Bibles Bible Studies Books

The entire First Place 4 Health Program is a nice package. I am just beginning my journey, but I love the group Bible study/support.

I really had to search to find these books, ends up they were apparently a dicounted version. And three of the four shipped and I don't know which one didn't ship so I guess I'm screwed.

First Place was a great, extremely effective weight loss program and Bible Study; First Place 4 Health is even better!

The BDAG is about the best lexicon out there in my opinion. Yes, it is expensive, but it's got the scholarship behind it, has MORE words than the Greek New Testament has in case you need to study extrabiblical literature, and also has expansive definitions.

Highly recommended.

It is the best lexicon of the Early Christian Literature (NT included) available, because its entries are characterized by excellent classification of the meanings, because it gives sound grammatical-syntactical information of the words, it gives plenty of examples with proposed renderings of specific passages, it discusses difficult cases, it refers briefly to the origin of the Early Christian Literature words and it adequately presents their contemporary extra-Biblical usage. Something else very important is the rich and updated bibliography that is provided.

In other words, it is a great improvement and expansion of the Grimm-Thayer lexical tradition, but, comparing to Grimm-Thayer, it gives lesser attention to the LXX usage and the Hebraic background of the NT words. Allow me to consider this an imperfection of the BDAG that forces the reader to buy also a LXX lexicon or a theological one (such as the TDNT abridged or the EDNT) in order to have a more spherical view of NT Greek, but I have to admit that nothing vital is missing. The second drawback is the price. Finally, a couple of times I have noticed mistakes in the etymology; but, of course, this is not an etymological dictionary, neither does it claim to be one.

This review willl cover four Greek New Testament lexicons: Bauer, Abbott-Smith, Thayer and Souter.

For many years, I had resisted purchasing a copy of Bauer, et al's mammoth (7 ¾" x 10 ¼" x 2 ¼") Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Yes, it had a great deal of data. Yes, it shared insights from contemporary literature which shed light on word meaning for words used rarely in the New Testament. However, it was an absolute pain. The layout made it difficult to find what was needed, and it seemed quite easy to lose the forest for the trees in Bauer's 1st and 2nd English editions. Frankly, I preferred George Abbott-Smith's Manual Lexicon, and availed myself of Bauer at the seminary library only as needed. Now the available choices have changed, and for the better.

Bauer's 3rd English edition is a marvel. Everything the other reviewers write about its clear typeface, and intelligent use of bolding and spacing is true: it's a joy to use. A bit heavy, but it's worth it. The actual definitions as opposed to glosses are also a plus. All of this combined means that all of the data produced by scholarship is far more useable. Thank you, University of Chicago! I was willing to shell out the not insubstantial price for it, and have no remorse, it was money well spent.

Have I kicked Abbott-Smith to the curb? No. His Manual Lexicon is older (1937), but still makes use of the bulk of the papyri discoveries. He provides a quick reference for the Hebrew words underlying the Greek when that word is used in both the New Testament and the Septuagint (LXX) translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. He also provides numerous though not exhaustive Scripture references for each entry, making this lexicon reasonably functional as a concordance. With all this, I can still tote around Abbott-Smith (8 ¾" x 5 ¾" x 1 ¼") in my bag. It has yielded pride of place in my study, but for now at least, it's still a keeper.

Two others are worth mentioning. Thayer is old but still in common use because Hendrickson has put out a very cheaply made version which is keyed to Strong's concordance. Of course, if you're using Strong's as the basis for exegesis, you might want to wait on a large lexicon and invest in some Greek training. Thayer wrote prior to the papyrus finds that really altered our understanding of Koine Greek usage, and so is not as good a choice as the others reviewed here.

Finally, there is Souter's little gem of a pocket lexicon. He is post-papyri (1917), and offers pretty accurate glosses for the words listed. Hard not to like Souter, it's quality made from Oxford, red with gilt lettering, and is roughly the same size as the NA-27 Greek New Testament, meaning it fits in your pocket easily. While you don't want to use it for serious exegetical work, you also don't want to tote Bauer around with you everywhere. There is another small lexicon from the United Bible Societies which is nicely made, but not as worthwhile as Souter. As a Greek expert pointed out, it basically uses the RSV translation as the lexical definition.

Bauer, et al: 5 stars
Abbott-Smith: 4 stars
Thayer: 3 stars
Souter: 4 stars

I purchased the second edition of this volume when I was studying Greek at Denver Seminary, back in 1989 as it was highly recommend by my Greek professor. And I used it quite a bit during seminary and even after that in my personal Bible studies.

When I began work on my Analytical-Literal Translation of the New Testament: Third Edition (ALT), I got the BibleWorks 7 software program. That program has several lexicons that come standard with it, and it is a lot easier to use those lexicons than to look up words in this volume. But even with that program, with wanting to be exact as possible in my translations, I would still check Baur on occasion as it contains information that is not found in BibleWorks. Most especially, this volume indicates how words were used in extra-biblical literature. And this info can be a great help in getting an idea of how a particular word was used at the time the NT was written.

For instance, I depended on information in Baur to decide how to translate the plural of "adelphos." Most lexicons give definitions like "brother, fellow Christian, fellow believer" (Friberg on BibleWorks). But Baur's lexicon indicates "The plural can also mean brothers and sisters" (p.16). It then gives specific examples of this usage in extra-biblical literature.

This concurs with what I was taught at seminary that "adelphoi" was used to refer to a group of only men and to a group of both men and women. So I decided that the best way to render this word was to use "brothers [and sisters]." This rendering indicates the term definitely includes men but might also include women (e.g., Rom 1:13).

So this lexicon can be very helpful in pinning down the exact usage of words. But it is very expensive, and I see it is now available as an add-on for BibleWorks. Given the expense of the new third edition and of the BibleWorks add-on, since I already own the second edition, I won't be getting either of these. But if you don't own a previous version and intend to do in-depth Greek word studies, then either this hardcopy version or the BibleWorks add-on would be worthwhile.

Briefly, this lexicon is a scholarly lexicon. Some of the other reviews have criticized that its definitions are inappropriate for beginning students, and that is true becasuse this is the most advanced and comprehensive lexicon that does justice to the imprecisions within the greek language. More often than not, a Greek word cannot be exactly equated with an English equivalent. This lexicon does justice to the broad semantic ranges of even the most obscure Greek word. This is recommended for scholars and serious students of Koine Greek. This lexicon is also an outstanding reference for scholarly publications concerning the Greek text. There is also a version available for the Logos software suite.

This book is a must read for all who are interested in where we are as it relates to Bible prophecy. What an eye opener! After reading this book you will never view the news the same way again.

Joel Rosenberg is one of the most insightful scholars in the world today. Epicenter is a must read at this time in history when signs of the times indicate that the world as we know it is radically changing. Joel has researched his topic thoroughly. He is well known among both US and Israeli government officials as wise and discerning of the times we live in. Waste no time - read this book and get the inside story!The Ezekiel Option (Political Thrillers Series #3)....

IF YOUR ON THE FENCE ON HOW TO VOTE IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION. ITS IMPERITIVE YOU READ THIS BOOK.

This is such a well written and informative book based on The Word of God regarding Ezekiel 39 & 39. I love the Bible and how Joel takes God's word and intertwines it with what is happening in the world today, and also through the many wonderful interviews he was able to obtain with prominent leaders. I read this book twice, and reference it from time to time. God Bless, Joel.

Book written by Joel Rosenberg, Orthodox Jew turned Baptist. He draws on both his Jewish heritage and his Christian knowledge to compare what is happening in current world affairs to many bible prophecies which he believes points to those current world events. Well researched, and written so the average person not trained in theology can understand.
It is a true eye-opener to the affairs of the current times. No previous knowledge in Bible study needed. Good to have any bible handy to read passages as they are referred to while reading the book. For everyone regardless of faith or no faith.

After I mentioned just a little bit about a couple of comments this book made about the third chapter in Genesis, I had three people wanting to borrow it. This is a serious study. I appreciate that much of the commentary relates to a direct literal study of the Hebrew (even though it has poetic interpretations in the same book). Well worth the money.

Ardent feminists will love this book. Moderate ones may think it goes too far in emphasizing the significance of women in the Torah. The commentaries and the literary entries are excellent and the format is easily accessible. I would not recommend reading this commentary alone, without a less egalitarian version at one's side. Comparisons are always valid. I especially like the non-gendered usage, which doesn't hammer the reader over the head but makes its point nicely.

I bought this for my wife, a theology major. She has been very excited about the book, finding it scholarly, well researched and a new approach to the Torah from women's point of view. There are many significant insights to be gained from this work.

Wow! This is such a beautiful commentary on Judaism's holiest text. I love the symphony of voices that flow through this book. Not only are comments meaningful and well written but the general oranization of the book is wonderful. I am man who loves Torah and all of the commentaries that it produces. This volume will sit proudly on my bookself next Rashi, Hirsch, Sforno, Ramban, etc. I am recommending this commentary to every Rabbi I know regardless of affiliation. Even if the price is a stretch for you, buy this book because you won't be sorry.

