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The Word on Fire Bible #2
The Word on Fire Bible (Volume II): Acts, Letters and Revelation
The Word on Fire Bible is a groundbreaking new series introducing readers to the strange, colorful world of the Bible. It was designed to appeal not just to Christians, but to nonbelievers, searchers, and those with far more questions than answers. It doesn’t presume any experience with the Bible; in fact, it was created for people reading the Bible seriously for the first time, who may be unsure of what to make of its many events and characters. The first volume included the four Gospels while this volume picks up the story of the early Church. It includes the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of the New Testament, and the book of Revelation. The biblical text is surrounded by illuminating artwork and helpful commentary from Bishop Robert Barron, the Church Fathers, and some of the greatest saints, mystics, artists, and scholars throughout history. You’ll discover insights from Irenaeus, Ambrose, Francis of Assisi, Dante, Catherine of Siena, Ignatius of Loyola, Edith Stein, Flannery O’Connor, and many other teachers in the way of the Spirit. The translation used in The Word on Fire Bible is the New Revised Standard Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE), which has received wide acclaim from academics and Church leaders. It stands out because of its accuracy and readability, being as literal as possible yet as free as necessary to make the meaning clear in graceful, understandable English. It’s a wonderful translation—both for those who have never read the Bible and for those who have studied it for years.
841 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
107 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Robert Barron
217 books852 followersBishop Robert Emmet Barron is an acclaimed author, speaker, and theologian. He is the former Francis Cardinal George Professor of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago and also is the founder of Word On Fire (www.WordOnFire.org).
Bishop Barron is the creator and host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking ten-part documentary series and study program about the Catholic faith. He is a passionate student of art, architecture, music and history, which he calls upon throughout his global travels in the making of the documentary.
Word On Fire programs are broadcast regularly on WGN America, Relevant Radio, CatholicTV, EWTN, the popular Word on Fire YouTube Channel, and the Word on Fire website, which offers daily blogs, articles, commentaries, and over ten years of weekly sermon podcasts. In 2010, Father Barron was the first priest to have a national show on a secular television network since the 1950s.
Fr. Barron received his Masters Degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington DC in 1982 and his doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Institut Catholique in 1992. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1986 and has been a professor of systematic theology at the nation's largest Catholic seminary, the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary since 1992. He was visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame in 2002 and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 2007. He was also twice scholar in residence at the Pontifical North American College at the Vatican.
In addition, Fr. Barron lectures extensively in the United States and abroad. Cardinal Francis George calls Fr. Barron “one of the Church’s best messengers.
Fr. Barron was baptized at Queen of All Saints Basilica in Chicago and grew up at St. John of the Cross parish in Western Springs, Illinois.
WordOnFire.org - Fr. Barron's website launched in 1999 and currently draws over 1 million visitors a year from every continent. Fr. Barron posts weekly video clips, commentaries and radio sermons and offers an audio archive of over 500 homilies. Podcasts of his sermons are widely used by tens of thousands of visitors each month.
TV - EWTN (The Eternal Word Television Network) and CatholicTV broadcasts Fr. Barron's DVDs to a worldwide audience of over 150 million people.
Radio - Since 1999, Fr. Barron's weekly Word on Fire program has been broadcast in Chicago (WGN) and throughout the country (Relevant Radio - 950 AM Chicago) to 28 million listeners in 17 states. Fr. Barron also is a regular commentator on the "Busted Halo Show" on the Sirius satellite radio network based in New York.
DVDs - Fr. Barron's DVDs are used as powerful faith formation tools in universities, schools, churches and homes around the country. The series includes Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues; Faith Clips; Conversion: Following the Call of Christ; and Untold Blessing: Three Paths to Holiness.
YouTube - With over 180 online video commentaries by Fr. Barron, over 1 million viewers worldwide have made him the most popular of any evangelist on YouTube. These frequent, high-quality productions include brief and lively theological reviews of contemporary culture, including movies such as No Country for Old Men, Apocalypto, and The Departed, a three-part critical review of Christopher Hitchen's book God is Not Great, The Discovery Channel's The Jesus Tomb, the HBO series "The Sopranos", "Rome" and more.
Missions - MISSION CHICAGO features evangelization lectures by Fr. Barron at the behest of Cardinal George. These special missions and presentations throughout the Archdiocese are centered in downtown Chicago and attract business, civic, and cultural leaders.
