Read our customer guide The Torah is the essence of Jewish tradition; it inspires each successive generation. The current JPS translation, based on classical and modern sources, is acclaimed for its fidelity to the ancient Hebrew.

This book considers the early history of Jewish-Christian relations focussing on traditions about the fallen angels. In the Book of the Watchers, an Enochic apocalypse from the third century BCE, the 'sons of God' of Gen 6:1-4 are accused of corrupting humankind through their teachings of metalworking, cosmetology, magic, and divination. By tracing the transformations of this motif in Second Temple, Rabbinic, and early medieval Judaism and early, late antique, and Byzantine Christianity, this book sheds light on the history of interpretation of Genesis, the changing status of Enochic literature, and the place of parabiblical texts and traditions in the interchange between Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages. In the process, it explores issues such as the role of text-selection in the delineation of community boundaries and the development of early Jewish and Christian ideas about the origins of evil on the earth.

This volume presents in new English translations the scattered fragments and testimonies regarding Hermes Thrice Great that complete Brian Copenhaver's translation of the Hermetica (Cambridge, 1992). It contains the twenty-nine fragments from Stobaeus (including the famous Kore Kosmou), the Oxford and Vienna fragments (never before translated), an expanded selection of fragments from various authors (including Zosimus of Panopolis, Augustine, and Albert the Great), and testimonies about Hermes from thirty-eight authors (including Cicero, Pseudo-Manetho, the Emperor Julian, Al-Kindi, Michael Psellus, the Emerald Tablet, and Nicholas of Cusa). All translations are accompanied by introductions and notes which cite sources for further reading. These Hermetic texts will appeal to a broad array of readers interested in western esotericism including scholars of Egyptology, the New Testament, the classical world, Byzantium, medieval Islam, the Latin Middle Ages, and the Renaissance.

The aim of this study is to show that the Evangelists, to an extent hitherto unrecognized, wrote narratives which set out to distinguish Jesus's time from their own. Such an effort, Professor Lemcio explains, went beyond their merely putting verbs in past tenses and dividing their accounts into pre- and post-resurrection periods. Rather, they took care that terminology appropriate to the Easter appearances did not appear beforehand, and that vocabulary used prior to Easter fell by the wayside afterwards. The author shows that words common to both eras bear a different nuance in each, and that the idiom used is seen to suit the time. These are not routine or incidental expressions, but reveal what Jesus the protaganist and the Evangelists as narrators believed about the Gospel, the Christ, the messianic task, and the nature of salvation. This much becomes apparent from a study of the internal evidence, and by next turning to data outside the Gospels, the author attempts to show how biographical and historical writings of the ancient world may prove useful in separate efforts to reconstruct the course of Jesus's life. Lemcio shows how expectations for idiomatic and linguistic verisimilitude in Graeco-Roman historical and biographical writing were met and often exceeded by the Evangelists. His study thus makes a valuable contribution towards our understanding of the literary art of the Gospel narratives, and highlights a literary sensitivity on their writers' part which has failed to receive the critical attention it deserves.

The letters of 2 Peter and Jude form a robust pair, with their distinctive overlap in theme and wording. These letters are sometimes overlooked, yet their message for today's church is powerfully relevant. Both their writers aim to expose false guides who bewitch young believers. In response, they set before the churches bedrock conditions of survival, providing inspiring and always practical guidance on Christian growth. Without a maturing knowledge of God, churches (then as now) would be destabilised by destructive and heretical teaching.

This project examines two areas where there are important interpretive problems: the composition of the book of Jeremiah and, specifically, the provenance of and ideological functions served by the text of Jeremiah on the one hand; and the redactional interests in prophecy evident in the Deuteronomistic History on the other. The book argues that two distinct political groups can be seen to vie for theological authority via their literary portrayals of traditions about Jeremiah and prophets generally in the Deutero-Jeremianic prose - a group in Babylon after the deportations of 597 B.C.E. that is attempting to claim political and cultic authority, and a group remaining behind in Judah after 597 that counters the political claims and related interpretive moves made by the Babylonian traditionists. The book then illustrates through analysis of prophetic roles in Jeremiah, Kings, and Deuteronomy 18 that there are substantial and fundamental discontinuities between the view of prophecy and the prophetic word presented in the Deuteronomic texts and the view presented in the Deutero-Jeremianic texts. The results of the present study challenge the widely accepted scholarly thesis of monolithic redaction of the book of Jeremiah at the hands of the same 'Deuteronomists' whose work is evident in the Deuteronomistic History.

