When Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians, he was responding to their plea for guidance and spiritual leadership. The new believers at Corinth were facing serious problems--divisions, immorality, marital strife, confusion regarding spiritual gifts, and misuse of money. They had lost sight of the joy of Christian liberty. Paul's instruction to this new church, though tailored to meet the Corinthians' specific needs, will speak to all believers. His discussion includes such central issues as wisdom and foolishness, full and partial knowledge, weakness and strength, worldliness and holiness, sin and purity, and humility and boasting. Robert B. Hughes outlines Paul's teachings, verse-by-verse, tracing the logic of the apostle's argument and instruction. His in-depth commentary--not too technical for the general reader--is helpful, informative, and highly readable.

Divisions, immorality, marital strife, spiritual gifts, money, wisdom, folly, and holiness—these may have been Corinthian problems first, but we need Paul’s wisdom just as much today. But it can be confusing to read 1 Corinthians on our own. What we need is a guide—someone who can explain what’s going on in the world outside the letter and bring to life Paul’s words of exhortation. This is what the best preachers do, but you don’t have to wait until Sunday’s sermon. Encounter the beautiful depth of 1 Corinthians through an enlightening verse-by-verse commentary from Robert R. Hughes that’s both straightforward and insightful. You’ll gain: Important historical and cultural background Insights from the original languages Help with the difficult passages And more! You don’t have to go to seminary to encounter God in exciting, new ways through His Word. Discover how much more enjoyable your personal study will be with understandable, quality Bible commentary for everyday life.

Designed for laypeople, these commentaries deal seriously with the biblical text without being overly technical. Introductory information, doctrinal themes, problem passages, and practical applications are examined.

Applied expository guide to 1 Corinthians, showing how grace looks in the heart of every Christian and how it can shape every church.

This compact commentary on 1 Corinthians is both readable and full of insights that will engage students, ministers, and scholars alike. The Apostle Paul writes to a relatively new church in which members are failing to maintain solidarity with other members. They struggle to find their unique place in Roman society as Gentile followers of Jewish leaders that proclaim Christ as Lord. Their many problems include competition over leadership and social prestige, sexual impropriety, household conflicts, idol foods, table fellowship, protocols on gender and the use of spiritual gifts, and confusion about death, immortality, and Christ’s return. Oropeza addresses Paul’s response to these and other issues as he engages ancient biblical, Jewish, and Greco-Roman sources along with recent scholarship. This is a must-read for those who want to understand the Corinthian situation and Paul’s response in a new way.

We love the stories of courage and faith in Daniel, but the prophecy in the second half of the book can befuddle us. What we need is a guide--someone who can paint a picture of the historical background that brings the stories in Daniel to life, and who can explain all the prophetic symbolism clearly and simply. This is what the best preachers do, but you don't have to wait until Sunday's sermon. Encounter the beautiful depth of Daniel through an enlightening verse-by-verse commentary from John C. Whitcomb that's both straightforward and insightful. You'll gain: Important historical background Insights from the original languages Explanations of prophetic symbols And more! You don't have to go to seminary to encounter God in exciting, new ways through His Word. Discover how much more enjoyable your personal study will be with understandable, quality Bible commentary for everyday life.

What should you as a Christian be thinking, saying, and doing? These are the questions we’re all asking and that James is answering. And these truths shine brightest when someone is explaining their full context and why it all matters for us now. This is what the best preachers do, but you don’t have to wait until Sunday’s sermon. Encounter the beautiful depth of James through an enlightening verse-by-verse commentary from Vernon Doerksen that’s both straightforward and insightful. You’ll gain: a new perspective on how James relates to other passages in the Old and New Testament Insights from the original languages Help with the difficult passages And more! You don’t have to go to seminary to encounter God in exciting, new ways through His Word. Discover how much more enjoyable your personal study will be with understandable, quality Bible commentary for everyday life.

Finding Peace and Harmony When You Disagree.

