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The Prayer of Manasseh is a short work of only 15 verses that purports to be the penitential prayer of the Judean king Manasseh, who is recorded in the Bible as one of the most idolatrous (2 Kings 21:1-18). However, after having been taken captive by the Assyrians, he prays for mercy (2 Chronicles 33:10-17) and turns from his idolatrous ways....

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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. (Summary modified from Wikipedia)...

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The Books of Samuel (Hebrew: Sefer Sh'muel ספר שמואל) are part of the Tanakh (part of Judaism's Hebrew Bible) and also of the Christian Old Testament. The work was originally written in Hebrew, and the Book(s) of Samuel originally formed a single text, as they are often considered today in Hebrew bibles. Together with what is now referred to as the Book(s) of Kings, the translators who created the Greek Septuagint divided the text into four books, which they named the Books of the Kingdoms. In the Latin Vulgate version, these then became the Books of the Kings, thus 1 and 2 Samuel were referred to as 1 and 2 Kings, with 3 and 4 Kings being what are called 1 and 2 Kings by the King James Bible and its successors....

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The Gospel of Mark is a Gospel of the New Testament. It narrates the life of Jesus from John the Baptist to the Ascension, but it concentrates particularly on the last week of his life (chapters 11-16, the trip to Jerusalem). Its swift narrative portrays Jesus as a heroic man of action, an exorcist, a healer and miracle worker. It calls him the Christ (equivalent to Messiah), the Son of Man, and a few times as the Son of God. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. Acts tells the story 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's Resurrection, his Ascension, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, how God added disciples to the Christ's church, and the start of the Twelve Apostles' ministry. The later chapters discuss Paul's conversion, his ministry, and finally his arrest and imprisonment and trip to Rome. (Summary from Wikipedia and Sam Stinson)...

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The Book of Obadiah is found in both the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, where it is the shortest book, only one chapter long. Its authorship is generally attributed to a person named Obadiah, which means “servant (or worshipper) of the Lord”. Obadiah is classified as a minor prophet in the Christian Bible due to the brevity of the writing (only 21 verses) and the content (prophetic material). An Old Testament prophet was (professedly) not only a person who was given divine insight into future events, but a person whom the Lord used to declare his word. The first nine verses in the book foretell total destruction in the land of Edom at the hand of the Lord. Obadiah writes that this destruction will be so complete that it will be even worse than a thief who comes at night, for not even a thief would destroy everything. The Lord will allow all allies of Edom to turn away and help chase Edom out of its land. What is the reason for such a harsh punishment? Verses ten through fourteen explain that when Israel (the Lord’s chosen people) was attacked, Edom refused to help them, thus acting like an enemy. What is ...

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The Song of Songs is the twenty-second book of The Bible and was authored by Solomon. In some translations, this book is entitled The Song of Solomon . It is also known as The Best Song . Replete with metaphor, this book is a love song that describes the wooing and wedding of a lowly but very comely shepherdess to the great king Solomon. It speaks of the joys of love as well as its heartaches. Although this reading was performed by a single male voice, the book has three main speakers: the Shulamite shepherdess, King Solomon and a chorus by the daughters of Jerusalem. Biblical scholars also note the allegorical depictions of God as King and the bride as Israel. In New Testament doctrine, the bride is thought of as the Church and Christ as King. The Song of Songs is one of the Wisdom Books. This reading comes from the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Holy Bible. (Summary by http://climber53.com Robert Garrison )...

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The Book of Daniel (דניאל), originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, is a book in both the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Christian Old Testament. The book is set during the Babylonian Captivity, a period when Jews were deported and exiled to Babylon following the Siege of Jerusalem of 597 BC. The book revolves around the figure of Daniel, an Israelite who becomes an adviser to Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of Babylon from 605 BC - 562 BC. The book has two distinct parts: a series of six narratives (chapters one to six) and four apocalyptic visions (chapters seven to twelve). The narratives take the form of court stories 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 reception of dreams, visions and angelic interpretations in the first person. (Summary by Wikipedia)...

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The preface to the KJV Bible is fitting to read, as it reminds contemporary readers of the transitory nature of all Bible translations. The preface is a necessary, though often unread, gift from the translators to readers of the KJV. If you read this preface, or hear it, you will be able to unravel many false teachings associated with the exclusive use of one version. It not only defends the work of the translators, it defends the necessity of a translation for the time and place, to speak in a voice understandable to a contemporary audience. Listen to this preface for a greater appreciation of the work of these fine men. (Summary by Sam Stinson)...

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This 1871 revision of The Psalms by the American Bible Union is based on the Common Version, another name for the 1833 revision of the King James Version of The Bible by Noah Webster. (Summary by Mark Penfold)...

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The superscription of the Book of Zephaniah attributes its authorship to “Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah” (1:1, NRSV). All that is known of Zephaniah comes from the text. The superscription of the book is lengthier than most and contains two features. The name Cushi, Zephaniah’s father, means ‘Ethiopian’. In a society where genealogy was considered extremely important because of God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants, the author may have felt compelled to establish his Hebrew lineage. In fact, this lineage is traced back to Hezekiah, who was king of Judah. The author of Zephaniah does not shrink from condemning the Cushites or Ethiopians. Chapter 2:12 contains a succinct but unequivocal message: “You also, O Ethiopians, / Shall be killed by my sword.” Zephaniah’s familial connection with King Hezekiah may have also legitimized his harsh indictment of the royal city in 3:1-7....

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The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, often referred to as Second Corinthians (and written as 2 Corinthians), is the eighth book of the New Testament. The letter, originally written in Koine Greek, is from Paul of Tarsus (and Timothy) to the Christians of Corinth, Greece. Paul defends his authority as an apostle. He also states the importance of forgiving others, and God’s new agreement that comes from the Spirit of the living God (2 Cor. 3:3), and the importance of being a person of Christ and giving generously to God’s people in Jerusalem, and ends with his own experience of how God changed his life. (Summary modified from Wikipedia)...

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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. (Introduction by Mark Penfold)...

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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....

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The Prophet Joel, the Second Minor Prophet of the Old Testament, entire book is read. (Summary by Susan S.)

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The life of Samuel, and the life of Saul.

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Psalms is a book of the Hebrew Bible included in the collected works known as the Writings. Psalms were written by various writers, including Israel's King David. The Book of Psalms is divided into five books: Book 1 -- Psa. 1-41; Book 2 -- Psa. 42-72; Book 3 -- Psa. 73-89; Book 4 -- Psa. 90-106; and Book 5 -- Psa. 107-150. The collection includes the following types of psalm, among others: Psalms for praise, guidance, consolation, recognition of God's creation, the need for repentance. Certain Psalms, such as Psa. 22 and Psa. 110 are accepted by Christians and certain Jews as messianic or containing messianic prophecies. (From Wikipedia, modified by Sam Stinson)...

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Ecclesiastes is a wisdom book of the Old Testament. The author represents himself as the son of David, and king over Israel in Jerusalem. The work consists of personal or autobiographic matter, at times expressed in aphorisms and maxims illuminated in terse paragraphs with reflections on the meaning of life and the best way of life. The work emphatically proclaims all the actions of man to be inherently vain, futile, empty, or meaningless, depending on translation, as the lives of both wise and foolish men end in death. While the teacher clearly promotes wisdom as a means for a well-lived earthly life, he is unable to ascribe eternal meaning to it. In light of this perceived senselessness, the preacher suggests that one should enjoy the simple pleasures of daily life, such as eating, drinking, and taking enjoyment in one's wife and work, which are gifts from the hand of God. (From Wikipedia, modified by Sam Stinson)...

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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. (Summary by Susan Denny)...

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