This 45-day reading tool will guide you through the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha, books accepted by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox traditions. Download this resource Day 1 Tobit 1.1-22 Tobit Is Taken Prisoner to AssyriaDay 2 Tobit 2.1—3.17 Tobit Goes BlindDay 3 Tobit 4.1-21 Tobit… Read More

A 30-day reading guide with selections from historical books and wisdom books in the Deuterocanon / Apocrypha. Each passage is labeled by topic. Download this resource

What does the word “Septuagint” mean? Is the Roman numeral “LXX” significant? Find out the answers to these questions and more. In the third century B.C. Jewish scholars in Alexandria, Egypt, translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. Many Jewish people lived in Greek-speaking areas of the Mediterranean world,… Read More

The Hebrew Scriptures are the oldest section of the Bible. Find out how these Scriptures were collected and the genres that each book belongs to. The books in the Old Testament section of the Christian Bible are translations of the Hebrew Scriptures still used by the Jewish people… Read More

Although he is most famous for his attempt to kill the baby Jesus, Herod the Great made many decisions that shaped the landscape of ancient Palestine. Herod the Great was the ruler of Judea (including Samaria and Galilee) from about 37 B.C. until his death in 4 B.C. Herod’s… Read More

The first Hanukkah took place in the Intertestamental period during the rededication of the temple. Find out the history behind this holiday and how it factors into the history of the Jewish people. The Festival of Hanukkah commemorates a highly significant event in the history of ancient Israel. In… Read More

After the Babylonians destroyed the temple and carried the people of Judah into exile, synagogues emerged as the new centers of worship. Synagogue comes directly from a Greek word that means “gathering.” In the Bible, a synagogue is any group of people who meet together for worship. Just when… Read More

Alexander the Great spread Hellenism throughout the ancient world. But what did he have to do with the Bible? Find out here. Alexander III of Macedon, known as “Alexander the Great” lived from 356 to 323 B.C. and is remembered as one of the greatest military leaders in history. Read More

They weren’t priests, but they weren’t commoners. So who were the Pharisees and what was their role in Jewish life? Find out here. By Jesus’ day, it was common for Jewish people to meet in private homes for worship and to study the Scriptures. This practice… Read More

They were the rebels of Palestine. Read about who they were and what they believed in. The Maccabees, as discussed earlier, insisted that the Jewish people have their own king. They were defeated when the Romans took over the land in 63 B.C. Later attempts to win freedom and… Read More