$24.95 USD

A storehouse of information for Bible scholars, pastors, teachers, and students. This volume grew out of my 10 years as editor of Biblical Illustrator, a Bible background and archeology magazine published by LifeWay Christian Resources. Photographs are from my visits to archeological sites, holy places, and museums throughout Europe and the Near East.

898 photos of sites and artifacts picture life as it really was in New Testament times, especially in Paul's world.

All the emperors are sketched who influenced that world. The military has a separate chapter. Photos of artifacts, bas-reliefs, statuary, frescoes, and mosaics picture the people of Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt and North Africa, the East, and Europe.

A chapter shows the layout of the typical city, showing design and layout, forums, streets, shops, water supply, houses, and villas.

Another chapter depicts business through explaining transportation, commerce, and weights and measures. Yet another chapter describes the professions and trades of scribes, arts and artists, philosophers, tax collectors, fishermen, shepherds, and slaves. It shows the tools they used from those of the craftsmen to mills and presses to medicine.

Religion is covered well, with photos of temples and shrines, the sacrificial system, altars and vessels, magic, and the gods and goddesses the people worshipped.

What did people do in their leisure time? The went to the baths, libraries, theater, played or listened to musical instruments, played games and followed amusements such as gambling, participated and followed the flow of a sports-crazed empire, and attended the circus and amphitheater. All are illustrated.

Even daily life is covered through photos of childhood and education, lifestyles of men and women, jewelry they wore, toilet articles, furniture and furnishings, food and dining, vessels and cooking utensils. Finally, death is covered.

Every photo is explained by accompanying text.

To make the contents easily accessible, two indexes are included: subject and Scripture. The Scripture index refers the every photo and/or copy that helps illustrate the particular text.

Michael Grant, an eminent scholar in Lucca, Italy, wrote of this book: "Many books, whatever their subject, offer less than their title promises. Here is a volume that, in many respects, offers enormously more . . . (The photos) "are comprehensive, and what is more, drawn from a very wide range of collections, extending from the University of Missouri at Columbia through Europe to Israel itself. Moreover, each illustration is adequately and aptly described."

Published in England by Lutterworth Press.

Broadman Press, 420 pages, 887 black and white photos, 11 color photos, hard cover

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Distributor: Baker and Taylor

In addition to online ordering, you can order 3 other ways: To order by email, send your order information to authorsbooknook@bellsouth.net. Provide your name, address, phone number, and a good time to call. We will contact you for payment information. To order by fax, use fax number (615) 377-1033. To order by mail, send your order to Authors Book Nook, P.O. Box 513, Brentwood, TN 37024-0513; include a check, money order, or credit card information.

Books by Shirley Stephens: Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women, My Daughter Susan Smith, Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle, A New Testament View of Women, Under the S.S. Shadow.
Books by William Stephens: Build Your Own Low-Cost Timber and Beam House, The New Testament World in Pictures, The Bible Speaks to End Times, Prophet of Fire (Elijah novel).