A minor prophet is one of the writings in the Twelve Prophets section of the Hebrew Bible, also known to Christians as the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. In the Hebrew Bible the writings of the minor prophets are counted as a single book, in Christian Bibles as twelve individual books. The "Twelve" are listed here in order of their appearance in Hebrew and most Protestant and Catholic Christian Bibles: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
The First Epistle of John, often referred to as First John and written 1 John, is a book of the New Testament. This fourth catholic or "general" epistle is attributed to John the Evangelist, traditionally thought to be the author of the Gospel of John and the other two Epistles of John. This Epistle was written in Ephesus between the years 95–110. The work was written to counter docetism, the heresy that Jesus did not come "in the flesh," but only as a spirit. It also defined how Christians are to discern true teachers: by their ethics, their proclamation of Jesus in the flesh, and by their love.
The Book of Job, memorably conceived of by C G Jung as the story of one man's struggle to make conscious the undifferentiated contents of the unconscious, is in its own terms an intensive study of the age old problem of undeserved suffering at the hands of an all-wise, aii-good, all-powerful God. Seen by some as a prefiguration of the crucifixion and ultimate resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is for all of us the intensely poetic story of a soul in pain, reaching out for its final redemption.
The First Book of the Machabees is a history of the struggle of the Jewish people for religious and political liberty under the leadership of the Machabee family, with Judas Machabeus as the central figure. After a brief introduction (i, 1-9) explaining how the Jews came to pass from the Persian domination to that of the Seleucids, it relates the causes of the rising under Mathathias and the details of the revolt up to his death (i, 10-ii); the glorious deeds and heroic death of Judas Machabeus (iii-ix, 22); the story of the successful leadership of Jonathan (ix, 23-xii), and of the wise administration of Simon (xiii-xvi, 17). It concludes (xvi, 18-24) with a brief mention of the difficulties attending the accession of John Hyrcanus and with a short summary of his reign. The book thus covers the period between the years 175 and 135 B.C. ( Bechtel, F. (1910). The Books of Machabees. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.)
The Second Book of Machabees is not, as the name might suggest, a continuation of the First, but covers part of the same ground. The book proper is preceded by two letters of the Jews of Jerusalem to their Egyptian coreligionists. The first dated in 124 B.C., contains only an invitation to the Jews of Egypt to celebrate the feast of the Dedication of the Temple. The second which is undated, is from the senate and Judas Machabeus to the counsellor of Ptolemy, and to the Jews in Egypt. It informs them Egyptian Jews of the death of Antiochus, and invites them to celebrate the feasts of the Dedication and of the Recovery of the Sacred Fire. The story of the recovery of the sacred fire is then related.
The book itself begins with an elaborate preface in which the author after mentioning that his work is an epitome of the larger history in five books of Jason of Cyrene states his motive in writing the book. The first part relates the attempt of Heliodoris, prime minister of Seleucus IV (187-175 B.C.), to rob the treasures of the Temple. The rest of the book is the history of the Machabean rebellion down to the death of Nicanor (161 B.C.), and therefore corresponds to I Mach. II Mach. thus covers a period of only fifteen years, from 176 to 161 B.C. But while the field is narrower, the narrative is much more copious in details than I Mach., and furnishes many particulars, for instance, names of persons, which are not found in the first book. ( Bechtel, F. (1910). The Books of Machabees. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. - modified by ancientchristian)
The Book of Tobit (from Hebrew: ????? Tobi "my good") is a book of scripture that is part of the Catholic and Orthodox biblical canon, pronounced canonical by the Council of Carthage of 397 and confirmed for Roman Catholics by the Council of Trent (1546).
The Prayer of Manasses is supposed to have been the prayer of Manasses King of Judah when he repented from his idolatrous ways when he was held captive by the Assyrians in Babylon. Manasseh’s evil ways are recorded in 2 Kings 21:1-18, and the account of his repentance is recorded in 2 Chronicles 33:10-17. The Prayer of Manasses is held to be a deuterocanonical book by many Christians and is held to be Apocryphal by others. This reading is from the Holy Bible, King James Version 1611 which contains the Apocrypha separate from both the Old and New Testament. -
The Additions to Daniel comprise three chapters not found in the Hebrew/Aramaic text of Daniel. The text of these chapters is found in the Greek Septuagint and in the earlier Old Greek translation. They are accepted as canonical and translated as such in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Bibles. They are listed in Article VI of the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England. However, most Protestant versions exclude these passages as apocryphal, retaining only the text available today in the Hebrew/Aramaic manuscripts.
