These commentaries, part of a set from noted Bible scholar, John MacArthur, take readers on a journey through biblical texts to discover what lies beneath the surface, focusing on meaning and context, and then reflecting on the explored passage or concept. With probing questions that guide the reader toward application, as well as ample space for journaling, "The MacArthur New Testament Commentaries" are invaluable tools for Bible students of all ages. This work on Galatians is part of a New Testament commentary series which has as its objective explaining and applying Scripture, focusing on the major doctrines and how they relate to the whole of the Bible. This New Testament commentary series reflects the objective of explaining and applying Scripture, focusing on the major doctrines and how they relate to the whole of Scripture. This volume is a study of the Book of Galatians.

The Bible tells us that those who place their trust in Jesus and pray in one of His many names will be rewarded with gifts of joy, peace, and power. Join Ann Spangler, bestselling author of Praying the Names of God, as she guides you into a richer and more rewarding relationship with Christ by helping you to understand and pray His names on a daily basis. His many titles, including "Good Shepherd," "Bread of Life," "Light of the World," "Prince of Peace," and "Bright Morning Star," reveal who Jesus is and why he came into this world. But how much do you know about Jesus' names? Praying the Names of Jesus is a twenty-six-week devotional study that explores the most prominent names of Jesus throughout the New Testament. Each name or title is broken down into three sections each week: Monday: Study a portion of Scripture that reveals a specific name of Jesus Tuesday through Thursday: Pray specific Scripture passages related to the name Friday: Pray Scripture promises connected to the name As you learn more about the many names of Jesus, you'll gain a more intimate knowledge of Jesus and his plan for your life, move toward a deeper experience of his love and mercy, and see how each of his names holds within it a promise: Teacher, Healer, Friend, Lord--and God with Us, no matter what we're facing.

Prayers for mid-morning, midday, and midafternoon.

This New Testament commentary series reflects this objective of explaining and applying Scripture. Some commentaries are primarily linguistic, others are mostly theological, and some are mainly homiletical. This one is basically explanatory, or expository. It is not linguistically technical, but deals with linguistics when this seems helpful to proper interpretation. It is not theologically expansive, but focuses on the major doctrines in each text and on how they relate to the whole of Scripture. It is not primarily homiletical, though each unit of thought is generally treated as one chapter, with a clear outline and logical flow of thought. Most truths are illustrated and applied with other Scripture. After establishing the context of a passage, I have tried to follow closely the writer's development and reasoning.

Straight to the point, practical, affirming, convicting that s the book of James. In it, we see a picture of early Christians wrestling to apply the teachings of Jesus to their everyday lives. And we see a community plagued by divisiveness and hypocrisy, with an emphasis on wealth and status. James pulls no punches addressing these issues, calling for a faith that shows itself in moral actions: in speech, in interpersonal relationships, in economic and social justice. He also lays out a theology of the redemptive value of suffering. In our day when the behavior and attitudes of professed Christians are often not much different from the surrounding culture, in our society of great wealth, and in our culture that abhors suffering, the challenging message of James is greatly needed. Exploring the links between the Bible and our own times, David Nystrom shares perspectives on the book of James that reveal its enduring relevance for our twenty-first-century lives. This series promises to become an indispensable tool for every pastor and teacher who seeks to make the Bible's timeless message speak to this generation. Billy Graham The NIV Application Commentary dares to go where few scholars have gone before into the real world of biblical application faced by pastors and teachers every day. This is everything a good commentary should be. Leith Anderson Pastor, Wooddale Church Most Bible commentaries take us on a one-way trip from our world to the world of the Bible. But they leave us there, assuming that we can somehow make the return journey on our own. They focus on the original meaning of the passage but don t discuss its contemporary application. The information they offer is valuable but the job is only half done The NIV Application Commentary Series helps bring both halves of the interpretive task together. This unique, award-winning series shows readers how to bring an ancient message into our postmodern context. It explains not only what the Bible meant but also how it speaks powerfully today."

