Acts for Everyone, Part 2 (New Testament for Everyone) [Paperback]

N. T. Wright (Author)

Book Description

Series: New Testament for Everyone | Publication Date: February 14, 2008

Renowned scholar N. T. Wright brings us the latest volumes in his acclaimed For Everyone series of New Testament commentaries: Acts, Parts One and Two. Part One covers chapters one through twelve, while Part Two covers chapters thirteen through twenty-eight. Each of these brief guides offers a short passage of text, in Wright s own accessible translation, followed by a highly readable and thought-provoking discussion. Background information about the text, helpful explanations about its meanings, and thoughts as to how it can be relevant to our lives today are woven together seamlessly in Wright s gracious and inviting style. A glossary is provided at the back of the books to provide further explanation of less-common words and phrases. These books are useful for Christian education classes for both youth and adults, as preaching aids, in confirmation classes, and as daily devotions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A rare event: a commentary that is learned without being stuffy, accessible without being reductionist. Tom Wright joins us in our homes and workplaces, our sanctuaries and classrooms, in genial, prayerful conversation over this text that forms our lives, the New Testament Scriptures. Eugene Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, and author of The Message
No other commentary series comes even close. The Christian Century
Pastors, evangelists, and Sunday school teachers will love this. CBA Marketplace, Media/Marketplace: Religion
There is now an immense hunger in our society for the Bible. Many folk want access to it, without the usual shrill authoritarian trappings. These studies by Wright are exactly to the point . . . well grounded in scholarship, accessible, and intensely contemporary. The series is a most welcome one! --Walter Brueggemann, Professor Emeritus, Columbia Theological Seminary

There is now an immense hunger in our society for the Bible. Many folk want access to it, without the usual shrill authoritarian trappings. These studies by Wright are exactly to the point . . . well grounded in scholarship, accessible, and intensely contemporary. The series is a most welcome one! --Walter Brueggemann, Professor Emeritus, Columbia Theological Seminary

No other commentary series comes even close. - The Christian Century Pastors, evangelists, and Sunday school teachers will love this. - CBA Marketplace --Media/Marketplace: Religion

About the Author

N.T. (Tom) Wright is the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England. He is a prolific author and noted New Testament scholar, and was named by Christianity Today in 1999 as one of the world's top 5 new theologians. He has written over thirty books, both at the scholarly level (including Jesus and the Victory of God, The Resurrection of the Son of God, and The Meaning of Jesus) and for a popular audience (including The Meal Jesus Gave Us (WJK) and Who Was Jesus?).

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press (February 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0664227961
• ISBN-13: 978-0664227968
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,300 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book from one of the best, May 26, 2008

By 

DarrenGJohnson "DarrenGJohnson" (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Acts for Everyone, Part 2 (New Testament for Everyone) (Paperback)

Tom Wright has written a series of New Testament commentaries that are easy and enjoyable to read. He combines excellent scholarship and insight with reader friendly simplicity. I highly recommend the Everyone series to everyone. In each book a very readable translation of the New Testament book being discussed, is provided by Tom Wright. He follows this by a story or anectedote and then gives his insightful comments on the text itself. At the end of each book is a helpful glossary of terms.

In chapters 1-12 that make up part 1 Wright skillfully walks us through the stories of the ascension, the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2, the spreading of the gospel by Peter before the Sanhedrin, the stoning of Stephen that caused the church to move out from Jerusalem into Judea, Samaria, and unto the utmost parts of the earth. This spread of the gospel climaxes with Peter and Cornelius and the spread of the gospel out into the Gentile world.

In part 2 he works his way through chapters 13-28. This will take you through the missionary journey's of Paul, the Jerusalem Council, Paul's trip to Jerusalem, his two years in prison at Ceaserea where he offers his defense before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, then the trip to Rome, which includes Paul on the isle of Malta, and finally in Rome awaiting trial. Wright takes the position that Luke is taking Paul's life in parallel to Jesus, who set his face toward Jerusalem, where he knew the son of man would be handed over to be crucified. Paul, despite prophecies of warning from Agubus, goes to Jerusalem and causes a stir about the resurrection. He ends up in Rome preaching the Gospel. Wright masterfully walks us through the drama of Acts and does so with simple and easy clarity, but with the backing of great scholarship.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great help for the Bible-Reader and for the Homilist, July 11, 2010

By 

Thomas J. E. Schwarz (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Acts for Everyone, Part 2 (New Testament for Everyone) (Paperback)

N.T. Wright is (deservedly) famous as a scripture scholar, but in this series addresses a general public. His explanations are well-founded. This is the fruit of biblical scholarship, not biblical scholarship itself and the discussion with colleagues that is so often found in academic commentaries is left out. Because Wright wants to engage, he uses a homiletic style which uses an image, often a story and often about him to introduce the reader to a small section of the text. Sometimes it works not very well, but it always makes a point. A homilist will find that this images can be adapted to make good attention grabbers. The exegesis is well founded and free of novelties for novelty's sake.

I would recommend this series to all who want to understand Christian scripture, to bible study groups, and to priests and all who want to and need to explain scripture. A theology student can certainly do worse for an introduction into an important book of the bible, and will find the interpretation a great help when tangling with the more involved exegesis that academia has to offer.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Trials of Paul, May 25, 2010

By 

D. S. Bornus (St. Paul, MN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Acts for Everyone, Part 2 (New Testament for Everyone) (Paperback)

For those unfamiliar with Wright's "______ for Everyone" series, they are a series of commentaries on the New Testament books by Bishop Wright based on his extensive historical scholarship. He provides his own translation (based on his study of the source languages) which is a very engaging paraphrase. The text is divided up into chronological topic-based segments, followed by a 2-3 page sermonette/commentary based on that section.

This volume covers chapters 13-28 of the Book of Acts, which could be considered as the "Trials of Paul" as it follows the adventures of Paul as he travels throughout the Mediterranean area, preaching the good news and encountering opposition everywhere he goes. The church continues to define its Jewish/Christian identity, chiefly over the circumcision issue and the prerequisites for admission to the fellowship of believers in a time when the Jews are "zealous" for their traditions and national identity under Roman occupation.

Of Wright's commentaries, this edition is unique in that many sections are illustrated with maps to show the areas mentioned and Pauls' journeys. Even though this is the longest volume (249 pages), it reads quickly like a novel, as we see Paul face his trials. Wright suggests that Luke has compiled this chronology as a sort of affidavit for Paul's trial to show that he has not offended against the Jewish traditions, being found not guilty repeatedly while the Jewish zealots attempt to stir up trouble for him.

Wright suggests that Paul's last voyage and shipwreck are Luke's allusion to Jesus' crucifixion and death and the story of Jonah. The end of the Book of Acts, Wright emphasizes, is our beginning.

(NOTE: I did notice an error in Wright's translation of Acts 25:12, which initially made me do a double-take: it is FESTUS, not FELIX, who tells Paul "to Caesar you shall go!")