermediate	New Testament	Church Order	Male
Zechariah, Father of John the Baptist	The priest and father of John the Baptist.	Beginner	New Testament	God's Promises	Male