A beautifully illustrated children's Bible for families to enjoy together. This collection of influential and inspiring stories from the Old and New Testaments helps children to learn and interpret the messages and meanings of the Bible. The classic stories are retold in simple, accessible language for children, while beautiful illustrations bring the words to life. Children aged 9-12 years will love the colourful photographs and illustrations of key people and places, alongside geographical maps of locations in the Bible, to provide fresh insight and aid understanding. The Children's Pocket Bible also introduces younger readers to sacred sites of religious significance, from the peak of Mount Sinai to the shores of the Sea of Galilee. This family favourite pocket Bible features: - The many stories, events, people, and places in one comprehensive reference book - Clear, accessible text, including helpful quotations, for understanding and enjoyment of the Bible stories - Beautiful illustrations and photography, alongside stories and quotations, to engage a younger audience - Material prepared in full consultation with education experts, scholars, and religious advisers This comprehensive guide to the Bible for kids covers major events to learn about in detail, including the creation, the nativity, and the resurrection. You'll also find important quotations from the King James Bible, with useful references to chapter and verse.

The Bible has the astounding power to transform lives. The stories of people like Francis of Assisi, Antony of Egypt, Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther and Martin Luther King Jr. vividly demonstrate this. Why aren't more of us transformed by Scripture today? Too often we study biblical texts without believing that God truly inhabits this book. Scripture seeks to capture our minds, not merely educate them. In these pages Chris Webb explains that we can transform our Christian life by reading as lovers rather than as theorists. This is possible by coming to the text prayerfully, expectantly, in humility and empty-handed. When we open the Bible, it does not say to us, "Listen: God is there " Instead, the voice of the Spirit whispers through each line, "Look: I am here." Reading the Bible this way can reconfigure the habits of your heart, refresh your imagination and memory, reshape and redeem your emotions, realign your reality individually and communally for kingdom life, and take us beyond the Bible into a renewed way of life. Here is the work of today--which is also the work of the whole of life--to open your heart afresh to the living Word of God.

Whether used as an individual Bible study or used for studying with a group, the "Nelson Impact Bible Study Guide Series" will deepen your knowledge and understanding of the Bible, book by book.

Written in an easy-to-read, interesting style, each study guide will help you to experience the true meaning of the messages of the Bible, and in turn, empower you to truly make a difference in the world for Christ.

Key Features Include: Timelines Fun cultural facts and probing questions Plenty of room for taking notes Biblical and present-day maps

Other study guides in the series include: 1 Corinthians ISBN: 1418506192 Exodus ISBN: 1418506168 Genesis ISBN: 1418506087 Isaiah ISBN: 1418506095 John ISBN: 1418506109 Mark ISBN: 1418506184 Romans ISBN: 1418506117 Ruth & Esther ISBN: 1418506176

As discussed in The Da Vinci Code... Long buried and suppressed, the Gnostic Gospels contain the secret writings attributed to the followers of Jesus. In 1945 fifty-two papyrus texts, including gospels and other secret documents, were found concealed in an earthenware jar buried in the Egyptian desert. These so-called Gnostic writings were Coptic translations from the original Greek dating from the time of the New Testament. The material they embodied - poems, quasi-philosophical descriptions of the origins of the universe, myths, magic and instructions for mystic practice - were later declared heretical, as they offered a powerful alternative to the Orthodox Christian tradition. In a book that is as exciting as it is scholarly, Elaine Pagels examines these texts and the questions they pose and shows why Gnosticism was eventually stamped out by the increasingly organised and institutionalised Orthodox Church.

The early church fathers have always had a special place in Christian theology. As the first interpreters of the gospel, we often find in their words a sense of the gospel's sheer freshness and reality. More than this, they were the thinkers who first hammered out the full meaning of what Scripture says about the Trinity and the person of Christ. Their sayings, presented here by Nick Needham, are more than just relevant - they present the opportunity to kindle within us something of that same healthy and godly spirit.

This book offers a fresh appraisal of the identity and involvement of the subalterns in Mark, arguing that the presence of the subalterns in Mark is a possible hermeneutical tool for re-reading the Bible in a postcolonial context like India.Part I -Hermeneutics: General Methodological Considerations paves the way for a creative discussion on Mark and its interpreters in the rest of the study by looking at the issue of the spread of Christianity and missionary attempts at biblical interpretations that did not take the life of the natives into account. Many insights from the postcolonial situation can be found in the contextual interpretations such as liberation, feminist, postcolonial feminist and subaltern.Part II- Mark: Context and Interpretation considers colonial rule in Palestine and examines some Markan texts showing the potential role of the subalterns. It is argued that due to colonial rule, the native people suffered in terms of their identity, religion and culture. There was conflict between Galilee and Jerusalem mainly on religious issues. The victims of domination were the poor peasants and the artisans in Galilee.A dialogue and interaction with the Markan milieu was possible in the research and so the marginal and subaltern groups were effectively understood by exegeting Mark 10: 17-31, 7: 24-30 and 5: 1-20 and showing the postcolonial issues such as the poor and their representation, gender, race, hybridity, class, nationalism, and purity respectively. The subalterns were mainly associated with movements of resistance in Palestine. The Markan proclamation of solidarity with those subalterns is significant.The general conclusion presents the implications of this interpretationfor a hermeneutical paradigm for a postcolonial context.