Study the Bible daily for a closer relationship with God. Daily Bible Study is a great companion to the quarterly Adult Bible Studies or as a stand-alone study for those wanting to study the Bible daily. It is presented in quarterly segments. Bible-based and Christ-focused, it coordinates with the lesson themes of Adult Bible Studies. Each daily reading includes a one-page Bible study for each of the quarter, along with introductory reflection questions and commentary on the daily Scripture passage, life application and an concluding prayer. Daily Bible Study, Fall 2022 Theme: Freedom This fall, our Bible lessons follow the theme “Freedom.” The lessons explore the concept of salvation and God’s gracious acts in redeeming us. They challenge we who have experienced God’s gracious salvation to work for freedom and justice on behalf of others. They acknowledge that as we do, we will encounter those whose beliefs and values are different from our own, so they encourage us in ways to remain faithful to our beliefs while we act as neighbors to others. The writers for the fall quarter are Barbara Dick, Randy Cross, and Taylor Mills. Unit 1 Rescue The concept of salvation is broad and inclusive of many divine actions by which we are rescued from the human predicament. This lessons in this unit focus on the freedom to which we are liberated. In the Roman world, the freer you were, the more power you exercised over others. Today, we think of freedom as the ability to do whatever we want without restrictions. In the Bible, freedom is about being able to choose without restriction to whom or what we devote ourselves. Paul described that choice as servitude to sin or becoming a slave to Christ. Scriptures: Exodus 1:1-2:10; Exodus 15:1-18; Exodus 17:1-16; Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Spiritual Practice: Living With Intentionality Unit 2 Justice In the commandments that God gave in the covenant at Sinai, God repeatedly called the Israelites to extend justice and share their blessings with widows, orphans, and strangers in their midst. This triad represented the most vulnerable people within ancient society. Widows, orphans, and strangers appear frequently throughout the Old and New Testament narratives in ways that illustrate this divine mandate. The measure of justice or righteousness found throughout Scripture is whether one cares for the “widow, the orphan, and the stranger.” The lessons in this unit invite us to ask ourselves, who are the most vulnerable in our society? Who in our community are excluded from the common good? Who has trouble providing for themselves or gaining access to the courts and public services? Scriptures: James 2:14-17, Exodus 22:21-27; 1 Kings 17:8-24, Luke 21:1-4; John 9:1-7, 35-38; Luke 18:1-8; Ezekiel 47:21-23 Spiritual Practice: Awareness Unit 3 Faithful Conversations We increasingly find ourselves living in communities and working with people from diverse backgrounds. While we may not agree with the beliefs of others, we seek peaceable and neighborly relationships. This lessons in this unit explore the models for neighborly conversations with people of various faith traditions. Scriptures: Acts 17:16-31; 2 Kings 5:1-19; Exodus 18:1, 13-27; Romans 14:13-19 Spiritual Practice: Listening

Fall Theme: God Genesis | Exodus | Proverbs | Hebrews | Joshua | Psalms |John Romans | Deuteronomy | Habakkuk | Acts This fall, Daily Bible Study presents a series of readings supporting the theme "God." Readings come from Old and New Testament texts. These daily readings prepare us for the 13 lessons in Adult Bible Studies. God Daily readings in this unit help us discern what "Godness" is. They help us understand the Lord as the divine initiator of the cosmos and as the creator of humankind, and they remind us that God is not limited to what we can know of or imagine about God. They encourage us to appreciate the fact that mystery and wisdom are essential qualities of God's nature. Finally, they invite us to consider Christ's role with God in the world's creation. In God's Image Readings in this unit focus on the human condition. They remind us of the chasm sin imposes between us and our Creator. They guide us toward penitence that asks God to bridge the breach caused by sin. They recall for us how Jesus provides entry into the kingdom of God and challenge us to consider what the redeemed life looks like. Worship Readings in this unit challenge us to think about "objects of worship," with "objects" meaning not worship aids, such as candles and paraments, but those things we place ahead of God. They remind us of the place of God in our worship and the related instruction to love God with all that we are and to make that an essential part of our daily lives. They offer us the opportunity to think about why we may deliberately choose to worship that which is not God. They stress that nothing we worship other than God can impart life, and they invite us to understand that the worship impulse is only satisfied when it is directed toward God. This ongoing day-by-day Bible study series is a great companion to Adult Bible Studies but can also be used as a standalone study for anyone wanting daily time with God. It is presented in quarterly segments. Bible-based, Christ-focused, and United Methodist-approved, this resource helps individuals develop the discipline of studying the Bible every day and coordinates with the lesson themes of Adult Bible Studies. Each lesson includes a one-page Bible study for each day of the quarter, along with introductory reflection questions and commentary on the daily Scripture passage, life application, and a concluding prayer. Now, in response to feedback, we are introducing new features and benefits to the resources including: A comprehensive Bible study plan with more flexibility in terms of Scripture selection and topics. Observation of the church seasons, including Advent and Lent. Visit AdultBibleStudies.com and sign up for the FREE weekly newsletter to automatically receive the FREE Current Events Supplement and other information about these resources and more!