The first in a series of six textbooks written by authors who have extensive experience of teaching students in the first two years of university level study. It enables students to engage with the Gospels and Acts for themselves, and not just to be passive learners, and offers activities and challenges at introductory and intermediate levels, and the key background information needed to enable them to work at the required level. This new edition includes updated bibliographies throughout, numerous corrections, and new material on oral history, the non-canonical Gospels, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.