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The Best Reference Books from my Seminary Education
By an Amazon.com customer
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)
Buy new: $37.80 / Used from: $33.50
The first in IVP's excellent series of NT dictionaries. Excellent for sermon prep and personal study.
Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series) by Gerald F. Hawthorne
Buy new: $37.80 / Used from: $28.50
See above.
Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)Dictionary of the Later New Testament & Its Developments (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)
Buy new: $37.80 / Used from: $30.00
See above.
Dictionary of New Testament Background (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)Dictionary of New Testament Background (The IVP Bible Dictionary Series)
Buy new: $37.80 / Used from: $35.00
See above.
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian LiteratureA Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature by Walter Bauer
Buy new: $103.95 / Used from: $120.00
Best Greek Lexicon for Koine Greek. Only for those who can read Biblical Greek.
Greek New Testament: With English Introduction including Greek/English dictionary/flexibleGreek New Testament: With English Introduction including Greek/English dictionary/flexible by Kurt Aland
Buy new: $31.49 / Used from: $22.88
This should be obvious.
An Introduction to the New Testament (Anchor Bible Reference Library)An Introduction to the New Testament (Anchor Bible Reference Library) by Raymond E. Brown
Buy used from: $29.00
I've seen a lot of NT Introductions and this one is the best academically.
An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods and Ministry FormationAn Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods and Ministry Formation by David A. DeSilva
Buy new: $31.50 / Used from: $28.86
And this is the best pastorally.
Synopsis of the Four Gospels : Completely Revised on the Basis of the Greek Text of the Nestle Aland (English-only text)Synopsis of the Four Gospels : Completely Revised on the Basis of the Greek Text of the Nestle Aland (English-only text)
Buy new: $15.83 / Used from: $8.30
Comparison of all four Gospels, and it's all in English.
Practical Psychology for Pastors (2nd Edition)Practical Psychology for Pastors (2nd Edition) by William R. Miller
Buy new: $122.22 / Used from: $99.99
Expensive, but really helpful for counseling.
Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Baker Reference Library)Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Baker Reference Library) by Norman L. Geisler
Buy new: $34.64 / Used from: $29.07
This is much more comprehensive and easier to use than other apologetic reference works.
Hard Sayings of the BibleHard Sayings of the Bible by Peter H. Davids
Buy new: $23.76 / Used from: $7.88
Extremely useful commentary on only the more troubling passages of the Bible.
The History of the Church: From Christ to Constantine (Penguin Classics)The History of the Church: From Christ to Constantine (Penguin Classics) by Eusebius
Buy new: $11.56 / Used from: $2.27
The first church history. All other histories of the early church are based on this.