It is a rare book that delivers more than its title promises. This one does -- and then some! Ronald Allen has produced the cleanest, clearest, humblest, most non-doctrinaire, accessible, and absorbing general work on reading the New Testament that I have ever seen. It should be required reading for all of us.
-- Phyllis Tickle
founding editor of Religion Department of Publishers Weekly

"At last! A first-rate Bible scholar has put together a book that makes the New Testament accessible. Reading the New Testament for the First Time grows out of Allen's years of teaching experience. He covers every question that is likely to arise when a 'first-timer' wants to read the New Testament. Like a good and trusted friend, he walks the novice down a spiraling staircase into the wonders of this ancient and strange book, pointing out the most provocative, profound, and inspirational aspects of the New Testament. Strongly recommended."
-- John S. McClure
Vanderbilt Divinity School

"Clear, engaging, and genuinely helpful! This is the first book I would recommend to anyone who wants a basic and informed guide into the rich but sometimes confusing terrain of the New Testament."
-- Matthew L. Skinner
Luther Seminary

"Here is a book that respects both Bible and reader, providing basic information for both the serious reader and the merely curious without talking down to them. A good first step into deeper Bible study."
-- M. Eugene Boring
Brite Divinity School,
Texas Christian University