A slave without a past. A master without a future. A journey that will forever change both men. The ancient world comes alive in this vivid and engaging trilogy by an expert on Roman social and religious history.What if you discovered that you were not who you thought you were—that your true family history had been hidden from you since birth? What if the true story of your origins would make others despise you? What if the man who arranged the deception was seriously ill ...

What role did offers of physical healing (or the hope of receiving it) play in the missionary program of the apostle Paul? What did he do to treat the many illnesses and injuries that he endured while pursuing his mission? What did he advise his followers to do regarding their health problems? Such questions have been broadly neglected in studies of Paul and his churches, but Christopher D. Stanley shows how vital they truly become once we recognize how thoroughly “pagan” religion was impl...

What would you do if you were pressured to support a rebellion that you believed was misguided and doomed to failure? What if the safety of your family and business depended on your answer?Marcus and Miriam, recently freed slaves from Asia Minor, arrive in Israel buoyed by hopes of finding Marcus's long-lost mother and starting a new life together. They discover that the land is seething with social and political unrest, with anti-Roman parties in the ascendancy.Marcus, who...

This book advances the interpretation of 1 Corinthians by exploring the ways the apostle Paul quoted or “echoed” Jewish scriptures more indirectly in his letter. Identification of allusions are brought to the fore, as are questions of the texture of Paul’s theology and his understanding of scripture. Important topics in 1 Corinthians addressed here include Paul’s use of the Law, monotheism, Christology, wisdom and mystery language, punishment of the incestuous man, baptism for the dead, es...

What would you give up for love? Your beliefs? Your friends and family? Your future? Your soul?Lucius Coelius Felix, a once-proud Roman nobleman, has lost his will to live. Angered by the failure of his quest for healing, he travels to the sacred springs of Hierapolis in central Asia Minor to die.But fate has other plans. When his faithful servant Marcus rescues a young Jewish slave named Miriam, their encounter sets in motion a chain of events that will reshape th...