Reveals the genius of a global leader whose message transcends religious boundaries Produced in cooperation with the Vatican

Who is in control? The sustained threat from rogue states, international terrorism, religious extremists, and moral confusion arising from liberal views of all kinds begs the question: what is happening to our world? Is no-one in control? This is a deep vulnerability that many people express. And not simply in global events. Our own personal world often seems out of control as we reel from suffering, family tragedies and unanswered prayers. The prophet Habakkuk knew that God was in control but, like us, his personal experience seemed to contradict this and he wrestled with the tension. This book is a dialogue between the prophet and God. Habakkuk confronts God with his confusion and, in doing so, he expresses the voice of the godly in Judah and he speaks for us. We join in the journey from 'why?' to worship.

This book offers a fresh appraisal of the identity and involvement of the subalterns in Mark, arguing that the presence of the subalterns in Mark is a possible hermeneutical tool for re-reading the Bible in a postcolonial context like India.Part I -Hermeneutics: General Methodological Considerations paves the way for a creative discussion on Mark and its interpreters in the rest of the study by looking at the issue of the spread of Christianity and missionary attempts at biblical interpretations that did not take the life of the natives into account. Many insights from the postcolonial situation can be found in the contextual interpretations such as liberation, feminist, postcolonial feminist and subaltern.Part II- Mark: Context and Interpretation considers colonial rule in Palestine and examines some Markan texts showing the potential role of the subalterns. It is argued that due to colonial rule, the native people suffered in terms of their identity, religion and culture. There was conflict between Galilee and Jerusalem mainly on religious issues. The victims of domination were the poor peasants and the artisans in Galilee.A dialogue and interaction with the Markan milieu was possible in the research and so the marginal and subaltern groups were effectively understood by exegeting Mark 10: 17-31, 7: 24-30 and 5: 1-20 and showing the postcolonial issues such as the poor and their representation, gender, race, hybridity, class, nationalism, and purity respectively. The subalterns were mainly associated with movements of resistance in Palestine. The Markan proclamation of solidarity with those subalterns is significant.The general conclusion presents the implications of this interpretationfor a hermeneutical paradigm for a postcolonial context.

In this outstanding commentary, Gordon McConville offers a theological interpretation of the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy in the context of the biblical canon. He gives due attention to historical issues where these bear on what can be known about the settings in which the text emerged. His dominant method is one that approaches Deuteronomy as a finished work. Dr McConville argues that in the context of the ancient world, Deuteronomy should be understood as the radical blueprint for the life of a people, at the same time both spiritual and political, and profoundly different from every other social, political and religious programme. The book incorporates the tension between an open-ended vision of a perfectly ordered society under God, and practical provisions for dealing with the frailty and imperfections of real people. Hence, it is capable of informing our thinking about the organisation of societies while maintaining a vision of the kingdom of God.

Jesus' life is a song that still resonates down through the ages. His deeds and words speak with beauty and mystery, both comforting and confounding us. Who is this man? Over the course of his career, singer-songwriter Michael Card has explored the depths of Scripture by bringing together biblical study and the power of the imagination. Now he sheds light on the life of Jesus through lyrical reflections on the four Gospels. These forty meditations lead us to a place where Jesus becomes real and we can hear him with both hearts and minds. Listen again to the life of the Nazarene. And discover anew the music of Christ in your soul.

Everyone has a "Goliath"-a problem so overwhelming it is seemingly gigantesque in its magnitude. Facing Your Giants Study Guide has the answers that believers need in order to face the giants in life. Whether your overwhelming problem is grief that you just can't deal with, divorce that has ravaged your family, or an addiction that has a vice-like clamp on your will-power, Facing Your Giants Study Guide will teach you to look past your problem towards the solution. Based on the life of David, this study guide is guaranteed to provide inspiration to succeed against even the most threatening difficulty.

To follow Jesus we have to learn to think inside out, in looking-glass fashion: what the world counts as great is foolishness, and what the world counts as folly is the true wisdom. Cling on to your life and you'll lose it; give everything you've got to following Jesus, including life itself, and you'll win it. In every generation there are, it seems, a few people who are prepared to take Jesus seriously, at his word. What would it be like if you were one of them?