Books - His numerous books and essays serve as critical educational and inspirational tools for seminarians, priests, parishioners and young people worldwide. His published works are also central to the numerous retreats, workshop and talks that h
Bishop Barron is the creator and host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking ten-part documentary series and study program about the Catholic faith. He is a passionate student of art, architecture, music and history, which he calls upon throughout his global travels in the making of the documentary.
Word On Fire programs are broadcast regularly on WGN America, Relevant Radio, CatholicTV, EWTN, the popular Word on Fire YouTube Channel, and the Word on Fire website, which offers daily blogs, articles, commentaries, and over ten years of weekly sermon podcasts. In 2010, Father Barron was the first priest to have a national show on a secular television network since the 1950s.
Fr. Barron received his Masters Degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington DC in 1982 and his doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Institut Catholique in 1992. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1986 and has been a professor of systematic theology at the nation's largest Catholic seminary, the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary since 1992. He was visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame in 2002 and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 2007. He was also twice scholar in residence at the Pontifical North American College at the Vatican.
In addition, Fr. Barron lectures extensively in the United States and abroad. Cardinal Francis George calls Fr. Barron “one of the Church’s best messengers.
Fr. Barron was baptized at Queen of All Saints Basilica in Chicago and grew up at St. John of the Cross parish in Western Springs, Illinois.
WordOnFire.org - Fr. Barron's website launched in 1999 and currently draws over 1 million visitors a year from every continent. Fr. Barron posts weekly video clips, commentaries and radio sermons and offers an audio archive of over 500 homilies. Podcasts of his sermons are widely used by tens of thousands of visitors each month.
TV - EWTN (The Eternal Word Television Network) and CatholicTV broadcasts Fr. Barron's DVDs to a worldwide audience of over 150 million people.
Radio - Since 1999, Fr. Barron's weekly Word on Fire program has been broadcast in Chicago (WGN) and throughout the country (Relevant Radio - 950 AM Chicago) to 28 million listeners in 17 states. Fr. Barron also is a regular commentator on the "Busted Halo Show" on the Sirius satellite radio network based in New York.
DVDs - Fr. Barron's DVDs are used as powerful faith formation tools in universities, schools, churches and homes around the country. The series includes Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues; Faith Clips; Conversion: Following the Call of Christ; and Untold Blessing: Three Paths to Holiness.
YouTube - With over 180 online video commentaries by Fr. Barron, over 1 million viewers worldwide have made him the most popular of any evangelist on YouTube. These frequent, high-quality productions include brief and lively theological reviews of contemporary culture, including movies such as No Country for Old Men, Apocalypto, and The Departed, a three-part critical review of Christopher Hitchen's book God is Not Great, The Discovery Channel's The Jesus Tomb, the HBO series "The Sopranos", "Rome" and more.
Missions - MISSION CHICAGO features evangelization lectures by Fr. Barron at the behest of Cardinal George. These special missions and presentations throughout the Archdiocese are centered in downtown Chicago and attract business, civic, and cultural leaders.
Books - His numerous books and essays serve as critical educational and inspirational tools for seminarians, priests, parishioners and young people worldwide. His published works are also central to the numerous retreats, workshop and talks that h
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 5, 2022
This is a wonderful Biblical commentary. I got the paperback version which is very much like Word on Fire's first commentary covering the Gospels (my review here). Beautifully produced on great paper with no expense spared, each volume is a work of art to be treasured. However, this is even better than the first. It has tons more art and the commentary seems to be from a wider range of Church Fathers, saints, and other authorities.
What I appreciate most is that it is better organized. My complaint about the first volume was that the commentaries and scripture seemed rather haphazardly placed, making it hard to follow when reading. This is better organized with commentary immediately near the scripture section being discussed. There is also more continuity of layout in how the scripture flows from page to page. It is a little change really but I pulled out my vol. 1 for comparison and it really does make a huge difference.
I read a little each morning and really got a lot from it.