The Torah: A Women's Commentary is a compilation of the most recent Torah scholarship that also includes a woman's perspective. Introductory essays by Carol Meyers, Judith R. Baskin and Ellen Umansky are outstanding in orienting the reader to the world of Torah history and post biblical analysis. Alterative perspectives enrich this multi-dimential effort. This volume produced by the Women of Reform Judaism makes me proud to be a scholar and a Jew.

Joel Richardson has drawn wrong conclusions biblically regarding the coming Anti-Messiah. He and you would be far better served by reading "The AntiChrist and a Cup of Tea" by Tim Cohen, in which, by the way, Mr. Cohen identifies the coming AntiChrist as a living prince of Roman lineage who also happens to descend directly from Islam's Mohammed! Unlike Mr. Richardson, Mr. Cohen offers hard evidence for his views, and is apparently not speculating on this issue of who the AntiChrist will be.... You must read Mr. Cohen's book if you really want to understand this subject!The Antichrist and a Cup of Tea

I'm confused about this book...

Muslims are waiting for Jesus (peace be upon him) as the messiah, who will kill Dajjal (anti-christ). Imam Mahdi is a secondary figure that helps Jesus against the anti-christ.

This is an eye opening book, especially in conjunction with the bood "Politically Incorrect Guide to ISLAM." I read the PIG book first, then this one. Reading both together was amazingly eye opening.

If you've ever wondered why Muslim terroists do what they do -- the airplanes, the road side IUD's, the beheadings, the bus bombs in Tel Aviv or London, etc., etc. you need to read this book. If you've ever wondered why the Jews don't just pull back to the pre-67 boundaries so that that whole "palestinian thing" would just go away, you need to read this book. If you've ever wondered why Islam, Judaism and Christianty can't seem to just get along, you need to read this book.
Richardson effectively relates his analysis, and related personal experiences, in a calm, professional manner. He is no crazy or sensationalist. He doesn't need to be when presenting this material.

I'm buying several more to give to several of my family and friends, especially those who think that Islam is just another God-centered religion.

This book provides an interesting look into the Islamophobic world of Christian fundamentalist ideology. The fact that the back of this book contains a positive review by Walid Shoebat the con man and pretend "former PLO terrorist" (who fleeces money from people to give lectures on his non-existent "PLO terrorist" past and spread hatred of Islam ) is telling in and of it itself.

I teach youth and this was a very concise way of compiling different study methods. This easy-to-understand guide offers 12 different Bible study methods to help you explore biblical truths, apply them to your life, and grow as a disciple. Personal Bible Study Methods will help you develop a customized, personal approach to exploring and studying the riches of God's Word. It was easy to understand and broken down comprehensively. Another great book by a great author with a gift of teaching.

I needed a guide to help me better study the Bible; I'm afraid this is not what I got, but I am dealing with it. In this Guide, there are more fill in the blanks than instructions, but as usual, unlike the Purpose Driven Church, I will try and make this work to my advantage.

Rick Warren has me a little 'symied' with his latest writings; the Church book and the study methods..Is the gentleman tired of "sharing" his awesome messages, (to us) that he has become a little distracted and lax on some subjects?

And trust me I'm a fan of his; but at this point a puzzeled one.

I just started reading this and I'm sure it will take me a long time to finish. There is so much information and I want to glean as much as possible before moving on to the next chapter.

While others enjoy Kay Arthur's inductive method study books (I own Discover the Bible for Yourself & How to Study Your Bible), I have found this book to probably be one of the most practical in my library. As another person mentioned, this is an update of an older book. Possibly the one someone mentioned that they received through Billy Graham's organization or this may really be an update of "12 Dynamic Bible Study Methods" by Warren and Shell. It does continue from where RA Torrey "How to Study the Bible" has left off and adds other methods that would be helpful to any student of the Bible. This book gives the tools necessary to help you to dig in the Word and will reinvigorate your Bible Study. All the Bible to interpret the Bible, take it literally wherever at all possible and preach the Word.

Rick Warren does a great job of reviewing basic methods one will need to study the bible. In my humble opinion this is a great resource for the money. Here is how it's set up.

He previews how materials you will need, and how different study resources are used. He also tells you which ones are considered some of the strongest.

He gives you a preview of the 12 bible study methods and then goes into each more in depth. The 12 bible study methods are: The Devotional Method, Chapter Summary Method, Character Quality Method, The Thematic Method, The Biographical Method, The topical Method, the Word Study Method, Book Background Method, Book Survey Method, Chapter Analysis Method, Book Synthesis Method, and the Verse By Verse Analysis Method.