Everyone goes through difficult seasons, tough losses, and moments that feel unbearable. In today's world, people thirst more than ever for reassurance and guidance. Streams in the Desert provides a river of wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration to weary travelers. ABC's Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts reads Streams in the Desert every day. Roberts said, "It's my most prized possession...my family, each of us has a copy and we read it every morning...it just brings us closer together." In this edition, you'll find: 366 devotions that appeal to men and women of all ages A powerful collection of meditations, Christian writings, and Scripture Precise NIV text to help believers embrace timeless messages of God's faithfulness Streams in the Desert offers a refreshing daily dip into God's purpose, plan, and enduring promise. The devotional is easy-to-read and is cherished amongst many generations.

Names have power--and knowing God's name is to enjoy a kind of privileged access to him. Join bestselling author Ann Spangler as she invites you to experience God's love and power by exploring the Hebrew names of God. Names in the ancient world did more than simply distinguish one person from another. In fact, they often conveyed the essential nature and character of a person. This is especially true when it comes to the names of God recorded in the Bible: El Shaddai, Elohim, Adonai, Abba, El Elyon. Praying the Names of God is a twenty-six-week devotional study that explores the most prominent names of God in the Old Testament to reveal the deeper meanings behind them and to teach you how to pray through them. Each name or title is broken down into three sections each week: Monday: Study a portion of Scripture that reveals a specific name of God Tuesday through Thursday: Pray specific Scripture passages related to the name Friday: Pray Scripture promises connected to the name As you journey through this devotional, you'll gain a more intimate understanding of who God is and how he can be relied upon in every circumstance of your life, enabling you to echo the psalmist's prayer: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

Generally, readers have a negative idea of the Exile. Psalm 137 has fuelled the idea that this was a time of sorrow and despair. This image of the Exile influenced, for instance, Luther's ideas on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church. The four essays in this volume deconstruct and reconstruct this image. Bob Becking tries to recreate a history of the exile. On the basis of the available evidence, this could be no more than a fragmented history, nevertheless showing that the fate of the exiles was not as bad as often supposed. Anne Mareike Wetter reveals that the biblical image of exile is multi facetted. She shows how a tradition of a people tied to their God-given land was challenged by the reality of foreign occupation. And how that people eventually succeeded in translating this experience, appropriating them through a transformation into a counter-tradition that enabled them to cope with the new situation, without breaking entirely with their cultural and religious heritage. Jewish ideas on Exile are discussed by Wilfred van der Poll. He concentrates on the use of the concept of galut, which refers to the paradigmatic and identity-shaping function of the dispersion of the people of Israel and showed that the exile in Jewish thinking had become a permanent reality up until the present day. From the perspective of intertextual reading, Alex Cannegieter discusses four texts of varying ages and background - Augustine, Petrarch, Luther, and a Dutch sermon held after the end of the Second World War. She explores the ways authors chose biblical texts to appropriate them a new context, thereby changing the meaning of the new, as well as the source texts.

Generally, readers have a negative idea of the Exile. Psalm 137 has fuelled the idea that this was a time of sorrow and despair. This image of the Exile influenced, for instance, Luther's ideas on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church. The four essays in this volume deconstruct and reconstruct this image. Bob Becking tries to recreate a history of the exile. On the basis of the available evidence, this could be no more than a fragmented history, nevertheless showing that the fate of the exiles was not as bad as often supposed. Anne Mareike Wetter reveals that the biblical image of exile is multi facetted. She shows how a tradition of a people tied to their God-given land was challenged by the reality of foreign occupation. And how that people eventually succeeded in translating this experience, appropriating them through a transformation into a counter-tradition that enabled them to cope with the new situation, without breaking entirely with their cultural and religious heritage. Jewish ideas on Exile are discussed by Wilfred van der Poll. He concentrates on the use of the concept of galut, which refers to the paradigmatic and identity-shaping function of the dispersion of the people of Israel and showed that the exile in Jewish thinking had become a permanent reality up until the present day. From the perspective of intertextual reading, Alex Cannegieter discusses four texts of varying ages and background - Augustine, Petrarch, Luther, and a Dutch sermon held after the end of the Second World War. She explores the ways authors chose biblical texts to appropriate them a new context, thereby changing the meaning of the new, as well as the source texts.