The additions are:
* The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children : after Daniel 3:23, incorporates the Fiery Furnace episode.
* Susanna and the Elders : before Daniel 1:1, a prologue in early Greek manuscripts; chapter 13 in the Vulgate.
* Bel and the Dragon : after Daniel 12:13 in Greek, an epilogue; chapter 14 in the Vulgate. Bel and the Dragon is the supposed story of Daniel and his struggle with Cyrus King of Persia and his idolatrous people. It is considered a deuterocanonical book by some Christians and Apocryphal by others. The story covers two events, the reckoning of the falsity of Bel (a Babylonian idol) and a Dragon whom the Babylonians worshiped; along with Daniel’s being thrown in a lion’s den, and his deliverance. The History of The Destruction of Bel and the Dragon is read from the Holy Bible, King James Version 1611 which includes the Apocrypha.
The King James Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible begun in 1604 and first published in 1611 by the Church of England. In common with most other translations of the period, the New Testament was translated from the Textus Receptus (Received Text) series of the Greek texts. The Old Testament was translated from the Masoretic Hebrew text, while the Apocrypha [not included in this recording] was translated from the Greek Septuagint (LXX).
The Epistle of Paul to Titus, usually referred to simply as Titus, is one of the three Pastoral Epistles (with 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy), traditionally attributed to Saint Paul, and is part of the New Testament. It describes the requirements and duties of elders and bishops.
The Epistle of Paul to Philemon, usually referred to simply as Philemon, is a prison letter to Philemon from Paul of Tarsus. Philemon was a leader in the Colossian church. This letter, which is one of the books of the New Testament, deals with forgiveness.
The First Epistle of Paul to Timothy, usually referred to simply as First Timothy and often written 1 Timothy, is one of three letters in New Testament of the Bible often grouped together as the Pastoral Epistles, the others being Second Timothy and Titus. The letter, traditionally attributed to Saint Paul, consists mainly of counsels to his younger colleague and delegate Timothy regarding his ministry in Ephesus (1:3). These include instructions on the forms of worship and organization of the Church, the responsibilities resting on its several members, including episcopoi (overseers or bishops) and diaconoi ("deacons"); and secondly of exhortation to faithfulness in maintaining the truth amid surrounding errors (iv.iff), presented as a prophecy of erring teachers to come. (Summery by Wikipedia)
The Second Epistle of Paul to Timothy, usually referred to simply as Second Timothy and often written 2 Timothy, is one of the three Pastoral Epistles traditionally attributed to Saint Paul, and is part of the New Testament.
The 1769 Oxford Edition. The King James Bible is one of the most important books in the English speaking world, so influential that its language permeates facets of society from religion, politics, literature, art, education and music.
Galatians is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of Early Christian communities in the Roman province of Galatia in central Anatolia. Paul is principally concerned with the controversy surrounding Gentile Christians and the Mosaic Law within Early Christianity.
The main theme of Ephesians is “the Church, the Body of Christ.” The Church is to maintain the unity in practice which Christ has brought about positionally. Another major theme in Ephesians is the keeping of Christ's body (that is, the Church) pure and holy.
Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul circa 62 while Paul was in prison. The letter was written to the church at Philippi, one of the earliest churches to be founded in Europe. They were very attached to Paul, just as he was very fond of them. The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their messenger, with contributions to meet the needs of Paul; and on his return Paul sent this letter with him.
Written in the 50s while Paul was in prison, Colossians is similar to Ephesians, also written at this time. Colossians declares Christ's supremacy over the entire created universe and exhorts Christians to lead godly lives. The letter consists of two parts: first a doctrinal section, then a second regarding conduct. In both sections, false teachers who have been spreading error in the congregation are opposed.
(Modified from Wikipedia)
The Sermon On The Mount is one of the teachings in the ministry of Jesus Christ. In The Sermon On The Mount is found many sayings and important precepts held by Christian churches, sayings such as The Beatitudes, The Lord's Prayer, and other teachings about forgiveness, giving, and the "Golden Rule" about doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. Men such as Tolstoy and Gandhi found special meaning in The Sermon On The Mount, and Christians have read and listened to this important portion of scripture for centuries.
The Bible version used for this reading is the King James Version. This traditional Bible has been praised for its poetic beauty, imagery, and its use for memorization of Bible verses.