John Stott writes, 'During the gestation of this book I seem to have lived inside the second letter of Paul to Timothy. In imagination I have sat down beside Timothy and have tried myself to hear and heed this final charge from the ageing apostle ... 'On each occasion I have been impressed afresh by the timeliness for today of what the apostle writes, especially for young Christian leaders. For our era is one of theological and moral confusion, even of apostasy. And the apostle summons us, as he summoned Timothy, to be strong, brave and steadfast.'

If the book of Isaiah doesn't make your head hurt then you are not reading it properly. It was designed to stretch your mind and blow your senses with the greatness of God. Isaiah's vision of God changed everything for him and it will do the same for us. It shows us that God is far bigger than we thought. God inspired the Bible for a reason. He wants you read it and let it change your life. If you are willing to take this challenge seriously, then you will love Phil Moore's devotional commentaries. Their bite-sized chapters are punchy and relevant, yet crammed with fascinating scholarship. Welcome to a new way of reading the Bible. Welcome to the Straight to the Heart series.

Learning to Believe Again guides people back to healing, hope, and belief by tackling some of the harder topics in the Bible in relation to healing from trauma, including: forgiveness, how to deal with abusive people, God's unfailing love, and regaining self-worth, among other topics. At some point in their life, most people face a trauma or harrowing loss that leaves them questioning God's presence, love, and protection. In the US alone, 1 in 3 people have experienced some form of domestic abuse, and an estimated 8 percent of Americans suffer from PTSD. Brittany Bexton takes readers on a 30-day devotional journey through the healing process, beginning with devotionals that address brokenness and loss. She then moves into days that address the challenges of trauma and abuse, providing practical, Biblical tools for healing and changing mindsets, before focusing on breakthroughs experienced through life's journey. Each day includes a plethora of supporting scriptures, as well as space for readers to journal. Designed to either be an easy, bedside reader with digestible thoughts for the day or a tool for deeper Bible study, Learning to Believe Again offers hope for continued healing, restoration, and growth.

Recently Markan scholarship has been exploring the role that the disciples play in the narrative of Mark's gospel. This interest in the disciples is a natural and logical concern given the widely held opinion that the gospel was written to a specific community comprised of young believers. While much of this has been helpful and necessary for understanding Mark, one must not allow equally significant themes to be forgotten. Any understanding of discipleship is only properly grounded in Christology. Most Markan scholars who have addressed the issue of Christology in Mark take for granted that Jesus' identity and mission are inseparable. Generally speaking, the gospel may be outlined in two halves, corresponding to the issues of identity and mission. This book is a verse-by-verse commentary that examines Mark 8:22-9:13, and concludes that these three episodes form the transition point dealing with Jesus' identity to his mission. Mark 8:22-26 serves to illustrate the inadequacy of sight already gained and the necessity for something additional. Mark 8:22-9:1 provides the opportunity for the final piece to be revealed about Jesus: a clear teaching about his suffering and death. The transfiguration episode (Mark 9:2-13) confirms the necessity of this outcome for properly understanding Jesus. Ultimately, the transfiguration, serving as a confirmation of Jesus' suffering death, provides the Christological resolution for the disciples to see clearly.

In this distinguished commentary, Wolff's task is to defend Haggai as much more than a minor prophet. He was a man whose feet were placed firmly on the ground, one of the dominating figures of the postexilic community, the main instigator of the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple, and so responsible for inaugurating a new era in Jewish history.

The classic "All Series" books have graced the shelves of pastors, students, and laypeople alike for decades. "All the Teachings of Jesus" continues in the series' tradition of offering a faithful and comprehensive treatment of biblical subjects.

