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The First Letter to the Thessalonians was likely the first of Paul's letters, probably written by the end of AD 52, making it the first written book in the New Testament. For the most part, the letter is personal in nature, with only the final two chapters addressing issues of doctrine. Paul's main purpose in writing is to encourage and reassure the Christians there. Paul urges them to go on working quietly while waiting in hope for the return of Christ.

The King James Version of the Holy Bible New Testament is the most influential and widely published book ever written. It has been translated into over 2000 languages and is still the world’s best-selling book every year. Since it was first published in 1611, the King James Bible quickly became the standard for English-speaking Protestants. Its flowing language and prose has had a profound influence on the literature of the past 400 years.

The Book of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and depicts the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The narrative tells how Jesus left his profession at a middle age and gathered an inner circle of disciples, commissioning them to teach throughout the world. It also describes Jesus' rejection from the tribal government and his execution under Roman jurisdiction. It is said to have the fullest and most systematic account of the life and teachings of Jesus.

The most influential book, The King James Version of the Bible, was published 400 years ago. This Authorized Version, or King James Version, quickly became the standard for English-speaking Protestants. Its flowing language and prose rhythm have had a profound influence on the literature of the past 400 years.

The books of Psalms and Proverbs contain unique contents among the books in the Old Testament. Both widely read and highly treasured books of the Old Testament, Psalms and Proverbs contain wise sayings, songs of praises, encouragements, and prayers of the Jewish people. Psalms and Proverbs have different purposes but both books teach, instruct, inspire, and guide the audiences to a godly lifestyle, to a knowledge of God’s heart and His character, and to life’s perspectives that please the Lord.

The Book of Psalms, which is generally believed to be the most widely read and the most highly treasured of all the books in the Old Testament, is a collection of poems, hymns, and prayers that express the religious feelings of Jews throughout the various periods of their national history.

The Book of Romans is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul to explain that salvation is offered through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is by far the longest of Paul's epistles, and is considered his most important theological legacy.

The Book of Philemon is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to Philemon, a leader of the Colossian church. Paul writes to him on behalf of Onesimus, Philemon's slave, who ran away from him and now seeks reconciliation. This epistle shows the compassionate nature of Paul and is based on forgiveness.

The Book of Mark is the second book of the New Testament and narrates the ministry of Jesus from his baptism to his death and resurrection. This account portrays Jesus as hiding his messianic identity more than in the other three Gospels and contains much hidden knowledge for those with spiritual insight. It focuses particularly on the last week of his life and shows the suffering of Jesus in greater detail. It is the shortest of the four Gospels.

Second Thessalonians was written between 52 and 54 AD; shortly after 1 Thessalonians. Paul praises this church for their faithfulness and perseverance in the face of persecution. The Thessalonians were faced with a false teaching, saying that Christ had already returned. The letter contains a whole chapter regarding the second coming of Christ in which Paul tells the Thessalonians that a great tribulation must occur before Christ's return. He encourages the Thessalonian church to stand firm in their faith.

The Book of Second Corinthians gives great insight into the personal life of Paul. It contains the longest discourse on giving in the New Testament. Paul made a trip to Corinth after writing the first letter because the problems he had addressed had not been resolved. Many of the people in Corinth still held on to their false teachings and sinful ways. In this letter, Paul praises God for giving him comfort and deliverance from his troubles and professes his integrity and the integrity of those that labor with him for the Gospel. Paul concludes with an appeal for repentance.

In the first book of Timothy, Paul encourages him in his ministry of pastoring in the Ephesus Church. Paul had planted the Ephesus church himself, working there for more than three years, and as Paul becomes more aware of his impending end at the hands of Nero, he is setting things in order for the next generation. Major themes include the use of the law, warnings against false doctrine, instructions for prayer, roles of women in the church, and qualifications for leaders of the church, among others.

The Book of First Peter was written by the Apostle Peter during his time as Bishop of Rome to the churches of Asia Minor to address the problems of suffering and persecution. He counsels them to be steadfast under trials and explains some of the reasons why Christians suffer persecution.

The Book of First Corinthians is the seventh book of the New Testament. This epistle contains some of the best-known phrases in the New Testament, including "all things to all men", "without love, I am nothing", "through a glass, darkly", and "when I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child". Throughout the letter, Paul presents issues that are troubling the Corinthian church and offers ways to fix them.

According to tradition, Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome around AD 62. Paul gives practical advice in how to live a holy, pure, and Christ inspired lifestyle. The unity of the church, especially between Jew and Gentile believers, is the keynote of the book. Ephesians is also notable for its domestic code covering husband-wife, parent-child, and master-slave relationships. Many devotional thoughts and sermons that are addressed to the practically minded individual have been drawn from this section of the New Testament.

The book of Colossians was written to the church in Colossae, a small Phrygian city near Laodicea and approximately 100 miles from Ephesus in Asia Minor. Like some of his other epistles, this seems to have been written because of reports Paul had heard of the internal state of the church there. During the first generation after Jesus, Paul's epistles to various churches helped establish early Christian theology.

The Book of Acts is the fifth book in the New Testament and describes the historical development of the early Church, a time when Christianity spread like wildfire. Written by St. Luke, it begins with the Ascension of Jesus, the formation of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, and the day of Pentecost. The spread of Christianity is primarily seen through the actions of Peter, the first Apostle to bring Christianity to the Gentiles, and Paul, with his four missionary journeys.

The Book of Galatians is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of early Christian communities that he had founded in the Roman province of Galatia. After Paul's departure, the churches were led astray from Paul's teachings by individuals proposing "another gospel" which centered around salvation through the Mosaic law. The Galatians appear to have been receptive to the teaching of these newcomers, and the epistle is Paul's angry response to what he sees as their willingness to turn from his teaching.

The Pauline Epistles, also called Epistles of Paul or Letters of Paul, are part of the canon of the New Testament and are foundational texts for both Christian theology and ethics. The Pauline Epistles contain much of the doctrine the Christian faith is built upon, especially in relationship to salvation, and expound on the doctrines of sanctification, justification, redemption, and reconciliation.

Johnny Quinn shares his “wild dream” of playing in the NFL, being crushed after getting cut three times, losing $2.6 million in contracts, and blowing out his knee. At age 30, when most professional athletes are considered “over the hill”, Johnny was competing for Team USA in the sport of bobsled at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. We all experience failure at some level; Quinn equips us to embrace change, accept risks, and learn to push through barriers, to live life on purpose.