"Jesus of Nazareth, a Biography, by John Mark," recognizes the author of the second Gospel as that "John, whose surname was Mark" (Acts 15:37), whom Barnabas chose as companion when he sailed for Cyprus on his second missionary journey. In making use of the new title, the plan of the Editor is to present "The Gospel: According to Mark" as it would be printed were it written in the twentieth rather than the first century. (Introduction from Forward, by D. Appleton and Co, Publishers, 1922)
The Gospel of Luke is the most literary of the four gospels which recount the life and work of Jesus Christ. Although anonymous, the book is generally attributed to Luke, a physician and a missionary companion of the Apostle Paul. His account contains events which are unique in the four gospels including the visits of Gabriel to Mary and Zacharias, the visit of the shepherds to the birth of Jesus, and the story of the young Jesus at the temple. This gospel contains the most references to women and is favorable to the Gentiles for whom it was written. Perhaps the most well-known of all New Testament passages is the second chapter of Luke which tells of the birth of Christ.
Esther appears in the Bible as a woman of deep piety, faith, courage, patriotism, and caution, combined with resolution; a dutiful daughter to her adopted father, docile and obedient to his counsels, and anxious to share the king’s favour with him for the good of the Jewish people. That she was raised up as an instrument in the hand of God to avert the destruction of the Jewish people, and to afford them protection and forward their wealth and peace in their captivity, is manifest from the Scripture account.
This short Old Testament book tells the story of Naomi and Ruth, Naomi's daughter-in-law and great-grandmother of King David.
The First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, usually referred to simply as First Thessalonians and often written 1 Thessalonians, is a book from the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The first letter to the Thessalonians was likely the first of Paul's letters, probably written by the end of A.D. 52, making it, so far as is now known, the oldest extant Christian document.
For the most part, the letter is personal in nature, with only the final two chapters spent addressing issues of doctrine, almost as an aside. Paul's main purpose in writing is to encourage and reassure the Christians there. Paul urges them to go on working quietly while waiting in hope for the return of Christ.
The writer of this letter instructs the early Christians on the value of showing patience, controlling an unruly tongue and treating all people with kindness without respect to their social position. It also provides the basis for the practice of blessing the sick with an anointing of oil. The book has been historically controversial because of its teaching that both faith and works are necessary to salvation. The great promise in the book is that those who are honestly seeking wisdom may receive it by asking for divine help
The Book of Ruth in the Bible takes a new interpretation as it comes to life in this dramatic reading. Ruth, a young Moabitess whose husband dies, must make the decision to stay in her homeland or go with her mother-in-law Naomi back to Naomi’s homeland of Israel, where she will most likely be an outcast. Will she choose to go back to her gods and old lifestyle, or follow her love for her mother-in-law and learn about a new God and way of life?
Originating in the circumstance of a multicultural church (primarily Jewish and Hellenistic), Ephesians addresses issues appropriate to the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds present in the community. Paul addresses hostility, division, and self-interest more than any other topic in the letter, leading many scholars to believe that his primary concern was not doctrinal, but behavioral.
Some theologians agree the main theme of Ephesians is in response to the newly converted Jews who often separated themselves from their Gentile brethren. The unity of the church, especially between Jew and Gentile believers, is the keynote of the book.
The Epistle of Jude is a brief book of only a single chapter with 25 verses. It is a general epistle, that is, a letter meant to be circulated and read in all the early Christian churches. Although brief, the content of the book is dense. Many examples of evildoers and strong warnings about their fates are given in rapid succession. The dispute over the body of Moses and the prophecies of Enoch are mentioned in no other book in the Bible. The doxology, or hymn of praise, at the end of the book is particularly beautiful
Hear the stories of the Old Testament brought to life in this Dramatised Reading of selections from the King James Version. Feel the sweep of Bible history through the stories of key people: Adam and Eve, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samson, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Jonah and Daniel. A full cast recording by Volunteers brings to life the people of the Old Testament from Aaron to Zipporah!
The final book of the Holy Scriptures describes a dramatic, often terrifying vision by John, who may or may not have been the same John who was an apostle to Jesus Christ. A prisoner on the island of Patmos, John sees the unveiling of Christ as He really is, through colorful and haunting symbols depicting the trials and tribulations of the saints of God, as well as the coming New Jerusalem. This book is believed to have been written this way as a kind of "secret code" for Christians suffering under the intense persecution of Rome.
The Book of Job is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his theological discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The Book itself comprises a didactic poem set in a prose framing device and has been called "the most profound and literary work of the entire Old Testament".
Job was a prosperous landowner who encountered a series of misfortunes, leading him to question himself and his relation to his God. A grand sweep of ecclesiastical argument brings Job to a new level of insight and acceptance.
