The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.

The Word of the cross is a living word, crying out for reinterpretation as life takes new shape and expression. Reinterpreting the Gospel was particularly compelling for Matthew's church because his Christians lived in a time of profound transition. The Passion of Jesus, then, was not simply a story of suffering out of the past but a point of identification for the Christians of Matthew's own time. For us twentieth-century Christians, who also know the peculiar suffering and hope of living in an age that is both dying and being born, the Passion of Jesus according to Matthew has special meaning.

These books show how several readers can proclaim the Passion well. Rather than simply dividing the Passion into the parts, this book allows the evangelist's understanding of the Passion to be heard and pondered. You'll also find proclamation tips and suggestions for musical refrains, acclamations and hymns. The cover is suitable for use in the liturgy, and the type and the use of sense lines allow for ease of proclamation. The text of the English version is that of the revised U.S. lectionary. The text of the Spanish version corresponds to the Mexican lectionary.