Herbert Lockyer begins this enlightening book by writing that the words of Jesus "were not only 'thoughts that breathe, and words that burn, ' but mighty words that were to shape the destinies of men and nations." With the wisdom that comes from years of preaching and studying the Bible, Herbert Lockyer provides his readers with insights into the teachings of Jesus and encourages us to allow those teachings to shape our lives.

One of Jesus' main purposes during his time on earth was to teach. In this useful, heart touching book, Herbert Lockyer examines the nature and authority of the Great Teacher himself. He points readers to the life giving words Jesus spoke to his disciples and the multitudes. Jesus taught on a variety of topics that are as significant to believers today as they were then: sin, forgiveness, money, sickness and death, love, ministry, and many more. In his teaching Jesus invited repentance and belief in the gospel, and he instructed his followers in how to live sanctified lives.

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) covers all areas of research into the Old Testament, focusing on the Hebrew Bible, its early and later forms in Ancient Judaism, as well as its branching into many neighboring cultures of the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world.

Un estudio biblico de 10 secciones en el que Max Lucado le lleva a conocer a profundidad a 10 mujeres de la Biblia y lo que se puede aprender de sus experiencias. Ni siquiera sabemos algunos de sus nombres. A algunas se las menciona solo por su nacionalidad. A otras se las conoce solo por el lugar en donde vivian. Algunas llegarian a ser reinas, en tanto que otras vivirian en los margenes de la sociedad. Una daria luz a una nacion, y otra daria a luz al Mesias. A menudo se pasa por alto su cultura o se resta la importancia a las contribuciones de las mujeres, y sin embargo los escritores de las Escrituras hallaron a estas mujeres y el papel que ellas cumplieron asombrosamente para narrar la historia de Dios. Al estudiar las vidas de las mujeres de la Biblia hallamos verdades importantes que Dios quiere que captemos. Vivieron en un mundo diferente al nuestro, pero nosotros enfrentamos las mismas circunstancias que ellas. Y sin embargo, incluso mas, estas mujeres nos muestran que hay un Dios que nos ve, y ve donde estamos, y nos ama por lo que somos. Es el que se cierne sobre todas las paginas de la Biblia, forjando vidas, rescatando corazones, sanando enfermedades, revivificando a la vida lo que estuvo muerto, y asignando altas vocaciones a los que escogen seguirle y tienen fe en el. En este cuaderno de trabajo de 10 sesiones, Max Lucado relata algunas de las experiencias favoritas de estas 10 mujeres: Sara, Abigail, Ester, la samaritana, Maria Magdalena y otras, y describe lo que las distinguio. CADA SESION INCLUYE: 50 estudios biblicos a profundidad para ayudarle a estudiar los relatos biblicos Puntos diarios para recordar, para ayudarle a resumir los puntos clave Oraciones diarias para ayudarle a concentrar sus pensamientos y avanzar en su tiempo de quietud Versiculos semanales para memorizar para ayudarle a guardar en su corazon la palabra de Dios Notas adicionales para ayudarle a dirigir a un grupo en este estudio Diez Mujeres de la Biblia es ideal para uso individual o de un grupo pequeno. Ten Women of the Bible As we study the lives of the women in the Bible, we find important truths that God wants us to grasp. They lived in a different world than our own, but we find ourselves facing the same issues they faced. Yet even more, these women show us there is a God who sees us where we are and loves us for who we are. He is the one who hovers over all the pages of the Bible, shaping lives, rescuing hearts, healing sicknesses, raising what was dead to life, and assigning high callings to those who choose to follow him and have faith in him. In this 10-session workbook, Max Lucado tells some of his favorite accounts of these ten women-Sarah, Abigail, Esther, the Samaritan Woman, Mary Magdalene, and others-and describes what set them all apart. EACH SESSION INCLUDES 50 in-depth Bible studies to help you navigate the stories in Scripture Daily points to remember to help you summarize the key points Daily prayers to help you focus your thoughts and move into your quiet time Weekly memory verses to help you hide God's word in your heart Additional notes to help you lead a group through the study Ten Women of the Bible is ideal for both individual use and for study in a small-group setting.

