The Story [Hardcover]

Zondervan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 2007

'THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD' IS MORE THAN JUST A CLICHe. God has gone to great lengths to rescue lost and hurting people. That is what The Story is all about---the story of the Bible, God's great love affair with humanity. Condensed into thirty-one accessible chapters, The Story sweeps you into the unfolding progression of Bible characters and events arranged chronologically from Genesis to Revelation -- allowing the stories, poems, and teachings of the Bible to read like a novel. Like any good story, The Story is filled with intrigue, drama, conflict, romance, and redemption. Church families around the globe can now embrace The Story for a full ministry year through Sunday school lessons, small group studies, and family activities. Learn more about this whole-church experience at TheStory.com. Features: * The story of the Bible ... in its own words * Events, characters, and teachings of the Bible arranged chronologically After Judas left, Jesus gave the disciples a glimpse of what was to come. He foreshadowed the fact that he was going to be 'broken' and 'poured out'---he was going to take humanity's punishment for sin on himself. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take and eat; this is my body.' Then he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.' Jesus warned his disciples that he would be with them only a little while longer. He went on to comfort his confused followers. 'Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. My Father's house has plenty of room; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.' Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.'

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Crack open a Bible and you’re likely to find a) Guidelines for living b) Answers to life’s deepest questions c) Endless lists of people you’ve never heard of d) An incredible story about a God who offers hope to a messed up world "Incredible story" isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind when you attempt to read through the entire Bible. Maybe you’ve tried, only to get lost among obscure genealogies and ancient dietary laws. Maybe you don’t have a clue where to begin. Christianity is a story about God and the remarkable lengths he goes to in order to rescue lost and hurting people. The Story gives you just that—the story of Scripture. Condensed into 30 accessible chapters, it reads more like a novel than your typical religious text. And like any good story, The Story is filled with intrigue, drama, conflict, romance, and redemption. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; Revised edition (December 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310936985
• ISBN-13: 978-0310936985
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 109 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the best choice., August 2, 2005

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Gratia enim estis salvati per fidem, et hoc n... - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story: Encounter the Story of Scripture in a Whole New Way (Hardcover)

While one admires the intent behind Zondervan's abridged version of the Bible, i.e., to introduce the Bible and the story of salvation to those who find the complete text too intimidating, they went too far in their editing. For example: Melchizedek is mentioned only as a priest and Abram's exchange with him is not at all explained and their conversation is completely omitted; the account of God's covenant with Abram omits completely Genesis 15.12-20; the account of God's visitation to Abraham and Sarah, Abraham's intercession, and the the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is also completely omitted.

If one is looking for a abridged or condensed version of the Bible a much more excellent choice is Tyndale House's "The Bible In Brief." It is less expensive and follows the same approach using the text of The Living Bible, and lacks the omissions of "The Story." Walter Wangerin's "The Book Of God," while actually a novel, is also useful as a means to introduce someone to God's story of redemption. Though being a novel it is written in the author's own words interspersed with passages of Scripture as opposed to using primarily the actual biblical text as the "The Story" and "The Bible In Brief" do.

Finally, an excellent paraphrase of just the Gospels can be found in Daniel Partner's "The Story Of Jesus: A Portrait of Christ from the Gospels."

58 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Chronological Bible I've seen, May 2, 2005

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Story: Encounter the Story of Scripture in a Whole New Way (Hardcover)

This is Today's New International Version of the Bible organized not by book and verse but as one seamless story from beginning to end. One of the difficulties for many people who study the Bible is the fact that it is not organized chronologically but the historical books often cover the same period (i.e. 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles) or are organized by the length of the book (major prophets vs. minor prophets) or other ways. This is a unique way of presenting the complete Bible story that brings pattern and structure to all the disconnected stories we tend to learn in church.

Others have taken the Bible and organized it into chronological order before but generally they have produced a paraphrased story and not a translation. What makes this book unique is that they have retained the translation so it is still a good study Bible. I recommend The Story as the best chronological Bible available today because it stays as true as possible to being a translation that has just had the chapters and verses reorganized to make it a single story.

47 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars What a curiously abridged book, August 9, 2007

By 

R. Ormsby (Newport Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Story (Paperback)

In hopes of gaining a better understanding of the Bible, I borrowed this book from a friend. Upon reaching page 24, I took a break from reading it through to check its contents against an actual Bible.

I find it a little odd that they left out the disturbing story of Genesis 19 by saying "Lot made some bad decisions"(direct quote). Also, there's none of that interesting bit about Noah's sons seeing him passed out drunk and naked, and Genesis 11 about the tower of Babel isn't in there. These were all omitted within the first 24 pages, and the remaining stories are all about God "offering hope to a messed up world" (as the back of the book states.)

This book blatantly leaves out all the bits that don't promote its cause of telling "a story about God and the remarkable lengths he goes to in order to rescue lost and hurting people" (also from the back of the book.) I understand they can't fit a whole teeny-print Bible into it, but that doesn't justify warping the Bible to make it a satisfying read for people craving stories only of God's love and mercy.

I wouldn't recommend picking this up if you expect a nice, accessible version of the Bible like I did. This book is worth reading solely for those who don't mind a lot of censorship and desire only a very general overview of "the story."