New Testament History

Long before the followers of Jesus declared him to be the Son of God, Jesus taught his followers that they too were the children of God. This ancient creed, now all but forgotten, is recorded still within the folds of a letter of Paul the Apostle. This ancient creed said nothing about God or Christ or salvation. Its claims were about the whole human race: there is no race, there is no class, there is no gender. Followers of Jesus proclaimed: "You are all children of God. There is no Jew or Greek, no slave or free, no male and female, for you are all one."

Ready for the Rapture presents a powerful and inspiring in-depth study of two of the most important and revelatory books of the Bible with respect to end-time events or eschatology in theological terms - first and second Thessalonians. While from a theological perspective this two-part volume is an exegetical treatise of these two vital New Testament books, it is masterfully narrated in a way that makes the Pauline letters' doctrine-rich content readily understandable and intriguing to listeners with as little as an elementary education.

Rooted in the past, but right for today, the NRSV continues the tradition of William Tyndale, the King James Version, the American Standard Version, and the Revised Standard Version. Equally important, it sets a new standard for the 21st century. The NRSV stands out among the many translations because it is "as literal as possible" in adhering to the ancient texts and only "as free as necessary" to make the meaning clear in graceful, understandable English.

The Apostle Paul famously wrote that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then the Christian faith is in vain. In this volume, Dr. Jeffrey Morrow examines the historical evidence for Jesus' resurrection. Dr. Morrow's thorough investigation examines the arguments and weighs the evidence, demonstrating that the Christian confession of Jesus' resurrection best explains the known historical facts. The main narrative is accessible to a wide lay audience. The book includes detailed endnotes and bibliography for the interested scholar. “Dr. Jeffrey Morrow is a brilliant theologian whose work on ...

This remarkable work paints a comprehensive and colorful picture of the world that Jesus knew. From detailed, convincing portraits of John the Baptist, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Jesus himself, and other key figures, to the Jewish and Hellenistic leaders often ignored in scripture, Who's Who in the Age of Jesus is a critical, in-depth look at one of the most tumultuous eras in human history.

A collection of inspired writings (originally in Greek) about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the apostles, and other followers of Jesus Christ. The New Testament is commonly divided into the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s epistles, the general epistles, and the book of Revelation. The four Gospels - the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - are accounts of the life of Christ. The Book of Acts records the history of the Church and the apostles, especially Paul’s missionary travels, after Christ’s death.

The Apocrypha of the Bible examines the history of the books excluded from the Bible, the characters and events told by the books, and the discoveries that have influenced Biblical studies in the last few centuries.

In this concise, engaging book, noted New Testament scholar Luke Timothy Johnson takes listeners on a journey back to the time of the early Roman Empire, when the New Testament was written in ordinary Greek (koine) by the first Christians. The author explains how the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, and Revelation evolved into the canon of sacred writings for the Christian religion, and how they reflect a reinterpretation of the symbolic world and societal forces of first-century Greco-Roman and Jewish life.

Luke opens The Book of Acts with this: “The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after he had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen.” (Acts 1:1-2) Luke’s Gospel documents all that Jesus began to do and teach in his physical body from his birth through his resurrection. His second account, the Book of Acts, tells what Jesus continued to do and teach through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in his new, mystical body, the Church.

In this audio recording of Covenant History, listeners will learn about God’s creation, humanity’s rebellion, and God’s plan to renew the world. The books of the Bible are arranged in an order that helps you hear the unfolding drama more easily. Each book of the Bible is accompanied by an introduction that invites you to find the story behind the story, unlocking the context of the book of the Bible so that you experience a more in-depth listening experience. This audio Bible study uses the New International Version (NIV) which is an accurate, readable, and clear translation.

This work is a condensed history of ancient Israel during New Testament times. 175 BC - 70 AD is a fascinating history of Palestine before and after the Roman conquest. It starts with the reign of Antiochus IV and ends with the destruction of the Temple.

The Revised Geneva Translation of the Holy Bible is a faithful 21st century update to the Geneva Bible of the 1500's, the very first widely-distributed Bible in English. It is specifically designed to be spoken and heard, repeatedly, and is built on the premise that a crucial key to revival in the present can be found in one simple practice from the past: speaking God's Word back to each other in community.

This book is not a fictional story but a biographical history. The appropriate verses of the Four Gospels have been fit together into a seamless biographical narrative of Jesus’ last earthly week and words as originally told by the gospel writers. You will be able to follow the sequence of what Jesus did, endured, and taught in those closing days of his Passion. You will be able to walk with Jesus through what is now called Holy Week and observe on each successive day or evening where he went, what he did, what opposition he endured, what he taught, what he suffered, how he felt, and what...

Bridging the end of the Old Testament period and the beginning of the New Testament period, this book surveys the history and theological developments of four significant eras in Israel's post-exilic history: the Late Persian Era (465-331 BC), the Hellenistic Era (332-167 BC), the Hasmonean Era (167-63 BC), and the Roman Era (63-4 BC). In doing so, it does away with the notion that there were four hundred years of prophetic silence before Jesus.

Millions of readers have turned to Elaine Pagels for her clear and insightful books about the Gnostic Gospels, the teachings of Jesus that have been lost for centuries. Sounds True is proud to present the first widely available audio recording of this extraordinary scholar as she explores the text that has changed the way many of us think about the message of Christ: The Gospel of Thomas.

Between 50 and 90 CE, the various writings that comprise the New Testament were written, including the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of Paul, and other letters to more general communities of the early Church. But what is recognized as the 26 books of the New Testament today, in literally hundreds of English translations, actually took several more centuries to be determined as "canonical" by the Church.

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.

Top Jesus scholars Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan join together to reveal a radical and little-known Jesus. As both authors reacted to and responded to questions about Mel Gibson's blockbuster The Passion of the Christ, they discovered that many Christians are unclear on the details of events during the week leading up to Jesus's crucifixion. Using the gospel of Mark as their guide, Borg and Crossan present a day-by-day account of Jesus's final week of life. They begin their story on Palm Sunday with two triumphal entries into Jerusalem.

From the manger in Bethlehem to the cross in Jerusalem, Philip Yancey presents a complex character who generates questions as well as answers—a disturbing and exhilarating Jesus who wants to radically transform your life and stretch your faith. The Jesus I Never Knew will engage your heart, mind, emotions, and senses, preparing you for a new, life-changing encounter with the real Jesus described in the Gospels.

Jesus Christ was a Jew. His earthly parents were Jews, and he was raised within a Jewish culture. In addition, all of the men chosen by Jesus to lead the church he created were Jews. Understanding Jewish culture at the time of Christ, and knowing what the Jews of that time believed and taught, is crucial for anyone striving to know Jesus as a person. This book will help you understand the religious doctrine the Jews believed prior to the birth of Jesus, and will detail many of the specific laws and rites every Jew was required to perform. It will also give you the historical background of ...