UPDATE:
After my high praise above for the improved layout, I have discovered they occasionally stumble in ways that really lead the reader astray. Specifically I am speaking of 2 Peter 1 (pg. 660) where the scriptural text is followed by a line under which comes Bishop Barron's commentary. That in turn is followed by a colored commentary box. Way under that come three lines of scripture which the early morning reader (such as me) is not going to notice, especially when the beginning of verse 5 seems visually to flow to the next page where the sentence seems logically to finish up. It was only on reading the commentary that I wondered what those little lines of copy were which I hadn't seen. That is very poorly laid out.
What I appreciate most is that it is better organized. My complaint about the first volume was that the commentaries and scripture seemed rather haphazardly placed, making it hard to follow when reading. This is better organized with commentary immediately near the scripture section being discussed. There is also more continuity of layout in how the scripture flows from page to page. It is a little change really but I pulled out my vol. 1 for comparison and it really does make a huge difference.
I read a little each morning and really got a lot from it.
UPDATE:
After my high praise above for the improved layout, I have discovered they occasionally stumble in ways that really lead the reader astray. Specifically I am speaking of 2 Peter 1 (pg. 660) where the scriptural text is followed by a line under which comes Bishop Barron's commentary. That in turn is followed by a colored commentary box. Way under that come three lines of scripture which the early morning reader (such as me) is not going to notice, especially when the beginning of verse 5 seems visually to flow to the next page where the sentence seems logically to finish up. It was only on reading the commentary that I wondered what those little lines of copy were which I hadn't seen. That is very poorly laid out.
May 22, 2023
Finally finished this, it has so much great art inside. The commentaries are too many for my taste, it really broke up the reading. I could see how this would be good for a study group or for looking at individual letters. It was, at times, a bit of a slog as a daily reader for me. Of course, I don't have the temerity to give the Bible less than five star.... On to the Pentateuch!
January 24, 2022
I ordered this book the first day it was released and received it on my birthday, January 20th (what an awesome birthday present). I recently read the first volume with the Gospels and commentary and loved it, and this volume with the Acts of the Apostles, Epistles, and Revelations is just as good. The commentary is informative and spiritual, helping me to know what’s going on while at the same time feeding my soul. Both volumes use the NSRV Catholic Edition translation, which I love as it captures the poetry of the scriptures while using inclusive language, because who doesn’t want to include our sisters in Christ. My only complaint is I have to wait a few years for the next volume, as I know the publishers will put out a great product.
December 31, 2024
Beautiful! The included commentary is enlightening and the artwork included lovely. If you could only own one Bible, this one (eventually to be 7 volumes upon completion, I believe), should be it. I look forward to reading Volumes III and VI this year and receiving Volume V as soon as it's ready.
April 7, 2025
“Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Revelation 19:9
Just like the first volume, Word on Fire does not disappoint in how beautifully, prayerfully, and educationally they can present the Scriptures. Everyone should invest in these volumes.
Just like the first volume, Word on Fire does not disappoint in how beautifully, prayerfully, and educationally they can present the Scriptures. Everyone should invest in these volumes.
September 29, 2025
The Word on Fire Bible, this volume contains Acts, Letters, and Revelation, with beautiful artwork throughout the book. I read each night (practically) and really enjoyed it.
December 31, 2022
Beautiful!
December 12, 2022
These volumes have been so insightful and faith promoting. The beautiful presentation enhances and does not distract from the text itself.
November 21, 2022
For such a long tome, it never felt never ending, it was a constant joy to read (though at times heavy to hold in hand). More pictures (that are especially even more dynamic & creative choices), & (unlike the Gospels) it did not at any point feel like they were using Barron’s commentary as a crutch, they had a much more wide ranging survey of authors & quotes. I knew a good amount about Acts, Revelation, & certain of Paul’s letters, but this thoroughly did it’s job to much deepen my understanding & create further diving boards. It was a cathedral in print, they did a great job. Part of the reason I loved both these volumes was because their expansive wide ranging survey of linking things is how I think, & if WOF didn’t make this kinda Bible I would have made a poor attempt myself later in life. Beauty of it too: this doesn’t have to be the end of story, others can make the same expansive style of Bible with different commentary & pictures. But I’m glad WOF knocked this first of its kind (at least in modernity) out of the park…again! I look forward to giving each individual book/letter more & longer devoted treatment in the future.
