The fast-paced vitality of Mark's narrative wins the hearts of today's readers on its own terms. Yet while at first glance Mark appears to be a simple account of Jesus' ministry, a serious study raises all kinds of questions: Why doesn't Jesus make his true identity more obvious to the crowds? Why do his disciples find it so difficult to understand? Why is Jesus' work met with such growing resistance? Like any great story, Mark's Gospel unveils its meaning to those who listen attentively, inquire patiently, and reflect on its significance. In The Message of Mark, Donald English offers a wise, welcoming, and nontechnical guide to this smallest of the four Gospels. Beginning with an exploration of Mark's purpose in writing, he examines the focal points of Jesus' teaching, the stories, the characters, and the original audience of the Gospel. Along with exposition of each section of the text, he draws out principles and applications about the nature of true faith, the cost of discipleship, and how we should receive God's Word today. Above all, English writes as one who has a passion to help others appreciate Mark's portrait of Jesus--the Son of Man and Son of God. As with all volumes in the Bible Speaks Today series, this book is characterized by three goals: to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate biblical teaching to contemporary life, and to be readable. This new edition includes updated language and current NIV Scripture quotations throughout, as well as a seven-session study guide.

Interpretation and the Claims of the Text combines the writings of more than a dozen prominent biblical scholars to elucidate the theological building blocks for the New Testament. Beverly Roberts Gaventa, Mikeal C. Parsons, Jason A. Whitlark, Loveday Alexander, Warren Carter, Sharyn Dowd, Amy-Jill Levine, Bruce W. Longenecker, Frank J. Matera, David P. Moessner, Alicia D. Myers, Lidija Novakovic, Todd D. Still, C. Clifton Black, and R. Alan Culpepper chart the waters of creation and humanity, the problems of sin, Christ's redemptive power, and God's overarching plan for humankind. Students and scholars alike will benefit from their exegetical groundwork, perceptive discussion, and enlightening conclusions. Interpretations and the Claims of the Text illuminates multiple points of departure for further exploration of the depths of New Testament texts.

This synoptic history of the life and teachings of Christ was originally published in 1890 as an aid for clergymen and other instructors in biblical texts. James combines the four gospel accounts of the life of Jesus into one useful text with scriptural references in the margins for accurate study and quotation, complete with a list of individual variations among the sources. Written in the language of the Revised Version, this book will be useful to anyone involved in Bible study or with an interest in Christian theology.

Jesus Becoming Jesus presents a theological interpretation of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Unlike many conventional biblical commentaries, Weinandy concentrates on the theological content contained within the Synoptic Gospels. He does this in the light of the Church's doctrinal and theological tradition, particularly in keeping with the Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution, Dei Verbum. Weinandy accomplishes this through a close reading of the individual Gospels themselves as well as observing their theological relationship to one another. His interpretation of the Gospels also brings to the fore the theological significance of God's revelation that is contained within the Old Testament which, likewise, shows how theological themes contained within Matthew, Mark, and Luke are found and developed within the Gospel of John, the Pauline Corpus and other New Testament writings. This original theological interpretation focuses primarily on the events narrated with the Synoptic Gospels-the conception and birth of John the Baptist and Jesus, Jesus's baptism and temptations, his miracles, Peter's profession of faith and Jesus' transfiguration, Jesus' triumphal entrance into Jerusalem with the subsequent passion and resurrection narratives. Within the theological examination of these salvific events, Jesus teaching is likewise discussed, particularly concerning the Beatitudes and his relationship to the Father and the Holy Spirit. The overarching theme of this book, as the title suggests, is that Jesus, being named Jesus, throughout his public ministry and particularly in his passion, death, and resurrection, is enacting his name and so becoming who he is-YHWH-Saves. Jesus Becoming Jesus offers a singular, vibrant, and luminous reading of the Synoptic Gospels; one that reveals the theological depth and doctrinal sophistication contained within Matthew, Mark and Luke.

