Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part I: What is the Bible and how did it come about? -- The Bible: a gradually emerging collection -- From then to now: the transmission of the Bible -- The meaning of inspiration -- Part II: What is the story of the Hebrew Bible? -- The Pentateuch, part 1: Genesis -- The Pentateuch, part 2 : Exodus through Deuteronomy -- The Deuteronomic history, Ruth, and the Chronicles -- Thus says the Lord: Israel's prophetic tradition -- An alternative worldview: Israel's wisdom literature -- Israel's response to God: the Psalms and the Song of Solomon -- Between the Testaments: from Ezra's return from exile to the time of Jesus -- Part III: What is the story of the New Testament? -- The composition and nature of the Gospels -- Four views of one Jesus: Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John -- The story continues: the Acts of the Apostles -- The Pauline Letters -- The disputed Pauline Letters -- Hebrews and the general or Catholic Epistles -- Revelation -- Epilogue: The Bible today.