He also has 7 appendices in the back. These appendices are to aid you in what you just learned. He also has a list of other bible study books in the back for further learning.

In Conclusion, I feel this is a good book to learn various methods for personal bible study. The book is inexpensive (I got it for less than ten dollars), detailed, it teaches you what you will need and why, and gives you the keys to applying these various methods. I give it four stars because it is not as detailed as it could have been. However, if your looking to dig deeper he shows you which books to go to. This is a 4 and a half star purchase in my humble opinion.

This is the one major item you need to have to be serious about calligraphy. The alphabets are the perfect size for copying or enlarging for illumination(in the old fashioned since, no copier here). The book has great instructions for writing the letters. A great buy!

I teach calligraphy and was looking for something to keep my beginner students going once they'd completed the course. This book is it. It gives samples of a hundred different fonts as well as clear instructions on how to create the letters. The spiral binding was a real plus as it lays flat on the work surface. If I get the chance to teach a Level II in Calligraphy this would be a book I could recommend.

This is an excellent reference book for the beginner or advanced calligrapher. The spiral binding is a wonderful feature allowing the book to stay open while you practice. The pages are heavy duty and full color. The samples are beautiful and the history of writing is fascinating. Even though this book is available at my local library, I will probably purchase a copy for my everyday use at home.

This is a great book for beginners. It has a great layout and is easy to understand.

I need already to be a calligrapher in order to enjoy this 100 alphabets. Only two pages are dedicated to each of them. It is not enough if youa have not practiced previously the art of writing.

The book came on time with great condition (new) and Im very pleased with it..thank you.

This summer I read several Old Testament books for possible use in the Seminary course I would teach for the fall and spring semesters. I found that "Encountering the Old Testament" Christian Survey 2nd Edition, more than met the reqirements for our Freshman and Sophomore Classes. The reading material is most informative and held my interest during my research. As an instructor, the layout, text, chapter outlines and source materials listed proved most accurate and helpful when preparing my syllabus and additional course assignments. This book will be an excellent reference book and a book for any biblical library. I would recommend this book as a source of study for students in Bible College, Seminary and persons interested in Biblical Studies.

Study questions of this OT survey are helpful, but the content is on the shallow side. Be aware that the interpretive slant is very conservative.

When I received my book it was in top condition. The delivery was prompt. I was pleasantly surprised with my purchase and the delivery.

Good overview of each book of the OT -- BUT there were a LOT of mistakes (verse references and illustration references) in the book, which I believe decreases its integrity as it certainly takes away my respect of its credibility. For example, on pg 214, the citation for 2 Sm 6:6-8 should actually be 2 Sm 5:6-8. Another example, on pg. 242, "Jotham of Israel" should actually be "Jotham of Judah". These are only a few of the mistakes I've seen, and it makes me wonder what other mistakes there are. Seems like it needs a good editor's eye.

Other issues I had with this book: the key terms are never defined in the book. You have to look it up in the accompanying CD to find the definitions. Also, I found that often times, the point/message that the authors are trying to convey in their paragraphs and sections are never clearly stated (they beat around the bush and go in circles). Lastly, the attempts at application/contextualization seem to have been added to the ends of sections almost as an afterthought, and they stood out like a sore thumb as not belonging to the train of thought.

I am disappointed with the quality of this book. The pictures and color are very appealing in comparison to other Old Testament survey books, however, the other issues with the book make it a less than desirable textbook.

Although I grew up in a predominantly Catholic area (southwest Louisiana), I was raised Baptist and often felt that Catholics were odd or completely wrong in their belief system. As I grew older, I began to investigate different faiths in order to find the one I belonged to. In the end, though, I was called home to the Catholic Church and came into full communion with it in 2000. Naturally, I began to receive a ton of questions, answers, attacks and misinformation from multiple Protestant sources, including some who were friends or family. I began to research my newfound faith with much zeal in order to defend it properly. As the years passed, my family and friends (the ones that hadn't given up on me) grew to accept me as a Catholic. Still, I often run into questions from them that I can't immediately answer. Thanks to the New Catholic Answer Bible, I now have a ready resource to reply to them with.

Containing the New American translation of the Catholic Bible, this answer Bible offers brief sections every few pages that explains certain Catholic beliefs with Biblical references. The beliefs range from the papacy to baptism and everything in between.

Solid Biblical references are the only true defense of the faith when talking to Protestants in my opinion, especially since the majority of them rely on no other source for their own beliefs. Referring to Catholic Tradition or the catechism usually doesn't work. Luckily, this book provides proof that can be found in the books of the Protestant Bible as well as the Catholic one.