The Passion Translation is a modern, easy-to-read Bible translation that unlocks the passion of God's heart and expresses his fiery love-merging emotion and life-changing truth. This translation will evoke an overwhelming response in every reader, unfolding the deep mysteries of the Scriptures. If you are hungry for God, The Passion Translation will help you encounter his heart and know him more intimately. Fall in love with God all over again.

The ESV Outreach New Testament is a great choice for personal distribution or community outreach. At an affordable price and compact size, it's supplemented with helpful articles and 2 reading plans.

The Passion Translation is a modern, easy-to-read Bible translation that unlocks the passion of God's heart and expresses his fiery love-merging emotion and life-changing truth. This translation will evoke an overwhelming response in every reader, unfolding the deep mysteries of the Scriptures. If you are hungry for God, The Passion Translation will help you encounter his heart and know him more intimately. Fall in love with God all over again.

Parables and Conflict in the Hebrew Bible examines the intimate relationship between parables and conflict in the Hebrew Bible. Challenging the scholarly consensus, Jeremy Schipper argues that parables do not function as appeals to change their audience's behavior. Nor do they serve to diffuse tensions in regards to the various conflicts in which their audiences are involved. Rather, the parables function to help create, intensify, and justify judgments and hostile actions against their audiences. In order to examine how the parables accomplish these functions, this book pays particular attention to issues of genre and recent developments in genre theory, shifting the central issues in the interpretation of Hebrew Bible parables.

In a series of exchanges with the Corinthians in the mid-50s AD, Paul continually sought to define the meaning of his message, his body and his letters, at times insisting upon a literal understanding, at others urging the reader to move beyond the words to a deeper sense within. Proposing a fresh approach to early Christian exegesis, Margaret M. Mitchell shows how in the Corinthian letters Paul was fashioning the very principles that later authors would use to interpret all scripture. Originally delivered as The Speaker's Lectures in Biblical Studies at Oxford University, this volume recreates the dynamism of the Pauline letters in their immediate historical context and beyond it in their later use by patristic exegetes. An engagingly written, insightful demonstration of the hermeneutical impact of Paul's Corinthian correspondence on early Christian exegetes, it also illustrates a new way to think about the history of reception of biblical texts.

Approach Revelation with Clarity and Confidence Revelation does not stand alone in the Bible-rather, it's a culmination of God's words throughout the entire Old and New Testaments. This companion workbook to Revealing Revelation helps you examine the Bible's final book through that lens, illuminating Revelation both as an individual letter and as a part of a greater whole. As bestselling author Amir Tsarfati and prophecy teacher Rick Yohn guide you through this inductive Bible study, you'll encounter an exciting overview of God's perfect plan for the future and thoughtful questions that encourage you to dive deeper into Scripture. You'll gain... in-depth explorations of all 22 chapters in Revelation enlightening examinations of other passages from Scripture that bring context to and enhance your understanding of Revelation's teachings essential habits you can bring into your study of any other book of the Bible Your understanding of God's Word will expand as you engage with this careful study of Jesus' love letter to His church. The Revealing Revelation Workbook will give you a clearer picture of the fascinating, enigmatic final book of the Bible.

This volume was first published as part of the Cambridge Miscellany series in 1935. It was intended to address the demand for portions of the Bible to be printed 'like an ordinary book'. Chapter and verse divisions in the text have been abandoned, but references to them are provided in the page-headings. Although the paragraphing follows that of the Revised Version, the text is that of the Authorised Version of 1611.

This book explores the meaning and genesis of the Prologue to the Fourth Gospel. It was first published in 1917 although many of the articles that appear were originally printed in the Expositor. The author, J. Rendel Harris (1852-1941) was a biblical scholar and curator of manuscripts and this book will be of value to anyone with an interest in theology and biblical exegesis.

Many who study biblical Greek despair of being able to use it routinely, but veteran instructor Rodney Whitacre says there is hope! By learning to read Greek slowly, students can become fluent one passage at a time and grasp the New Testament in its original language. Whitacre explains how to practice meditation on Scripture (lectio divina) in Greek, presenting a workable way to make Greek useful in life and ministry. Ideal for classroom use and for group or individual study, this book helps students advance their knowledge of Greek and equips them to read the original texts with fluency and depth.

