The Untold Story of the New Testament

An Extraordinary Guide to Understanding the New Testament

By: Frank Viola

Narrated by: Michael Kramer

Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

The New Testament is often hard to understand. A major reason is because it is not arranged in chronological order. Paul’s letters, for example, are arranged by size rather than chronologically. This makes the New Testament a bit like a Chinese puzzle. For this reason, one famous Bible scholar said that reading the New Testament letters is like hearing one end of a phone conversation. This audiobook reconstructs the other end so that you can understand virtually every word.

The Untold Story of the New Testament Church is a unique Bible handbook that weaves Acts and the Epistles together chronologically, creating one fluid story. This epic volume gives listeners a first-hand account of the New Testament drama that is riveting and enlightening. It includes dates, maps and background information about the people, the cities and the events of the first-century Church using a “you-are-there” approach.

Get up-close and personal with apostles Paul, Peter, James and John and learn of their personal struggles. Understand the circumstances behind each inspired letter they penned. Watch the chaotic swirl of first-century people and events fall into place before your very eyes. Discover what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” really was. Learn what happened to all the apostles after the book of Acts was finished. Be ushered into the living, breathing atmosphere of the first century and uncover the hidden riches found in God’s Word.

©2005 Frank Viola (P)2010 christianaudio.com

NOT what it claims to be

I have seldom encountered such a glaring discrepancy between what a book claims to be, and what it is

This books simply narrates, in a "Coles Notes" fashion, the bare bone facts ( without spirituality, without inspiration) that Jesus went here, did that, then Paul went here, did that. The narration is flat, monotone

I was particularly baffled by the phrase " The Untold Story". The story was told 2000 years ago, and since then, in the Gospels and then ( 85% of this book) Acts of the Apostles, which, if you read for free, tells precisely the same story as " The Untold Story"

The only listener who would get the slightest value from this book would be someone who has never had any exposure to Christianity, which,let me sumise, wouldn't be the type to order this book in the first place

5 hours felt like 10.

Big thumbs down

Like listening to someone tell you a story

What did you love best about The Untold Story of the New Testament?

Most of the time when I listen to audio book, I feel like someone is reading a book to me. But listening to this was like listening to someone tell me a story. The story was a chronological history of the Christian Church during the first century of it's existance. Of course Acts was like a backbone, but events and discussion for the other NT books fleshed out the story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Untold Story of the New Testament?

There were no big suprises for me.

What about Michael Kramer’s performance did you like?

He was a good story teller.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not particularly, but I did listen to this while driving on an eight hour trip.

Any additional comments?

I will share this with others.

Helped bring the New Testament to life

This is such an amazing book to read. Putting a historical timeline to the books of the New Testament, understanding the meaning of some of the more obscure references (at least to myself) has made the New Testament come alive to me. I want to read more & understand more what the writers were inspired to write by God.

Excellent. Awesome story

The books makes the letters in the new testament make sense. It is powerful indeed. It makes the reader feel as if they were part of the 1st Century Christians. It made me feel the pain, the struggle and the Joy of Paul. Now moving on to Pagan Christianity

Great supplement!

This is not a replacement for reading the New Testament books in full. It IS, however an excellent supplement to them. Having a brief overview of each story as well as the events in a linear timeline is extremely helpful. Most people read the Bible in short small parts at a time in study form and out of contextual order. This resolves that. It doesn’t give ALL of the specific details of everything you already know. Instead it tells the summary story of the New Testament in chronological story form EXACTLY as it advertises. Highly recommend it to those who HAVE read the New Testament.

not what I expected

struggled to listen to it. to many details on verse and book information. wanted more of story form

Incredibly boring!

Monotone voice. Basically just reading through the Bible. I can do that on my own. The story was so boring I only got halfway through and I didn't actually listen to most of it. I'm returning this.

Masterfully painted backdrop to the new testament

An excellent tool to understand why certain topics are addressed in NT letters. Also to help realize the conditions believers and the apostles were living in.

Maybe the Print Version is Better

Any additional comments?

I'm not usually the critical type, but it sounded like the narrator was reading a table of contents for the whole book. It's probably a book that is better in print.

So revealing and clarifying.

This was so revealing and clarifying. First time I've ever heard the New Testament in chronological order with historical information sprinkled in. Makes everything understandable.