The Old Testament and the New Testament together make up the Bible. They go together, and the Old Testament has the history leading up to Jesus's time, from the creation, through various prophets (Adam, Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, to name just a few), and the nation of Israel in ancient times. The Old Testament leads up to Christ's birth and ministry. (The same writings as in the Old Testament also appear in the Torah, used in Judaism).

The New Testament is an account of the time when Jesus lived on earth, plus some of the years before his birth and after his death. The first four books of the New Testament cover the time up until Jesus's death, and that is where you will find accounts of his ministry and direct quotes of his teachings.

Jesus didn't sit down and write any of the books himself. The books of the Old and New Testaments were written by prophets, kings, scholars, etc. of those times, who were familiar with the events that they wrote about, some first-hand and others by rote learning or by revelation.

There are many versions and translations of The Bible. I prefer the King James Version, which was a translation into English from the various languages that it was in previously, made at the direction of King James of England (I can't remember which number he was - I want to say King James VI, but correct me if I am wrong). The language is antiquated, but I find that some of the newer translations lose some of the meaning. However, they may be easier to read and understand so it is a trade-off.

If you read languages besides English, you can sometimes find meaning in hearing it a different way that you might otherwise miss. Comparing the various English versions can also bring out points that you might not notice otherwise.

Rap