The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship.

In the tradition of The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks, this book explores the relationship between the earliest Christians and the city environment. Experts in classics, early Christianity, and human geography analyze the growth, development, and self-understanding of the early Christian movement in urban settings.

The book's contributors first look at how the urban physical, cultural, and social environments of the ancient Mediterranean basin affected the ways in which early Christianity progressed. They then turn to how the earliest Christians thought and theologized in their engagement with cities. With a rich variety of expertise and scholarship, The Urban World and the First Christians is an important contribution to the understanding of early Christianity.

Steve Walton has consistently focused his research and scholarship upon the theological perspective of Acts, while considering the book's nature and focus, its portrait of the early Christian communities and their mission in the culturally varied first-century world, and its major theological themes. Walton now collects several of his key essays into an expansive and coherent perspective, bringing together studies published over nearly two decades during his time of study and reflection in the process of writing the Word Biblical Commentary on Acts.

The collection begins with an exploration of what 'reading Acts theologically' means, the divine perspective of Acts, and how Luke theologizes through narrative. Walton presents analyses covering the nature of the early Church and the main terms used by the communities; the believers' sharing of possessions; early Christian attitudes to the Jewish temple; decision-making among the earliest Christians; and the church's engagement with the Roman empire and its representatives. This volume studies theological themes in Acts such as Jesus' role as a character in the text while also located in heaven, and the cosmology and anthropology communicated by Acts, thus providing a new reflection on the early Christian understanding of God, Jesus and humanity.

Steve Walton has consistently focused his research and scholarship upon the theological perspective of Acts, while considering the book's nature and focus, its portrait of the early Christian communities and their mission in the culturally varied first-century world, and its major theological themes. Walton now collects several of his key essays into an expansive and coherent perspective, bringing together studies published over nearly two decades during his time of study and reflection in the process of writing the Word Biblical Commentary on Acts.

The collection begins with an exploration of what 'reading Acts theologically' means, the divine perspective of Acts, and how Luke theologizes through narrative. Walton presents analyses covering the nature of the early Church and the main terms used by the communities; the believers' sharing of possessions; early Christian attitudes to the Jewish temple; decision-making among the earliest Christians; and the church's engagement with the Roman empire and its representatives. This volume studies theological themes in Acts such as Jesus' role as a character in the text while also located in heaven, and the cosmology and anthropology communicated by Acts, thus providing a new reflection on the early Christian understanding of God, Jesus and humanity.

This book is open access and available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. It is funded by Knowledge Unlatched.

This innovative volume focuses on the significance of early Christianity for modern means of addressing poverty, by offering a rigorous study of deprivation and its alleviation in both earliest Christianity and today's world. The contributors seek to present the complex ways in which early Christian ideas and practices relate to modern ideas and practices, and vice versa.

In this light, the book covers seven major areas of poverty and its causes, benefaction, patronage, donation, wealth and dehumanization, 'the undeserving poor', and responsibility. Each area features an expert in early Christianity in its Jewish and Graeco-Roman settings, paired with an expert in modern strategies for addressing poverty and benefaction; each author engages with the same topic from their respective area of expertise, and responds to their partner's essay. Giving careful attention toboth the continuities and discontinuities between the ancient world and today, the contributors seek to inform and engage church leaders, those working in NGOs concerned with poverty, and all interested in these crucial issues, both Christian and not.

This innovative volume focuses on the significance of early Christianity for modern means of addressing poverty, by offering a rigorous study of deprivation and its alleviation in both earliest Christianity and today's world. The contributors seek to present the complex ways in which early Christian ideas and practices relate to modern ideas and practices, and vice versa.

In this light, the book covers seven major areas of poverty and its causes, benefaction, patronage, donation, wealth and dehumanization, 'the undeserving poor', and responsibility. Each area features an expert in early Christianity in its Jewish and Graeco-Roman settings, paired with an expert in modern strategies for addressing poverty and benefaction; each author engages with the same topic from their respective area of expertise, and responds to their partner's essay. Giving careful attention toboth the continuities and discontinuities between the ancient world and today, the contributors seek to inform and engage church leaders, those working in NGOs concerned with poverty, and all interested in these crucial issues, both Christian and not.

Reading Acts Today provides a 'state of the art' view of study of Acts from a variety of perspectives and approaches. It is a fresh and stimulating collection of scholarly essays at the cutting edge of the discipline. The contributions come at Acts from many different angles including historical, theological, socio-economic, literary, narrative, and exegetical approaches. This enables a thorough examination of the way that other ancient writings illuminate Acts and locates the book in its ancient context. The wide range of contributors features some of the most influential names in modern New Testament studies, providing a remarkable assessment of current scholarship on the book of Acts . These include James D.G. Dunn, I. Howard Marshal, and Richard Burridge. It was formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement, a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches.

This book offers a clear, thoughtful portrait of early Christian understandings of leadership by studying Paul's speech at Miletus (Acts 20.18b-35). Dr. Walton compares the picture found there with Luke's presentation of Jesus' model of leadership and Paul's self-portrait in 1 Thessalonians. It will assist scholars in considering Luke's portrait of Paul in Acts by providing helpful criteria for identifying parallel ideas, as well as by showing that Luke and Paul are very close in their understanding of how Christian leaders are to lead.

Reading Acts Today provides a 'state of the art' view of the study of Acts from a variety of perspectives and approaches. It is a fresh and stimulating collection of scholarly essays at the cutting edge of the discipline. The contributions approach Acts from many different angles including historical, theological, socio-economic, literary, narrative, and exegetical approaches. This enables a thorough examination of the way that other ancient writings illuminate Acts and locates the book in its ancient context.

The wide range of contributors features some of the most influential names in modern New Testament studies, providing a remarkable assessment of current scholarship on the book of Acts. These include James D.G. Dunn, I. Howard Marshall, and Richard Burridge.

This story is about a college student's adventures as a summer lifeguard at a country lake. It relates not only his experiences as a lifeguard but also his relationships with women, his participation in outlandish college pranks and being victimized by his dry witted family members. It is an emotion filled roller coaster ride of side splitting humor.

This book offers a clear, thoughtful portrait of early Christian understandings of leadership by studying Paul's speech at Miletus (Acts 20.18b-35). Dr. Walton compares the picture found there with Luke's presentation of Jesus' model of leadership and Paul's self-portrait in 1 Thessalonians. It will assist scholars in considering Luke's portrait of Paul in Acts by providing helpful criteria for identifying parallel ideas, as well as by showing that Luke and Paul are very close in their understanding of how Christian leaders are to lead.