Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ... This verse-by-verse commentary takes us from the early church in Acts through Paul’s letters, helping us understand more deeply our salvation, God’s call to relationship, and why grace is the cornerstone of our life in Christ. In the book of Acts, Luke portrays the tensions, persecutions, and hopes of the early church. This detailed commentary digs deep into the zeal and joy of Christ’s earliest followers and what these men and women teach us about community in Christ. Once an enemy of Christianity, Paul became a follower of Christ who helped the early church grow in obedience and love. His letters include some of the most beloved words of Scripture, as well as profound challenges to be more like Christ in our words and actions. Be inspired as you learn more about how the early church spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

This powerful reference tool provides an in-depth look at the historical, geographical, cultural, and economic background of Acts-Philemon.

From Creation to Our Story Today The first five books of the Bible—known as the Pentateuch or the Law—form the foundation for our heritage, our faith, and relationship with God today. In this detailed, highly researched exploration of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, Dallas Theological Seminary professors help us understand the theological and historical context for the first five books of the Bible. From creation to the Ten Commandments to the beautiful reminders to follow God’s ways, the biblical books of law offer us rich insight into how to live well in today’s world.

Cuneiform records made some three thousand years ago are the basis for this essay on the ideas of death and the afterlife and the story of the flood which were current among the ancient peoples of the Tigro-Euphrates Valley. Following up on his previous volume, The Babylonian Genesis, the author interprets the famous Gilgamesh epic and other related Babylonian and Assyrian documents. He compares them with corresponding portions of the Old Testament in order to determine the inherent historical relationship of Hebrew and Mesopotamian ideas.

This commentary uses extreme detail to take the reader right into New Testament settings, not through theology or word study, but through the sights and sounds of the world where Christ and His disciples walked!

The Oxford Bible Commentary is a Bible study and reference work for 21st century students and readers that can be read with any modern translation of the Bible. It offers verse-by-verse explanation of every book of the Bible by the world's leading biblical scholars. From its inception, OBC has been designed as a completely non-denominational commentary, carefully written and edited to provide the best scholarship in a readable style for readers from all different faith backgrounds. It uses the traditional historical-critical method to search for the original meaning of the texts, but also brings in new perspectives and insights - literary, sociological, and cultural - to bring out the expanding meanings of these ancient writings and stimulate new discussion and further enquiry. Newly issued in a series of part volumes, the OBC is now available in an affordable and portable format for the commentaries to the Pauline Epistles. Includes a general introduction to using the Commentary, in addition to an introduction to study of the New Testament, and to the Pauline Corpus in particular.