Biblical Genres

He’s one of the most well-known figures in cultures around the world, etched into stained glass, painted in frescoes, even caricatured as standing at the gates of heaven with a long white beard and keys in hand. But long before he was portrayed as a venerated and untouchable figure, Peter was simply known as Simon, a twenty-something fisherman in a far-flung Jewish province controlled by the Roman Empire. You Will Be Peter draws on the four Gospel accounts to weave Simon Peter’s story into one seamless tapestry.

What if you could climb into Mesu Andrews' mind while she plotted a biblical novel? Have you ever wished you knew more about a character's motivation? Or more personal history that led to the characters' emotional reactions? Prophets & Kings answer those questions. His Unfathomable Plan attests to God's absolute goodness and sovereignty over even the most painful events of our lives. Before Aya becomes Isaiah's prophetess wife, she cares for a little girl who young Prince Ahaz later agrees to marry.

Before she is Potiphar’s wife, Zuleika is the daughter of a king and the wife of a prince. She rules the isle of Crete alongside her mother in the absence of their seafaring husbands. But when tragedy nearly destroys Crete, Zuleika must sacrifice her future to save the Minoan people she loves.

A weak king. A ruthless queen. A man who must make an impossible choice to protect the woman he loves. Obadiah, the governor of King Ahab’s palace, has been secretly sheltering dozens of Israel’s prophets from Jezebel, who has already slaughtered hundreds in her murderous wrath. With his friends and the love of his life, Anna, Obadiah has risked his life to bring food and water to the cave where the prophets evade the queen’s fury.

Al leer Caná. Caballo de Troya 9, el lector llega a una conclusión: todo lo contado sobre Jesús de Nazaret conviene ponerlo en duda. La verdad, probablemente, fue más intensa e inquietante. Si usted acierta a leer la primera línea de Caná no será por casualidad. Y atención: sus principios se tambalearán.

Transported two thousand years into the past, readers are introduced to Antipas, a Roman civic leader who has encountered the writings of the biblical author Luke. Luke's writings spark Antipas's interest, and a correspondence transpires between them. As the two delve deeply into each other's lives, Antipas begins to see things in fresh ways, causing him to rethink the values upon which his life had been founded.

Despite multiple offers of marriage, Rebekah has yet to find the man she wants to spend her life with. Desperate for guidance, she turns to prayer—and her supplication is answered in a way she never imagines. While drawing water from a nearby well, Rebekah learns of a man seeking a wife. She’s certain this chance meeting is an answer to her prayers, and she agrees to marry a man she’s never even seen.

Long-time Bible teacher Kristie Anyabwile discovered as she prepared her lessons that a single inductive approach doesn’t do justice to the variety of genres that make up the Word of God. Because Scripture is a collection of writings that spans 1,500 years, many literary styles are represented, and each must be taken into account for the fullest understanding of God’s Word. Kristie shows you the immense value of studying the Bible literarily—that is, according to the literary style presented in a particular book, chapter, or passage.

In the ancient hills of Moab, Ruth witnesses the brutal reality of sacrificial worship. Shocked and disillusioned, she renounces the gods she once held sacred, seeing them now as instruments for power and control rather than sources of spiritual guidance.

After four-year-old Asenath’s mother is murdered by Egypt’s foreign rulers, the child is raised to be a priestess by her overprotective father—high priest of Egypt’s sun god. For fifteen years, Asenath is sequestered in the upper levels of Ra’s temple, convinced it is her destiny to heal the land by becoming queen to the next Egyptian pharaoh. But when Egypt’s foreign king instead gives her as a bride to the newly appointed vizier—a Hebrew named Joseph—her entire world is shaken.

Kahlil Gibran was a profound Lebanese-American poet, philosopher, and artist whose work transcended cultural boundaries and touched the hearts and minds of millions worldwide. Born on January 6, 1883, in the mountain village of Bsharri, in what was then part of the Ottoman Empire (now Lebanon), he rose to become one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century. His profound prose had impacted the lives of countless people, and his works have never been out of print.

At 86, Miriam had devoted her entire life to loving El Shaddai and serving His people as both midwife and messenger. Yet when her brother Moses returns to Egypt from exile, he brings a disruptive message. God has a new name - Yahweh - and has declared a radical deliverance for the Israelites. Miriam and her beloved family face an impossible choice: cling to familiar bondage or embrace uncharted freedom at an unimaginable cost.

Zara and Noah have walked together with the Creator for their entire lives. They have done their best in an increasingly wicked and defiant world to raise their three sons to follow in their footsteps. It has been a challenge—and it’s about to get much, much harder.

It's the year 641 since the beginning of everything, and when Eve passes away, she leaves Adam, the only man on earth who remembers everything since they walked in Eden. When Enoch, God's newly appointed prophet, decides to collect the stories of the faithful from previous generations, he finds Adam in desperate need to confess the dark secrets he's held onto for too long.

He persuaded a King, he Moved an Empire, and He Redeemed Himself! His name was Jonah, and he didn’t choose the mission—God did. Thrown into a storm, swallowed by a great fish, and sent to confront the most violent city on earth, Jonah’s journey is anything but ordinary. Along the way, he wrestles with his calling, his love for his beloved Naomi, and the loyalty of his lifelong friend, Amos. Set in 762 BC against the backdrop of crumbling kingdoms and rising empires, "Jonah in the Time of the Kings" is a powerful tale of love, justice, and the unstoppable reach of grace.

Experience the Bible come to life as New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin uses his storyteller's imagination to present the life of Jesus in a way that will engage your faith in new ways. This collection of more than twenty short stories, compiled from Martin's books What If It's True? and They Turned the World Upside Down, draws you into a deeper understanding and love for the Savior. Son of Man presents key moments from the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and explores the lives of His followers in descriptive, novelistic words.

The seven spirits of God are the nine gifts of the spirit in their full maturity. In The Seven Spirits of God, Chris will show you how to experience and navigate through God’s throne room to directly connect you to supernatural realities and the seven spirits of God.

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be one of the 5,000 when Jesus multiplied the fish and the loaves? Or one of his disciples when he walked on water? Or to have seen Lazarus come out of the tomb? Ever wonder what Mary thought when Gabriel told her she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit, or what the fallout was like in her personal life? Ever considered how those two disciples felt on the road to Emmaus, when they found that the man with whom they had been talking was in fact their risen Lord?

Bathsheba is a woman who longs for love. With her devout husband away fighting the king's wars for many months at a time, discontent and loneliness dog her steps - and make it frighteningly easy to succumb to King David's charm and attention. Though she immediately regrets her involvement with the powerful king, the pieces are set in motion that will destroy everything she holds dear. Can she find forgiveness at the feet of the Almighty? Or has her sin separated her from God - and David - forever?

No one expected Barley to have an encounter with the Messiah. He was homeless, hungry, and struggling to survive in first-century Jerusalem. Most surprisingly, he was a dog. But through Barley's eyes, the story of a teacher from Galilee comes alive in a way we've never experienced before.