The Condensed Word of God

The Condensed Word of God offers succinct summaries of the Bible's books--chapter by chapter. These straightforwardly worded paragraphs, grouped by biblical book and numbered by chapter, give the reader a clear sense of each chapter in the Bible. These summaries can substitute for a sustained reading of the Bible or they can provide insights for one to use as guides for Bible reading. The one exception to this approach is Revelation. As the Introduction notes, Revelation 22:19 pronounces a judgment: "If anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city." For this reason, The Condensed Word of God suggests reading this biblical book from one's chosen translation.

Summaries naturally are shorter than their sources and set aside some of the sources' details. Even so, The Condensed Word of God gives a clear sense of each chapter's main points. This is clear when one compares the widely beloved Psalm 23 with the summary in The Condensed Word of God: "The Lord is my shepherd, and he takes care of me. He comforts me from death and from my enemies, and I shall dwell with him forever."

Whether one desires a companion for one's study of the full text of the Bible or one seeks an approachable distillation of the Bible's main themes, The Condensed Word of God will meet one's expectations, providing easy access to the Bible's nearly innumerable high points.