Everybody is confronted by three fundamental questions, which are of great interest to philosophy and theology: The metaphysical-"What is reality?", the epistemological-"How do we know what we think we know?", and the ethical-"How should we, therefore, live in light of what we know about reality?" Of these three, the epistemological question is of greatest importance, owing to its concern with the justification of knowledge, on the basis of which we can attempt to respond to the rest. This book is motivated by the realization that although everybody attempts to respond to these questions, not everybody provides a valid answer to the questions. In consultation with Carl F. H. Henry, who was a trailblazer for evangelical orthodoxy, this book attempts to provide valid and sound answers to these epistemological and metaphysical questions for millions of Christians, whose answers to these questions continue to be ridiculed by liberals and secularists. This book operates with a realization that since our surest Christian knowledge about the nature and works of God emanates from God's self-disclosure rather than our human discovery, the Bible, as God's special revelation occupies an important place in true Christian epistemology. A corollary to the centrality of the Bible to the Christian epistemology is the epistemic sufficiency of human language and reason. This book defines Christian epistemological orthodoxy against such heterodox systems as Kantian phenomenology, Barthian Neoorthodoxy, Ayerian Logical Positivism, and Whiteheadian Process Thought and their respective trajectories. The book is a must-read for philosophy, theology, and apologetic courses.

Though little can be known with certainty about the historical Jesus, the image of a heavenly figure - `Christ crucified and risen' - was constructed out of his life and teachings. This vision of divine reality transcends traditional Hebrew poetic thought, retaining its ancient power in the context of our new understanding of a vast and evolving cosmos. In order to help us form a truly contemporary Christian spirituality, Keith Ward (writing in our own time and place rather than, for example, in the 4th century like St Augustine, the 14th like Julian of Norwich, the 16th like Ignatius of Loyola, or the 20th like Thomas Merton) offers a set of reflections on what he believes to be the unique and life-transforming revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ. And as we explore the spiritual truths relating to this mystery as expressed in the Gospels, meditation leads naturally to prayer.

Your feline friend can teach you a lot about the peace and patience of God. Is there anyone more content napping in the sunshine or looking out the window than your cat companion? It's like they are wired to sit and enjoy life, taking in the beauty of all that surrounds them. And if you'll sit for a while with them, you might find yourself unwinding as you quietly contemplate the deep mysteries of life. 52 Devotions for Cat Ladies is filled with cute stories, inspiring devotions, prayers, thought provoking questions, and fun facts about cats that demonstrate the peace, joy, patience, and goodness of God. Curl up with your kitty and be encouraged as you spend a few moments with God. Let his quiet love and grace wash over you and give you confidence and strength for each day.

"Wildberger's commentary is a work of such importance that it must be carefully studied by each serious student of Isaiah. It is a rich and significant contribution." --Bernhard E. Hasel Bibliotheca Orientalis "It would be hard to imagine a more thorough and a more convincing presentation. I recommend this commentary unreservedly to all serious students of the Old Testament." -- John Bright Interpretation

In this masterfully written book, Tomas Halik calls upon Christians to touch the wounds of the world and to rediscover their own faith by loving and healing their neighbors. One of the most important voices in contemporary Catholicism, Tomas Halik argues that Christians can discover the clearest vision of God not by turning away from suffering but by confronting it. Halik calls upon us to follow the apostle Thomas's example: to see the pain, suffering, and poverty of our world and to touch those wounds with faith and action. It is those expressions of love and service, Halik reveals, that restore our hope and the courage to live, allowing true holiness to manifest itself. Only face-to-face with a wounded Christ can we lay down our armor and masks, revealing our own wounds and allowing healing to begin. Weaving together deep theological and philosophical reflections with surprising, trenchant, and even humorous commentary on the times in which we live, Halik offers a new prescription for those lost in moments of doubt, abandonment, or suffering. Rather than demanding impossible, flawless faith, we can look through our doubt to see, touch, and confront the wounds in the hearts of our neighbors and-through that wounded humanity, which the Son of God took upon himself-see God.