The twin sisters Agnes Lewis (1843 1926) and Margaret Gibson (1843 1920) were pioneering biblical scholars who became experts in a number of ancient languages. Travelling widely in the Middle East, they made several significant discoveries, including one of the earliest manuscripts of the Four Gospels in Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, the language probably spoken by Jesus himself. Their chief discoveries were made in the Monastery of St Catherine on Mount Sinai. This text is a transcription of an Arabic manuscript discovered at the monastery and translated by Margaret Gibson. First published in 1899, the text includes sections of the New Testament as well as a short moral parable, some religious aphorisms and an essay on the nature of God. Illustrated with reproductions of the manuscript pages, this book is a useful text in the study of Arabic Christianity as well as an interesting resource for theological scholars.

The Complete Gospels is the first publication to collect the canonical gospels and their extracanonical counterparts, from the first and second centuries, under a single cover. These extracanonical gospels are independent of the canon, and significantly contribute to our understanding of the developments in the Jesus tradition leading up to and surrounding the New Testament. Each chapter comprises: - An updated translation of the gospel. - An introduction that sets the text in its ancient and historical contexts and discusses the overall structure and central themes. - Notes that explain important translation issues, supply necessary background information, offer guidance to difficult passages, and honestly indicate problems in the text or in our understanding of them. - Cross references to parallel passages, intratextual indicators, and thematic parallels so the reader can see how the individual passages of a gospel fit into the rich tapestry of Jewish and early Christian texts. - This volume is the premier publication of the Scholars Version translation of the gospels-a fresh translation from the original languages into living American English that is entirely free of ecclesiastical control. The Scholars Version intentionally drops the pretence that academics have all the answers. It strives to avoid both talking down and over the heads of readers. The goal is to make these fascinating texts intelligible and inviting to all who want to study them.

The Gospel of John has always been one of the most-read books of the Bible, and this special paperback edition makes it easy to share with others. It includes a short gospel presentation, the ESV text of the Gospel of John, and favorite verses from this Bible book.4" x 6"10.5-point type80 pagesBlack letter text

The Biblical World is a comprehensive guide to the contents, historical settings, and social context of the Bible. This new edition is updated with several new chapters as well as a new section on biblical interpretation. Contributions from leading scholars in the field present wide-ranging views not just of biblical materials and their literary and linguistic context, but also of the social institutions, history and archaeology, and religious concepts. New chapters cover topics such as the priesthood and festivals, creation and covenant, ethics, and family life, while a new section on biblical interpretation discusses Jewish and Christian bible translation and key thematic emphases, and modern reader-response and cultural approaches. This revised edition of The Biblical World offers an up-to-date and thorough survey of the Bible and its world, and will continue to be an invaluable resource for students and scholars of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament and their history and interpretation, as well as anyone working on the societies, religions, and political and cultural institutions that created and influenced these texts.

Origen (c. 186 255 CE) was one of the great thinkers and writers of the third-century Church. His Commentary on John, written between 226 and 229, represents the height of his biblical scholarship. In it, he combated rising Gnostic interpretations of the Johannine gospel that asserted doctrines such as the existence of two gods. Unfortunately, only nine books of the original work are extant. In this 1896 publication, biblical scholar Alan England Brooke (1863 1939) of Cambridge University provides the revised Greek text. Volume 1 includes an introductory discussion of extant manuscripts and text critical matters together with Books 1, 2, 6, 10 and 13. Origen's efforts in this work are an important reminder of the contested role of the Bible in Christian theological debate, and the Commentary will be useful to scholars of both patristic studies and the history of Christian biblical interpretation.

Origen (c. 186 255 CE) was one of the great thinkers and writers of the third-century Church. His Commentary on John, written between 226 and 229, represents the height of his biblical scholarship. In it, he combated rising Gnostic interpretations of the Johannine gospel that asserted doctrines such as the existence of two gods. Unfortunately, only nine books of the original work are extant. In this 1896 publication, biblical scholar Alan England Brooke (1863 1939) of Cambridge University provides the revised Greek text. Volume 2 includes Books 19, 20, 28 and 32 together with various fragments and two indices. Origen's efforts in this work are an important reminder of the contested role of the Bible in Christian theological debate, and the Commentary will be useful to scholars of both patristic studies and the history of Christian biblical interpretation.

