Table of Contents

Contents Foreword Acknowledgments Preface to the Second Edition Preface to the First Edition PART 1: How to Read the Book---Basic Tools 1. Bible Translations [previously chapter 9] 2. The Interpretive Journey 3. How to Read the Book---Sentences 4. How to Read the Book---Paragraphs 5. How to Read the Book---Discourses PART 2: Contexts---Now and Then 6. The Historical-Cultural Context 7. What Do We Bring to the Text? 8. The Literary Context 9. Word Studies PART 3: Meaning and Application 10. Who Controls the Meaning? 11. Levels of Meaning 12. The Role of the Holy Spirit 13. Application PART 4: The Interpretive Journey---New Testament 14. New Testament---Letters 15. New Testament---Gospels 16. New Testament---Acts 17. New Testament---Revelation PART 5: The Interpretive Journey---Old Testament 18. Old Testament---Narrative 19. Old Testament---Law 20. Old Testament---Poetry 21. Old Testament---Prophets 22. Old Testament---Wisdom Appendix 1: Inspiration and Canon Appendix 2: Writing an Exegetical Paper Appendix 3: Building a Personal Library [replace with website?] Scripture Index Subject Index

About the Author

J. Scott Duvall (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testament at Ouachita Baptist University. He is the coauthor of Grasping God’s Word, Journey into God’s Word, Preaching God’s Word, and God’s Relational Presence, and author of The Heart of Revelation and Revelation in the Teach the Text Commentary series. He teaches and preaches frequently in local churches.

J. Daniel Hays (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is dean of the Pruet School of Christian Studies and professor of Old Testament at Ouachita Baptist University. He is the author of From Every People and Nation, The Message of the Prophets, The Temple and the Tabernacle, and A Christian’s Guide to Evidence for the Bible: 101 Proofs from History and Archaeology. He has coauthored or coedited Grasping God’s Word; Journey into God’s Word; Preaching God’s Word; The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary; Jeremiah and Lamentations; The Story of Israel: A Biblical Theology; and God’s Relational Presence: The Cohesive Center of Biblical Theology. He teaches adult Sunday School at his local church in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and also speaks both regionally and internationally.