Truth is important. The author wrote to the Colossians to make sure they understood the truth about who Christ is and how they could live to honor Christ. What makes Colossians unique? The apostle Paul writes in his letters about the great change that is soon to come when… Read More

There is always room for improvement. In Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica, he congratulates them for their faith, but also encourages them to continue becoming even more holy. What makes 1 Thessalonians unique? This short letter provides a close look at the personal relationship Paul had… Read More

Suffering is hard. The author of this book encourages the Thessalonians to remain faithful in the midst of suffering. He also informs them about Christ’s return, the time when their suffering will cease. What makes 2 Thessalonians unique? As in 1 Thessalonians, the author thanks God that the Thessalonian… Read More

In this letter Paul writes to encourage Philemon, a wealthy believer, to model Christ’s love, compassion and mercy to Onesimus, an escaped slave. What makes the Letter to Philemon unique? More than any of the letters that Paul wrote, his letter to Philemon is a good example of the… Read More

Faith is important, but what about action? The book of James explores the relationship between faith and deeds all the while explaining what a Christian’s life should look like. What makes James unique? James begins like a letter that is written to Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire (1:1),… Read More

Encouragement, warning and exhortation. These three books include all of the above and more. What makes 1, 2, and 3 John unique? Although 1 John is called a letter, it does not have many of the features of a typical Greek letter (e.g., it lacks the formal… Read More

Revelation was written to a church facing intense persecution. What did the author of the letter want the church to know? That Jesus is all-powerful, worthy of worship and is in control of the world. What makes Revelation unique? The word translated as “revelation” (1:1) comes from the Greek… Read More

This book could be called the Bible’s “how to” guide for Israelite priests. But Leviticus does not just contain a collection of rules. It explains why obedience and faithfulness to God are important for every individual. What makes Leviticus special? The name of this book in the Hebrew Scriptures… Read More

Numbers follows the Israelites as they wander in the desert. Numbers has… numbers. But it also includes the story of a talking donkey, water flowing from a rock and quail raining out of the sky. What makes Numbers special? The title “Numbers” comes from the Greek ( Arithmoi )… Read More

The last words are often the most important. Deuteronomy is a collection of Moses’ last words to the Israelites before he died and they entered the Promised Land. What makes Deuteronomy special? The name Deuteronomy comes from a Greek word meaning “second law.” Those who prepared the Greek version… Read More