Your ticket from the twenty-first century to the era of Jesus and the first Christians. A readable, one-volume introduction placing the entire New Testament and early Christianity in its original context, written by distinguished scholar and author N. T. Wright. An ideal guide for students, The New Testament in Its World addresses the many difficult questions faced by those studying early Christianity, including: What was the first century understanding of the Kingdom of God? - What is the meaning of the resurrection in its original context? - What were the Gospels, and how did they come about? - Who was Paul and why are his letters so controversial? Written for both classroom and personal use, this book brings together decades of ground-breaking research, writing, and teaching into one volume. It presents the New Testament books—along with their subjects: Jesus and the early church—within the historical and social context of Second Temple Judaism and Greco-Roman politics and culture. The New Testament in Its World allows you to recover the excitement of what it was like to live as Christians in the first or second centuries. Features include: Surveys of each New Testament book that discuss their significance and provides commentary on their contents, along with implications for the Christian life. - Major sections on the historical Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, and Paul's chronology and theology. - Up-to-date discussions of textual criticism and the canonization of the New Testament. - Frequent illustrations, maps, charts, diagrams, and artwork provide additional explanations and insights. - A distillation of the life work of N. T. Wright on the New Testament with input from Michael Bird. Also available are Video and Workbook companion resources (sold separately) to enhance learning and experience the world of the New Testament. For all who have been anticipating a comprehensive and coherent reading of the entire New Testament from N. T. Wright, the wait is over. Wright and Bird offer their vision for the New Testament, with a lovely interplay of interpretative insights from the world behind the text, the world of the text, and the world in front of the text. Both look and content are energizing and engaging. This magisterial work provides an ideal textbook for courses on the New Testament. -- JEANNINE K. BROWN, professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary, St Paul, Minnesota, USA From beginning to end, Tom Wright and Mike Bird relentlessly orient the study of the New Testament to questions of faith, transformation, worship, and mission. Not only does the book assemble Tom's massive scholarship in one volume, but also integrates it with the concern of his ministry as Bishop of Durham, to serve the church. If you are invested in the development of theological students, pastors, and congregations, you should get this book. In fact, no matter what your view, you will find much to benefit you, from discussions of primary texts to practical examples. -- ELIZABETH E. SHIVELY, University of St Andrews, Scotland Interpreting the New Testament is a complex task and Wright and Bird work at it with customary passion and a commitment to clarity and coherence. These qualities make it an ideal starting-point for anyone who wants to understand early Christianity and its canonical texts. -- DR SEAN WINTER, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity, Melbourne, Australia Masterful job by Wright and Bird, written with characteristic jauntiness and scholarly rigor. The numerous sidebars add spice to the substantial meal presented in the text. The book's power lies in its thorough historical study combined with its missional voice to the church today. -- LYNN H. COHICK, provost/dean, Denver Seminary, Denver, Colorado, USA N.T. (Tom) Wright can't write anything that is not interesting and suggestive and even at times provocative. His shelf or two of books is now condensed, reworked, and put in digestible form for even more readers. This is a lifetime of scholarship and a landmark publication by one of the world's leading New Testament scholars. I'm grateful too for the creative contribution Mike Bird makes in pulling all of this into one final heap of fun. -- SCOT MCKNIGHT, Julius R. Mantey Chair of New Testament, Northern Seminary, Lisle, Illinois, USA Professors Wright and Bird have essentially given students and scholars alike two books in one: a detailed introduction to the major historical and theological topics of New Testament study, and a primer on each of the New Testament's writings. Their world-class scholarship (wonderfully peppered with images, excerpts from ancient and modern writings, and more) rightly recognizes that the New Testament's aim was--and is--to promote worship, discipleship, and mission. -- MICHAEL J. GORMAN, Raymond E. Brown Chair in Biblical Studies and Theology, St Mary’s Seminary & University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA The big, bold theological interpretation of the New Testa