If you're just beginning to study the Catholic faith, the New Catholic Answer Bible is an excellent, quick and handy resource. I also recommend books by apologists such as Scott Hahn, Karl Keating and Patrick Madrid as well as the wonderful "Why Do Catholics Do That?" by Kevin Orlin Johnson.

This Bible contains a lot of information about the history of the Bible that I believe a lot of people don't know. It also contains helpful, relevant information & comprehensive answers to questions asked about Church doctrine.

This book should be mandatory reading in all catholic schools. Knowing your religion well is the only way to offset advances by bible toting, catholic bashing hipocrates. When approached by these people, hand then this book to read. We may get a few converts of our own.

An excellent study Bible for Catholics and all who are interested in summaries of Catholic teachings. The entire New American Bible is presented and about every sixty pages a section of questions and Catholic answers is given. With these questions and answers, specific scriptural references are given that can easily be refered to.

I purchased the New Catholic Answer Bible to seek answers to many of the tenets of the Catholic faith. This Bible has greatly exceeded my expectations. It is so well organized that I can read the passages of the Bible and then quickly go on to the explanatory notes with ease. This Bible not only provides what I needed regarding the words of the Bible itself, but is like getting a history lesson as well. I read it every day, and I couldn't be more pleased. I heartily recommend it.

This is not a full sized book and it's made from that onion-skin type biblical paper...and the covers are VERY weak cardstock. The book bows when I pick it up. I'm very unhappy. Had I known this about this particular edition I'd have gotten the hardbound one. This book is a keeper, meant to be read and dog earred etc...but I don't know that this one will be able to stand up to such use. I'm in the process of trying to reinforce and laminate the covers so at least they will be more sturdy. If this book is not that important to you, then it will be OK. But if you mean to use this book a lot, pay the extra for the better quality book. I wish I had.

This is a readable translation of Hebrew scriptures. It is easily understood in distinction to the KJV, but without the English poetry. It is far more authorative than KJV. The paperback version (mine) is easily held and convenient to read.

Let's get one thing out of the way. All Bible translations have a bias. The Bible: Authorized King James Version (Oxford World's Classics) was a protestant document through and through. While many claim to be easier to understand, most of them sacrifice ambiguity and humor in the interest of "clarity". The worst offenders change the Bible stories altogether.

This particular version of the Bible is Jewish. Note the name as Tanakh and not "Old Testament" since in Judaism there is no "New Testament". The stories are arranged by the title - Torah - Nevuvim - Khethovim - or Torah, Prophets and Wisdom literature (Job, Ruth, Song of Songs, etc.) One can quibble with this translation losing some of poetry (unlike The Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (The Schocken Bible, Volume 1) which strives to preserve the poetic verses and repetitive words so that English readers can get a true taste of the Torah as it sounds to a native Hebrew speaker) but this is a fine translation full of passion and storytelling.

Of course, my personal bias in favor of this translation began when I read it for class and fell in love with stories that I once thought of as only prologues to Christianity. Gone are the "proof texts" that litter many a Christian missionary reading. Isaiah is looking at a young woman and not a virgin about to give birth. Psalm 22 is talking about lions not the crucifixion of Jesus. But what makes this more interesting is how fun some of the stories are, particularly Samuel (the story of David) which is ultimately tragic but has some hilarious bits along the way including the Philistines being stricken with hemorrhoids in chapter 5 and making golden rat and hemorrhoid statues to honor the G-d of Israel. Most other translations wimp out and say that they died of "the plague". Sure, it's immature to look through a Bible for scatological humor, but if it's there, it's there. And it makes God Knows seem a lot less blasphemous in comparison.

In many ways, this is the redheaded step child of Bible translations. Artscroll has been cornering the market on translations and they like to use Rashi commentary in place of translation (which means a thoroughly awful castrated version of Song of Songs) and others prefer King James for poetry, but I still find this one to be my favorite. Maybe because of some of the weaknesses or maybe because in a field ripe with biases and agenda, this one tries to be non-biased as it can be.

I think this is a truly beautiful translation. I was also very happy with the quality of the book itself. Well worth every penny.

This has been a most welcome and very handy source for us whenever we seek English translations of Jewish sacred texts.

We also own the Stone edition of the Tanach: The Torah, Prophets, Writings, including all 24 books of the so-called "Old Testament," in Hebrew and English, with commentary. We also own The Torah: A Modern Commentary, which includes only Torah, better known as the Five Books of Moses, along with the readings' assignments to the Jewish holidays.

But this edition is by far the most used in our household, and we recommend it highly, to Jewish and Christian readers alike.