The Book of Psalms, commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible. Taken together, its 150 poems "express virtually the full range of Israel's religious faith." They each have a poetic character with frequent use of parallelism. In addition to the title of the collection, which translates as "song" or "hymns" from both Hebrew and Greek, superscriptions (or headings) in many of the Psalms provide musical references and some direction, in some cases even references to melodies that would have been well known by early congregations. Songs that can be identified as such in the Psalms include songs of thanksgiving (e.g., Ps 30), hymns of praise (e.g., Ps 117) and royal psalms, which may have been used in coronations and weddings. Identification of some psalms as prayers is also seen within the text, for example in the conclusion to Psalm 72, "The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended." The largest category of Psalms, though not grouped as such in the text, is that of lament (expressions of complaint and pleas for help from God). There appears to also have been an instructional function of the psalms as seen in their references to the law (e.g., Ps 1 and 119).
The book of Ecclesiastes is a wonderful book. It tells how all man's doing is futile, if it is done in his own strength. The last two verses sum it up quite nicely: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The book of Proverbs is referred to as wisdom literature along with several others: the book of Job, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, and certain Psalms, known as wisdom psalms. Throughout Proverbs, wisdom (or the wise person) is compared and contrasted with foolishness (or the fool). 'Fool' in Proverbs indicates one who is lacking in morality and uninterested in correction, not one who is merely silly or playful. Wisdom is held up as something worth effort to attain and the reader is told that it starts with the person of God: "The fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
In addition, throughout Proverbs, wisdoms are mostly come from father to son or mother to son structure. This wisdom literature is concerned with the realities of human experience, from the mundane to the sublime, and with the relationship between that experience and the divine. Not only that, we can also find many wisdoms of woman over and over, especially we find reference to Wisdom as a female figure who speaks to the young man and invites him into her house. When we talk about this Woman Wisdom, it speaks frequently in the first person and identifies herself not just as the divine companion, but also as the source of order in society and success in life. Over and over in the book of Proverbs, it addressed a warning to the young man to avoid sexual relationships with a foreign or strange woman.
Also known as Song of Songs, Solomon's Song of Songs, or as Canticles. The protagonists of the Song of Songs are a woman (identified in one verse as "the Shulamite") and a man, and the poem suggests movement from courtship to consummation. Additionally, the Song includes a chorus, the "daughters of Jerusalem."
In spite of the lack of explicitly religious content, the Song is often interpreted as an allegorical representation of the relationship of God and Israel, or for Christians, God and the Church or Christ and the human soul, as husband and wife.
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. (introduction by Wikipedia)
Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch. The Hebrew title, "[spoken] words", is taken from the opening phrase, "These are the words..."; the English title is from the Greek and Latin, both meaning "second law", a mistranslation of the Hebrew phrase mishneh ha-torah ha-zoth, "a copy of this law", in Deuteronomy 17:18.
The book consists of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recapitulates the forty years of wilderness wanderings which have led to this moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law (or teachings); the second reminds the Israelites of the need for exclusive allegiance to one God and observance of the laws he has given them, on which their possession of the land depends; and the third offers the comfort that even should Israel prove unfaithful and so lose the land, with repentance all can be restored.
One of its most significant verses is Deuteronomy 6:4, the Shema, which has become the definitive statement of Jewish identity: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one." Verses 6:4-5 were also quoted by Jesus in Mark 12:28-34 as part of the Great Commandment. (Modified from Wikipedia)
The Book of Isaiah is one of the Major Prophets in the Old Testament. Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon. Christians believe that Isaiah prophesied the virgin birth of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 7:14, KJV): "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah.
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335–395), believes that the Prophet Esaias (Isaiah) "knew more perfectly than all others the mystery of the religion of the Gospel." Jerome (c. 342–420) also lauds the Prophet Esias, saying, "He was more of an Evangelist than a Prophet, because he described all of the Mysteries of the Church of Christ so vividly that you would assume he was not prophesying about the future, but rather was composing a history of past events." (Introduction from Wikipedia)
The reign of King David.
The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, often referred to as First Corinthians (and written as 1 Corinthians), is the seventh book of the New Testament of the Bible. Paul of Tarsus composed this letter in Greek, to the Christians of Corinth, Greece.
Corinth was the meeting point of many nationalities because the main current of the trade between Asia and western Europe passed through its harbors.
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to correct what he saw as erroneous views in the Corinthian church. Several sources informed Paul of conflicts within the church at Corinth. Paul then wrote this letter to the Corinthians, urging uniformity of belief ("that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you," 1:10) and expounding Christian doctrine.
