What this edition offers

As a young biblical scholar, Emily had always been fascinated by the ancient world. She spent countless hours poring over her textbooks, trying to imagine what life was like in the time of Jesus, Paul, and the other biblical figures. But despite her best efforts, she often found herself getting lost in the cultural and historical contexts that seemed to surround the text like a fog.

The NRSV edition of this Bible was released specifically to cater to academic and mainline audiences (following the success of the NIV edition). However, study Bible licenses are complex.

: Includes over 300 articles on key contextual topics such as ancient law, religion, and social customs.

In the world of biblical scholarship, context is king. A verse written in 1st century Judea or 8th century BCE Israel does not carry the same weight to a modern reader in New York or London as it did to its original audience. Without understanding the customs, politics, and daily life of the ancient Near East, modern readers often misinterpret scripture.