NLT Study Bible 00-front.indd 1 9/20/2016 8:05:13 AM NLT Study Bible® Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 00-Front_CC14.indd 3 11/18/2016 11:13:44 AM Visit Tyndale online at www.NLTStudyBible.com, www.newlivingtranslation.com, and www.tyndale.com. Features and Bible helps copyright © 2017 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Color maps copyright © 2016 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Interior illustrations, pp. 583, 1753, 1787, 1813, copyright © 1995, 1982, 2005, 2000 by Hugh Claycombe. All rights reserved. Other interior maps, illustrations, timelines, and diagrams copyright © 2017 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Cover illustration pattern copyright © Curly Pat/Shutterstock. All rights reserved. Presentation pages copyright © 2017 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. NLT Study Bible is an edition of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. All rights reserved. The text of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided that the verses quoted do not account for more than twenty-​­five percent (25%) of the work in which they are quoted, and provided that a complete book of the Bible is not quoted. When the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, is quoted, one of the following credit lines must appear on the copyright page or title page of the work: Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. When quotations from the NLT text are used in nonsalable media, such as church bulletins, orders of service, newsletters, transparencies, or similar media, a complete copyright notice is not required, but the initials NLT must appear at the end of each quotation. Quotations in excess of five hundred (500) verses or twenty-​­five percent (25%) of the work, or other permission requests, must be approved in writing by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Send requests by e- ​­mail to: [email protected] or call 630-668-8300, ext. 5023. Publication of any commentary or other Bible reference work produced for commercial sale that uses the New Living Translation requires written permission for use of the NLT text. This Bible is typeset in the typeface Lucerna, designed by Brian Sooy & Co. exclusively for Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. TYNDALE, New Living Translation, NLT, the New Living Translation logo, NLT Study Bible, and LeatherLike are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. TuTone is a trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bible. English. New Living Translation. 2008. NLT study Bible. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8423-5570-4 (hc : alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-4143-2448-7 (bndd blk : alk. paper) [etc.] I. Title. BS195.N394 2008 220.'20834—​­dc22 2008017304 ISBN 978-1-4964-1665-0 Hardcover ISBN 978-1-4964-1664-3 Hardcover Indexed ISBN 978-1-4964-1666-7 LeatherLike Brown/Slate ISBN 978-1-4964-1667-4 LeatherLike Brown/Slate Indexed ISBN 978-1-4964-1668-1 LeatherLike Twilight Blue/Brown ISBN 978-1-4964-1669-8 LeatherLike Twilight Blue/Brown Indexed Printed in Italy 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Tyndale House Publishers and Wycliffe Bible Translators share the vision for an understandable, accurate translation of the Bible for every person in the world. Each sale of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, benefits Wycliffe Bible Translators. Wycliffe is working with partners around the world to accomplish Vision 2025—an​­ initiative to start a Bible translation program in every language group that needs it by the year 2025. 00-front.indd 4 9/20/2016 8:05:13 AM Contents NLT Study Bible Contributors . A7 NLT Study Bible Introduction . A9 How to Study with the NLT Study Bible . A 11 A Note to Readers . A15 Introduction to the New Living Translation . A17 NLT Bible Translation Team . A22 Master Timeline . A24 Overview Maps . A30 OLD TESTAMENT Introduction to the Old 1 Samuel (1 Sam) . 464 Introduction to the Books of the Testament . 3 2 Samuel (2 Sam) . 516 Prophets . 1101 Archaeology and Sources Isaiah (Isa) . 110 4 Chronology of Israel’s for Old Testament Jeremiah (Jer) . 1204 Monarchy . 562 Background . 7 Lamentations 1 Kings (1 Kgs) . 566 Introduction to the (Lam) . 1300 2 Kings (2 Kgs) . 626 Pentateuch . 