First Century

"Hamilton's novel centers on a fascinating, little-known figure from history - Elisabeth Samson emerges as intriguing and distinctive. An intriguing fictionalization of circumstances with an ample romantic angle. Hamilton's prose style is warm, even, and voice-driven." - The BookLife Prize In the 18th century Dutch plantation colony of Suriname, where wealth is measured by the number of slaves one owns, the educated Free Negress Elisabeth Samson, owner of several flourishing coffee plantations, desires the one thing her wealth cannot buy: a legal marriage with her consort, a White colonial ...

The Apocalypse of Abraham (התגלות אברהם, Hitgalut Avraham) is an ancient Jewish apocalyptic text believed to have been written between 70 and 150 CE. While the surviving manuscripts are in Old Slavonic, it is widely accepted that the original composition was in a Semitic language, evident from the presence of Hebraisms throughout the work. This newly translated version of the Apocalypse of Abraham (Kindle format) is released to gather some preliminary feedback from my readers. If you prefer a printed text, it is included in "Unheard Voices of Hebrew Kings and Prophets" - a ...

EARLY CHRISTIANITY IN THE FIRST CENTURY: Jesus’ Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth offers an in-depth exploration of the early days of Christianity, as it emerged and spread throughout the known world. This comprehensive and insightful book delves into the historical and cultural context of the time, examining the birth of a new faith that would change the course of human history. From the humble beginnings of Jesus’ ministry and the miraculous events of Pentecost to the rapid growth of the Christian movement, this volume paints a vivid portrait of the first-century believers who were ...

An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of the Scriptures. Explore this biblical text that serves as a bridge from the Gospels to the Epistles, and introduces the birth of the Christian church and the experiences of its leaders as they spread the good news of salvation by faith from the Jewish to the Gentile communities. The entire text of the Bible are presented with intermediate commentary that includes the background, context, and exposition of each passage. Organized as twenty-seven sequential and individual Bible studies that are each intended for about 30 minutes of personal Bible ...

The author, due to the circumstances of his serious study of the Bible, and opportunities to teach it for now over 50 years, has long regarded it as his favorite book of the Bible, and the one that he’s studied the most.At this stage of life, it now rings similar to Matthew, Peter’s epistles, Revelation, and James, all written about the same time, all dealing with persecution of Christians by unbelieving Jews, all dealing with an imminent judgment coming on Old Covenant Israel, and all dealing with the passing away of an old heavens and earth, AND the inauguration of the new heavens and...

This book pulls no punches. We have been lied to about the origins of the New Testament, the Church, and the historical record. But what really happened? The Second Crucifixion of Jesus peels back layers of historical development to reveal the original message the Romans and the Roman Catholic Church never wanted us to see. Evidence from the Bible, contemporaneous histories, and the Dead Sea Scrolls, is meticulously documented – but presented in a narrative that anyone can follow.

The Apostolic Fathers in Modern English Experience the earliest Christian writings, clearly translated for today. This edition presents the complete collection traditionally known as the Apostolic Fathers in fresh, readable modern English, paired with concise, thematic essays at the end of the book that frame the world, worship, and witness of the early church. If you’ve tried public-domain or Victorian renderings and bounced off the archaic phrasing, this volume is built to be faithful, direct, and readable, without dumbing anything down. What’s Included (Complete Texts) 1 & 2 Clement ...

The Temple is a smoldering ruin. The holy city runs with blood. In the tumultuous aftermath of Jerusalem’s fall in AD 70, the Old Covenant world has vanished in fire and smoke, leaving the fledgling church in a world remade by Roman steel. But the end of the war with Rome is only the beginning of a new, more insidious conflict—a battle for the very soul of the faith. From the ashes of the old world, two distinct churches rise in the heart of the empire: In the catacombs and hidden workshops of Rome, Rufus, son of the man who carried the cross, shepherds a fugitive remnant. They are the ...

They witnessed the fire of Pentecost. Now they must carry its ember into the heart of a pagan empire. In 33 AD, four families from Rome—led by Andronicus the statesman, Caius the scholar, Lucius the craftsman, and Rufus, the son of the man who carried Christ’s cross—travel to Jerusalem seeking truth. They arrive just in time to be swept up in the miraculous events of Pentecost. After hearing Peter's sermon and being born of water, their lives are irrevocably transformed. They return to Rome as new men, tasked with planting a new faith in a hostile land. Rejected by the synagogues and ...

In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph—a woman who kept the secrets...

The fledgling church faces a threat more insidious than the sword of Rome. In the year 39 AD, the house churches of the Empire are growing, anchored by the eyewitness testimonies of the apostles. But a shadow is brewing in Jerusalem—a new doctrine that threatens to destroy the very heart of the gospel. This teaching, carried by persuasive and zealous men, preaches "Jesus, plus..." It insists that Gentile believers must be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses to be truly saved. This is the doctrine of the Judaizers, a legalistic poison that divides Jew from Gentile, creates two classes of...

Washington, DC, was in the grips of a historic snowstorm on January 13, 1982 that gridlocked the city when Air Florida 90 crashes into a bridge jammed with traffic and plunges into the iced-over Potomac River. 6 people survive the crash, clinging to wreckage in the icy river as a Park Police helicopter risks a daring rescue in nearly whiteout conditions. As the rescue is taking place, DC’s Metro system suffers its first fatal derailment nearby, with dozens injured.

A single letter arrives in Rome, igniting a fire of hope and fear among the city’s secret house churches. The Apostle Paul, the controversial and tireless champion of the gospel, has announced his intention to visit them. But before he can reach the heart of the Empire, he must first journey into the heart of a political and prophetic firestorm: Jerusalem. What begins as a mission to deliver a charitable collection to the saints quickly spirals into a fight for his very life. The Epistle to the Romans plunges readers into one of the most pivotal moments in church history. Witness the ...

In the twilight of the apostolic age, with Jerusalem in ruins and the last of the eyewitnesses passing from the world, a deep and dangerous schism fractures the heart of the Christian faith. The Two Churches (c. 71-96 AD), the thirteenth volume in the sweeping 1st Century House Churches series, plunges readers into the critical decades where two competing models of the church—one visible and powerful, the other hidden and persecuted—vie for the soul of the fledgling movement. In Rome, the trauma of Nero’s persecution has forged two divergent paths. The influential Clement, a man who ...

From the philosophical battleground of Athens to the decadent heart of Corinth, the Apostle Paul faces his most challenging mission yet. After confronting the Stoics and Epicureans on Mars’ Hill, he arrives in Corinth, a city of immense wealth and vice. Working as a humble tentmaker, he preaches in the synagogue until, facing violent rejection, he makes a historic turn to the Gentiles, setting his sights on the pagan world. But as the church in Corinth is born, new threats emerge. The arrival of the eloquent Apollos ignites a dangerous rivalry, splintering the young fellowship into ...

"Delightful." —The Guardian "Cheeky." —The New York Times "Insightful." —Marie Claire A not-so-saintly self-help book that dives into the wild, wise, and unconventional lives of 16th- and 17th-century nuns and proves one thing: No matter the century, nuns know best. When most...

War Transformed provides insights for those involved in the design of military strategy, and the forces that must execute that strategy. Emphasizing the impacts of technology, strategic competition, demography, and climate change, Mick Ryan uses historical and contemporary anecdotes to highlight key challenges faced by nations in a new era of great power rivalry. Just as previous industrial revolutions have advanced societies, the nascent fourth industrial revolution will have a similar impact on how humans fight, compete, and build military power in the twenty-first century.

Chained but unyielding, the Apostle Paul arrives in Rome after a harrowing journey marked by a catastrophic shipwreck, a venomous viper, and the miraculous power of God. Confined to a hired house, his prison becomes the unexpected epicenter of a spiritual war. While the apostle preaches with bold confidence to a stream of soldiers, senators, and slaves, the battle for the soul of the Empire has just begun. From within his chains, Paul pens his most profound letters—Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and the masterpiece to the Hebrews—forging a doctrinal arsenal for the ...

A single question threatens to tear the fledgling church apart: Must a Gentile become a Jew to be saved? From the house churches of Rome to the inner chambers of Jerusalem, the faith of the first believers is put to the test. In this sweeping novel of the early church, the scholar Caius Septimius and the statesman Andronicus journey as delegates from Rome, seeking an answer that will save their mixed congregation from a heresy that demands obedience to the Law. They arrive in Jerusalem to find the apostles locked in a monumental debate. Paul and Barnabas stand firm for the liberty of grace,...

INTO THE AMERICAS (A novel based on a true story) is a gritty, real-life adventure based on one of history’s greatest survival stories. It was inspired by the diary entries of young English blacksmith John Jewitt during his time aboard the brigantine The Boston and also during his sojourn at Nootka Sound, on North America's western seaboard, from 1802 to 1805. Written by father-and-son writing team Lance & James Morcan (authors of The World Duology and The Orphan Trilogy), INTO THE AMERICAS is a tale of two vastly different cultures – Indigenous North American and European civilization ...