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch. This book may be divided into three parts:
1. The numbering of the people at Sinai, and preparations for resuming their march (1–10:10).
2. An account of the journey from Sinai to Moab, the sending out of the spies and the report they brought back, the murmurings (eight times) of the people at the hardships by the way, and the subsequent exile into the wilderness for 40 years (10:11–21:20).
3. The transactions in the plain of Moab before crossing the Jordan River (21:21–36).
The period comprehended in the history extends from the second month of the second year, as measured from the Exodus, to the beginning of the eleventh month of the fortieth year, in all about thirty-seven years and nine months; a dreary period of wanderings. (Introduction from Wikipedia)
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, a Judean exile at the court of Nebuchadnezzar II (605 to 562 BC), the ruler of Babylon, becomes a high government official and delivers various visions.
The earliest manuscripts discovered, like the traditional Jewish version, are written partly in Hebrew and partly in Aramaic, and consist of a series of six third-person narratives (chapters one to six) followed by four apocalyptic visions in the first person (chapters seven to twelve). The narratives take the form of court tales which focus on tests of religious fidelity involving Daniel and his friends (chapters one, three and six), and Daniel's interpretation of royal dreams and visions (chapters two, four and five). In the second part of the book, Daniel recounts his own reception of dreams, visions and angelic interpretations. (Introduction from Wikipedia)
Second Gospel or account of the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Commonly regarded as the first recorded gospel of Christ.
The Book of Jeremiah is the second of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the book of Isaiah and preceding Ezekiel and the Book of the Twelve. (The order is somewhat different in the Christian Old Testament). It derives its name from, and records the visions of, Jeremiah, who lived in Jerusalem in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE during the time of king Josiah and the fall of the Kingdom of Judah to the Babylonians.
The book can be divided into roughly 6 sections and uses poetic, narrative, and biographical genres that are interspersed throughout the book. The breakdown of sections is as follows:
Chapters 1-25 (The earliest and main core of Jeremiah's message)
Chapters 26-29 (Biographic material and interaction with other prophets)
Chapters 30-33 (God's promise of restoration)
Chapters 34-45 (Mostly interaction with Zedekiah and the fall of Jerusalem)
Chapters 46-51 (Divine punishment to the nations surrounding Israel)
Chapter 52 (Appendix that retells 2 Kings 24:18-25:30)
Acts tells the story of the Apostolic Age of the Early Christian church, with particular emphasis on the ministry of the Twelve Apostles and of Paul of Tarsus. The early chapters, set in Jerusalem, discuss Jesus' Resurrection and Great Commission, his Ascension with a prophecy to return, the start of the Twelve Apostles' ministry, and the Day of Pentecost. The later chapters discuss Paul's conversion, his ministry, and finally his arrest and imprisonment and trip to Rome.
The Acts of the Apostles, also known as The Book of Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament. It follows the 4 Gospel accounts not only in order but in chronology. As the Gospels end with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Acts begins with the 11 Apostles and His other disciples embarking on the adventure of following Him and fulfilling His Great Commission (see Matthew 28:16-20 for the most commonly cited version of the Great Commission). Though several heroes of the early Christian church are included in this narrative, much of the book tells the story of the Apostle Paul from his conversion to Christianity to his missionary journeys.
The history of the Israelites from the death of Moses to the death of Joshua.
The history of the judges of Israel.
The seventeenth book of the King James Bible, Esther recounts a tale of two queens. Queen Vashti is the loveliest woman in the land, but when she refuses to come to her husband's banquet, she is banished from the kingdom. Hadassah is called to take her place - a beautiful young woman with a secret. Hadassah is Jewish, but her guardian warns her to keep her identity hidden. Taking on the name Esther - which means "hidden" - she moves in to the palace, but when a wicked man hatches a plot to rid the land of Jews, her guardian asks her to take on a terrible job. Esther must go to the king unasked - and if he does not extend his golden scepter, she will face the ultimate punishment. Can she rely on God to save her people - and herself? -
An Epistle of the New Testament, author unknown. The primary purpose of the Letter to the Hebrews is to exhort Jews and Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. The central thought of the entire Epistle is the doctrine of the Person of Christ and his role as mediator between God and humanity.
The history of Israel from the final years of King David's life, through the reign of his son, Solomon, to the rule of King Jehoshaphat of Judah and King Ahaziah of Israel.
The Book of Lamentations is a series of mournful poems written by the Prophet Jeremiah as he saw the destruction of Jerusalem. Jeremiah laments the desolation of this once great city, as well as the condition of the people, many of whom were once surrounded by great wealth and honor. Jeremiah has been referred to by many as "The Weeping Prophet", and this book merely confirms the sense of this title.