11 Ezekiel (Ezek) . 1310 1 Chronicles (1 Chr) . 682 Genesis (Gen) . 14 Daniel (Dan) . 1388 2 Chronicles (2 Chr) . 726 Hosea (Hos) . 1422 Chronology of Abraham Historical Background of Joel (Joel) . 1440 to Joshua . 118 Israel’s Exile and Amos (Amos) . 1450 Exodus (Exod) . 122 Return . 782 Obadiah (Obad) . 1468 Leviticus (Lev) . 192 Ezra (Ezra) . 786 Jonah (Jon) . 1474 Numbers (Num) . 246 Nehemiah (Neh) . 808 Micah (Mic) . 1480 Deuteronomy (Deut) . 312 Esther (Esth) . 834 Nahum (Nah) . 1494 Introduction to the Old Habakkuk (Hab) . 1502 Introduction to the Books of Testament Historical Zephaniah (Zeph) . 1510 Poetry and Wisdom . 849 Books . 369 Haggai (Hag) . 1518 Job (Job) . 852 Joshua (Josh) . 372 Zechariah (Zech) . 1524 Psalms (Ps) . 900 Malachi (Mal) . 1544 Chronology of the Time Proverbs (Prov) . 1026 of the Judges . 414 Ecclesiastes (Eccl) . 1070 Historical Background of Judges (Judg) . 416 Song of Songs the Intertestamental Ruth (Ruth) . 456 (Song). 1084 Period . 1552 NEW TESTAMENT Introduction to the New Luke (Luke) . 1694 2 Corinthians Testament . 1557 John (John) . 1764 (2 Cor) . 1954 Introduction to the Four Chronology of the Apostolic Galatians (Gal) . 1976 Gospels . 1561 Age . 1818 Ephesians (Eph) . 1994 Chronology of the Life Acts (Acts) . 1820 Philippians (Phil) . 2010 of Jesus . 1564 Introduction to the Letters Colossians (Col) . 2020 NLT Harmony of the Four of Paul . 1887 1 Thessalonians Gospels . 1567 Romans (Rom) . 1888 (1 Thes) . 2030 Matthew (Matt) . 1572 1 Corinthians 2 Thessalonians Mark (Mark) . 1642 (1 Cor) . 1924 (2 Thes) . 2040 00-front.indd 5 9/20/2016 8:05:14 AM Introduction to Paul’s Letters to Hebrews (Heb) . 2080 3 John (3 Jn) . 2152 Timothy and Titus . 2047 James (Jas) . 2110 Jude (Jude) . 2156 1 Timothy (1 Tim) . 2048 1 Peter (1 Pet) . 2120 Revelation (Rev) . 2160 2 Timothy (2 Tim) . 2060 2 Peter (2 Pet) . 2132 Titus (Titus) . 2068 1 John (1 Jn) . 2138 Introduction to the Time after Philemon (Phlm) . 2076 2 John (2 Jn) . 2148 the Apostles . 2201 REFERENCE HELPS Table of Ancient Weights, Measures, and Coins . 2208 Hebrew and Greek Word Studies . 2209 Features Index . 2221 Notes Index . 2237 Dictionary & Concordance . 2292 00-front.indd 6 9/20/2016 8:05:14 AM NLT Study Bible Contributors BIBLE PUBLISHING TEAM GENERAL REVIEWERS G. Herbert Livingston (Jeremiah, Douglas R. Knox (Publisher) Daniel I. Block ( Genesis— Lamentations) Blaine A. Smith (Associate Deuteronomy) Tremper Longman III (Proverbs, Publisher) Barry J. Beitzel ( Joshua— Esther, Song of Songs, OT Profiles) Kevin O’Brien (Brand Manager) Maps) Ralph P. Martin (2 Corinthians) Tremper Longman III ( Job—​­ Gerald L. Mattingly (Numbers) EDITORS Song of Songs) Scot McKnight (Matthew) Sean A. Harrison (General Editor) John N. Oswalt ( Isaiah— Malachi) Eugene H. Merrill (Deuteronomy) Mark D. Taylor (Executive Editor) Grant R. Osborne ( Matthew— Acts) Roger Mohrlang (1 Corinthians, Philip W. Comfort (Development Norman R. Ericson ( Romans— Ephesians, Philippians, Editor) Revelation) Philemon, NT Profiles) Mark R. Norton (Development Kenneth N. Taylor (special Douglas J. Moo (Romans, Editor) reviewer) Colossians, 1 & 2 Peter, Jude) G. Patrick LaCosse (Associate John N. Oswalt (Exodus) Editor) CONTRIBUTING SCHOLARS Richard D. Patterson (1 & 2 Kings, David P. Barrett (Assistant Editor) Carl E. Armerding (Judges, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah) Bradley J. Lewis (Assistant Editor) Obadiah) Allen P. Ross (Genesis) Henry M. Whitney III (Assistant Daniel I. Block (selected articles) Andrew J. Schmutzer (Genesis) Editor) Gerald L. Borchert (Revelation) Gary V. Smith (Ezra, Nehemiah, Keith Williams (Assistant Editor) Dale A. Brueggemann (Job) Esther) Linda Schlafer (Content Stylist) Gary M. Burge (John) Robert H. Stein (Mark) Eugene E. Carpenter (Daniel, Mark L. Strauss (Luke) COPYEDITORS Micah) James A. Swanson (Word Study Keith Williams (Copyediting Joseph Coleson (Joshua, Ruth) System) Coordinator) Philip W. Comfort (1–3 John) Allison A. Trites (Acts) Leanne Rolland (Proofreading Owen Dickens (Hosea, Joel) Willem VanGemeren (Psalms, Coordinator) Iain M. Duguid (Ezekiel) Isaiah) Paul Adams Norman R. Ericson (James) Daniel H. Williams (After the Jason Driesbach Daniel C. Fredericks Apostles) Adam Graber (Song of Songs) William C. Williams (Leviticus, Annette Hayward Gene L. Green Amos) Judy