This fascinating commentary was originally published in 1960. It is based on the study of the Gospel of St Mark as a significant piece of early Christian literature. It is an attempt to follow the story and message of the Gospel in all its aspects, connecting it with the Judaism within which it originated, and with the living tradition of the apostolic Church within which it was preserved and disseminated. The discussion follows the text from beginning to end, dividing the narrative into incidents which follow a clear and interesting pattern, in accordance with the chapter-divisions found in the earliest manuscripts. Archbishop Carrington, while taking account of existing scholarship, has an illuminating and individual approach to the Gospel; his treatment of the oral tradition, and of the role of testimonies from the Old Testament, will continue to be of value to those interested in the history of the primitive church.

Originally published in 1908, this book constitutes an exploration of the concept of 'spirit' in the New Testament. The text is divided into two parts: part one provides a synopsis of passages relating to spirit, with English explications being given beneath original Greek quotations; part two analyses the general teaching of New Testament literature in relation to the divine Spirit and its influence. The reader is thus provided with a concise document relating the position of spirit in relation to the Scriptures, together with its abiding importance for the relationship between Church and the individual. This concise, yet detailed, book will be of value to anyone with an interest in Christian theology or biblical exegesis.

First published in 1938, this book reopened a question generally held to have been settled: the sources from which St John derived the material for his gospel. The accepted view, that he was familiar with the narratives of Mark and Luke and made use of these as sources, Mr Gardner-Smith finds not proved, and he examines the whole gospel afresh in order to test this theory and to find out if there is any evidence that tells against it.

The twin sisters Agnes Lewis (1843 1926) and Margaret Gibson (1843 1920) were pioneering biblical scholars who became experts in a number of ancient languages. Travelling widely in the Middle East, they made several significant discoveries, including one of the earliest manuscripts of the four gospels in Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, the language probably spoken by Jesus himself. Originally published in the Horae Semitica series, this fascicule contains an English translation of the apocryphal acts of the apostles. Originally published in 1904 by Agnes Lewis, the text chronicles the lives, adventures and deaths of important figures like Paul, Thaddeus and James, the brother of Jesus. This fascinating volume features extraordinary tales of peril and persecution - one town's sinful population places a naked prostitute at the town gate to deter the apostles, but the archangel Michael levitates her out of their way - and is of great historical and theological interest.

General editor Lloyd J. Ogilvie brings together a team of skilled and exceptional communicators to blend sound scholarship with life-related illustrations.

The design for the Preacher's Commentary gives the reader an overall outline of each book of the Bible. Following the introduction, which reveals the author's approach and salient background on the book, each chapter of the commentary provides the Scripture to be exposited. The New King James Bible has been chosen for the Preacher's Commentary because it combines with integrity the beauty of language, underlying Hebrew and Greek textual basis, and thought-flow of the 1611 King James Version, while replacing obsolete verb forms and other archaisms with their everyday contemporary counterparts for greater readability. Reverence for God is preserved in the capitalization of all pronouns referring to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. Readers who are more comfortable with another translation can readily find the parallel passage by means of the chapter and verse reference at the end of each passage being exposited. The paragraphs of exposition combine fresh insights to the Scripture, application, rich illustrative material, and innovative ways of utilizing the vibrant truth for his or her own life and for the challenge of communicating it with vigor and vitality.

First published in 1951, this book forms a critique of the Two-Source Hypothesis, the theory in biblical studies that postulates the existence of a lost 'Q' Gospel. The Q theory achieved popularity through its formal completeness in explaining the presence of parallel verses in Luke and Matthew with no parallel in Mark. Yet, as Butler argues in this book, these narrative links can also be explained by a direct comparison of the third and fourth Gospels, one that avoids the necessity of a missing source. The text is highly detailed and contains numerous references to original material, together with generous additional notes. It will be of value to anyone with an interest in biblical history and theology.