The most Jewish of gospels in its contents and yet the most anti-Jewish in its polemics, the Gospel of Matthew has been said to mark the emergence of Christianity from Judaism. Anthony J. Saldarini overturns this interpretation by showing us how Matthew, far from proclaiming the replacement of Israel by the Christian church, wrote from within Jewish tradition to a distinctly Jewish audience.
Recent research reveals that among both Jews and Christians of the first century many groups believed in Jesus while remaining close to Judaism. Saldarini argues that the author of the Gospel of Matthew belonged to such a group, supporting his claim with an informed reading of Matthew's text and historical context. Matthew emerges as a Jewish teacher competing for the commitment of his people after the catastrophic loss of the Temple in 70 C.E., his polemics aimed not at all Jews but at those who oppose him. Saldarini shows that Matthew's teaching about Jesus fits into first-century Jewish thought, with its tradition of God-sent leaders and heavenly mediators.
In Saldarini's account, Matthew's Christian-Jewish community is a Jewish group, albeit one that deviated from the larger Jewish community. Contributing to both New Testament and Judaic studies, this book advances our understanding of how religious groups are formed.

Spurgeon & the Psalms will guide you into reading and meditating on God's Word alongside profound excerpts from "the prince of preachers. Spurgeon & the Psalms will guide you into reading and meditating on God's Word with the insight of "the prince of preachers." This devotional psalter features a brief extract from Charles Spurgeon's beloved The Treasury of David leading into each of the 150 chapters of Psalms. In this edition, Spurgeon's insights are paired with the trusted New King James Version. The NKJV balances the literary beauty and familiarity of the King James tradition with an extraordinary commitment to preserving the grammar and structure of the underlying biblical languages. The result is a Bible translation that is both beautiful and uncompromising-perfect for serious study, devotional use, and reading aloud. Features include: Devotional thoughts from renowned preacher Charles Spurgeon drawn from The Treasury of David provide new insights from the Psalms Presentation page allows you to personalize this special gift by recording a memory or note An exquisite edition of Psalms in the trusted NKJV translation Each psalm is set in a poetic-style single column on a right-hand page with room to journal your own meditations 1 satin ribbon makes it easy navigate and keep track of where you were reading Gilded page edges add a beautiful shine around the border of the paper Clear and readable 9.5 Point NKJV Comfort Print About the Maclaren Series: Named for noted Victorian-era preacher Alexander Maclaren, this series of elegant Bibles features regal blue highlights and verse numbers, and clear, line-matched text.

The beginning chapters of Genesis come alive with characters, places, and events almost totally unknown outside of the Bible itself except when illuminated by the fascinating history of the ancient Near East. Did a man we call Adam actually exist? Was someone known to us as Noah warned of a cataclysmic flood and instructed to build an ark? Could the Tower of Babel incident actually have happened? When archaeological artifacts and literature began to surface from ancient Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) nearly 200 years ago, only a handful of archaeologists dared to point out that there appeared to be a close relationship between Genesis and the ruminations of the Sumerians and Akkadians who once lived there. Often enduring great personal hardships, these archaeological pioneers produced copious translations and marvelous insights. Cuneiform texts compiled from almost two centuries of exploration have added significantly to our understanding of the historical underpinnings of the Old Testament. The reader will gain a new appreciation for the historical integrity of Genesis 2-11, and marvel at the evidence that the persons, places, and events depicted, though long misunderstood, could be real. Please visit Richard J. Fisher's web site at http: //www.historicalgenesis.com.

Sometimes our walk with God seems so difficult. We struggle to find the time to pray, the words to say, and the way to pray them. Are we making prayer more complicated than it needs to be? Charlie Dawes is a pastor and professor who understands both the desires and the challenges of deepening our prayer lives. He has identified simple, biblical prayers that will help you unlock the mystery of conversing with God by paring our words down to their most elemental level. By focusing our prayers, we can open up a new way of relating with God that we have never before experienced. Simple prayer is far from simplistic. Instead, it will help you connect with God at a heart level that cannot be mastered with words alone.