August 24, 2023
Like Volume 1, this volume contains numerous beautiful and inspiring religious art pieces and essays about the artists, production, symbolism, and surprising discoveries along the way. I didn't know you can x-ray a painting or remove paint layers added later to find hidden elements, for example. The commentaries on the text are once again very helpful in providing context and insights. Ironically by adding more supplementary content, the daunting task of reading the Bible becomes much more accessible. The Book of Revelation at the end is truly epic! Recommended reading for anyone interested.
June 30, 2024
Just as with Volume I (The Gospels), Volume 2 is a very enjoyable, informative Bible to read. Interspersing chapters with art from all eras along with intricate descriptions makes the scriptures be seen in a new light. Commentaries from a variety of people provide new insights into verses that I've read over and over yet never noticed before or realized what they could mean. This Bible is not just for Catholics. Anyone, including nonbelievers, can appreciate the melding of art, scholarly commentary, and symbols with Scripture.
June 18, 2024
I was so surprised to see that I never reviewed this book. I know I read it when it first came out.
As with the first volume the paper is high quality, the art is top quality, the book design is good, and the commentary is thought provoking while being accessible. As before, the flow of the main text sometimes gets lost amidst all the pieces of commentary being featured. Once you are used to that awkwardness it isn't too bad.
Overall, I highly recommend it!
As with the first volume the paper is high quality, the art is top quality, the book design is good, and the commentary is thought provoking while being accessible. As before, the flow of the main text sometimes gets lost amidst all the pieces of commentary being featured. Once you are used to that awkwardness it isn't too bad.
Overall, I highly recommend it!
December 28, 2024
The most awesome Bible (Acts-Rev) I have ever read, and that's going back 50 years and several dozen Bibles. It's like having mini homilies and great, great art at your fingertips as you read along. I have one to each child and my parish priest. Incredibly well done. A masterpiece.
July 7, 2023
Just as I remember it.
January 20, 2024
An absolutely delightful way to read the Bible!
May 16, 2024
Very helpful commentary.
June 10, 2024
No notes. Ecce Agnus Dei.
September 30, 2024
This is a great edition of the Epistles, great commentary from all periods of church history and beautiful artwork and essays explaining the art.
October 18, 2024
Beautiful. The artwork and commentary make this a book to cherish for many years to come.
November 9, 2024
The best way that I’ve found to read through the Bible! Beautiful art and tasteful commentary
February 28, 2025
Mostly delightful. Not a fan of the modern art or historical-critical scholar excerpts. Especially loved the Ghent Altarpiece pages at the end.
January 1, 2026
Finished the newest testament in 2025!
March 10, 2023
This was the best way to read through these Scriptures. The commentaries were clear, mostly short, and placed amid the text so the reader could benefit immediately from their content. The reproductions of artwork made this much more than 'just' reading, since each photo of art took the reader more deeply into the spirituality of Christian faith. I just finished reading through the whole 800+ pages, and I'm already thinking of reading it again to continue to mine the riches of insight offered by this beautiful offering of Acts, Letters, and Revelation.
December 31, 2022
I have thoroughly enjoyed the second volume of the Word on Fire Bible: Acts, Letters, and Revelation. The beauty of the first volume continues and the commentary placed within the text makes stopping for consideration and meditation happen naturally. I was a little leary of this effort in the beginning, but after experiencing the first two volumes, I am convinced. They are a blessing and an invitation to grow closer to God.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
January 25, 2023
I have tried to read the Bible three times without success. My daughter bought me the Four Gospels by the Word on Fire and I enjoyed it very much. She then bought me this book, and I set a goal to read 40-50 pages a day. I found that with all the commentary by others in the book on the Acts; Letters; and Revelation; it became much easier to understand. I read the Four Gospels in a short period of time also, i believe I will read them again.
July 24, 2023
This is another excellent edition to Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire Bible series. It is so rich with the history of so many early Church Fathers. It is also laden with countless marvelous works of Sacred Art in the Volume. You are not just fed by Sacred Word, but also by the beautiful commentary about it. Amen!!!!!!!!
March 23, 2024
Great for study of the new testament. I do wish it had given me a bit more to hang onto with the book of Revelation, but past that I found this to be the perfect level of commentary. This is definitely a book I will read once a year, every year.
August 15, 2022
The commentaries and artwork provide a better understanding of Acts, letters, and Revelation of the New Testament Bible. Take time to go through at a slow pace to let its message sink in.
October 21, 2022
Great reflections and artwork
July 13, 2023
Beautiful book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews