The Handy Bible Answer Book helps readers dig deeply into the Bible to analyze the foundations of Judaism, Christianity, Western civilization, and the teachings of Jesus. This comprehensive guide also leads readers through the Old Testament, the foundation for both Judaism and Christianity and the moral and political cornerstone for many nations of the Western world.

Table of Contents

• INTRODUCTION
• PHOTO CREDITS
• BUILDING THE BIBLE
• Building the Bible
• The Intertestamental Period
• The First and Second Centuries C.E.
• The Third and Fourth Centuries C.E.: Forming the Canon
• Early Translations and Transcriptions
• The 1400s and the Printing Press
• The 1500s: The Protestant Reformation
• 1558: Enter Queen Elizabeth I
• An English Bible for English Catholics
• Post-King James Translations and Adaptations
• OLD TESTAMENT
• THE PENTATEUCH
• Genesis
• Adam, Eve, and Family
• Noah and Family
• A Multilingual World
• Abraham, the First Patriarch
• Sodom and Gomorrah, Twin Cities of Sin
• Family Planning
• The Second Patriarch, Isaac
• The Power of a Good Stew
• The Third Patriarch, Jacob
• Jacob and Sons (and Daughter)
• Jacob Wrestled with God
• Changes
• Jacob's Son, Joseph
• Joseph in Egypt
• Joseph's Brothers Back in the Picture
• After the Family Reunion
• Exodus
• A Death Sentence
• Moses
• Moses and the Burning Bush
• Bridegroom of Blood
• Plagued with Plagues
• The First Passover
• The Israelites Leave Egypt
• Fickle Pharaoh
• Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet?
• New Laws for the Israelites
• Fickle Faith
• Travel - Site Worship
• The Ark of the Covenant
• Other Items in the Tabernacle
• Leviticus
• Clean and Unclean, Holy and Common, Leviticus 11-15
• Day of Atonement
• The Holiness Code
• Numbers
• The Census
• Camp Life
• Troublemakers
• So Close, yet So Far
• Wilderness Travels, Continued
• Forty Years Later
• The Talking Donkey
• Final Stages of the Wilderness Journey
• Deuteronomy
• Almost There
• HISTORICAL BOOKS
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• I and II Samuel
• I Kings
• II Kings
• I and II Chronicles
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Esther
• WISDOM AND POETICAL BOOKS
• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• The Song of Solomon
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Ezekiel
• Daniel
• Hosea
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Malachi
• NEW TESTAMENT
• GOSPELS AND ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
• Introduction to the Gospels
• The Gospel of Matthew
• The Gospel of Mark
• The Gospel of Luke
• The Gospel of John
• The Acts of the Apostles
• PAUL’S LETTERS
• Romans
• I Corinthians
• II Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• I Thessalonians
• II Thesalonians
• I Timothy
• II Timothy
• Titus
• OTHER LETTERS
• Philemon
• Hebrews
• James
• I Peter
• II Peter
• I John
• II John
• III John
• Jude
• REVELATION
• Revelation
• John Takes Dictation from Jesus
• John Visits Heaven
• The Second Scroll
• The Two Witnesses
• The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon
• War in Heaven
• Two Beasts
• The Vision of Seven Angels with Seven Plagues
• The Great Whore
• The Fallen City
• The Marriage of the Lamb
• The Dragon Again
• The Book of Life
• A New Heaven and a New Earth
• What Does it All Mean?
• MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE
• APOCRYPHA
• Apocrypha
• Book of Tobit
• Sarah in Media
• Tobit's and Sarah's Prayers
• On the Way to Media
• Tobit's Money
• Book of Judith
• Enter Judith
• Esther (The Greek Version Containing the Additional Chapters)
• Book of Sirach
• Book of Baruch (Includes Letter of Jeremiah)
• The Letter of Jeremiah
• The Prayers of a Zariah and the Song of Yhe Three Jews
• The Song of The Three Jews
• Book of Susanna
• Book of Bel and The Dragon
• Book of I Maccabees
• Book of II Maccabees
• Book of I Esdras
• Book of II Esdras, or The Prayer of Manasseh
• Psalm 151
• III Maccabees
• IV Maccabees
• THE BIBLE AND ARCHAEOLOGY
• The Bible and Archaeology
• The Dead Sea Scrolls
• Other Writings
• More Than Written Records
• Clues in Burial Customs
• Proof of Kings
• The Most Elusive Artifacts
• The Ark of the Covenant
• The Holy Grail
• Relics
• Pareidolia
• THE BIBLE AND POP CULTURE
• What is pop culture?
• The Bible and Movies
• The Bible and Science Fiction
• The Bible and Television
• Televangelism
• The Bible and Mainstream Music
• The Bible and Mainstream Literature
• The Bible and Sports
• Football
• Wrestling and Mixed Martial Arts
• Stock Car Racing
• Video Games
• The Bible and Fashion
• The Jesus Fish
• The Bible and The U.S. Government
• The Bible as a Social Catalyst
• GLOSSARY
• VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE
• WORKS CONSULTED