Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World

This book has been a classic for many decades in the field of Christian apologetics. It is categorized into four parts. Part 1 explores the evidence for the Bible. Specifically, chapter 1 dives into what makes the Bible unique. For example, the qualifications that set the Bible apart from all other works ever penned. Chapter 2 discusses how the Bible came into being and the qualifications for canonization. Chapter 3 asked the question are the New Testament documents historically accurate? Additionally, explains the methodology used by scholars and historians to determine whether a text is historically accurate and authentic. Chapter 4 answers the question have the Jewish Scriptures (Old Testament) been faithfully transmitted over time? Moreover, the authors explain the methods and principles used by ancient scribes to accurately transmit their texts. They also provide adequate manuscript evidence to support their case of accurate transmission. Chapter 5 looks at the supposed lost books of the Bible such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, and the gospel of Mary, and explains why these books do not meet the criteria for inclusion within the New Testament canon. Part 2 covers the evidence for Jesus. Chapter 6 provides the biblical, extra-biblical, and archaeological evidence that Jesus of Nazareth is a historical person. Chapter 7 dives into the claims Jesus made regarding his divinity (meaning that Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh). Chapter 8 takes the classic C. S Lewis trilemma of liar, lunatic, or Lord and challenges the reader to decide the identity of Jesus. Chapter 9 dives into how Jesus is the Messiah of Israel by fulfilling key Old Testament prophecies. Chapter 10 explores whether the resurrection of Jesus was a historical event or whether it was a grand hoax concocted by the disciples. Additionally, counter-arguments to the bodily resurrection are refuted such as the Swoon theory and mass hallucination theory. Chapter 11 explains how Christianity is unique among other religions. Chapter 12 is a more in-depth study of the divinity of Jesus. Chapter 13 looks at the martyrdom of the 12 apostles and how their willingness to die for their faith points towards the sincerity of their belief that they truly saw Jesus Christ bodily risen from the dead. Part 3 covers the evidence for the Old Testament. Chapter 14 compares the Old Testament text with other surrounding Ancient Near Eastern cultures. Chapter 15 surveys different ways the book of Genesis (beginning) has been faithfully interpreted. Chapter 16 provides the archaeological evidence for the historicity of the Old Testament. Chapter 17 explores the importance of the historical existence of Adam and Eve. Chapter 18 looks at the historicity of the Jewish patriarchs and whether the biblical accounts found in Genesis are historically accurate concerning the customs of the cultures they find themselves in. Chapter 19 takes a fresh look at the historicity of the Exodus. Specifically, the life of Moses and to see if Israelites were truly in the land of Egypt. Chapter 20 discusses Joshua’s conquests of Canaan by surveying several interpretations and by consulting the cultural and archaeological evidence for the biblical narrative. Chapter 21 dives into the historicity of the United Monarch focusing primarily on King David and his successor his son, King Solomon. Chapter 22 provides the historical evidence for the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah and refutations to key objections like low chronology. Chapter 23 covers the composition of the Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the Bible) and it discusses who wrote this foundational body of work. Chapter 24 covers the book of Isaiah regarding authorship and unity. Chapter 25 builds a case for the historicity of the book of Daniel. Chapter 26 deals with supposed contradictions in the Old Testament. Part 4 provides evidence for truth. Chapter 27 explains why truth matters and how it corresponds to reality. Chapter 28 explains how one can know truth. Chapter 29 responds to postmodernism. Chapter 30 provides a well-reasoned answer to skepticism. Chapter 31 explores the nature of miracles, their characteristics, and why they happen. Chapter 32 asked the question can we know history and what history means for Christianity? As one can tell from the large volume of topics, this is a compendium of the best evidence for the authenticity and historicity of the Christian faith. You will find well-reasoned arguments from some of the best Christian scholars and apologists today like Michael Byrd, Gary Habermas, J.P. Moreland, Mike Licona, and a host of others that can help you see that Christianity is built upon a rock-solid foundation of evidence.

Highly Recommended. Josh McDowell's Evidence That Demands a Verdict is an awesome book that teaches in detail all the available evidence currently regarding our belief in our Lord Jesus Christ. He divides the book into 4 main parts, 1-Evidence for the Bible, 2- Evidence for Jesus, 3-Evidnece for the Old Testament, 4-Evidence for Truth. Each section is divided further into smaller chapters, all packed with a wealth of information and data, all with appropriate references. I love this book as I know that as Christians we are not to have blind faith, but have reasonable faith. Reading books like this only strengthens our faith. Other books that are very helpful, if you did not read them yet are A Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, and Cold Case Christianity. Parts of these books may present the same type of information, but they do really complement each other. As we are to love the Lord our God with our whole hearts, minds, and strength! This book is wonderful in hardback and also in Kindle, which is the format that I chose. The Kindle Version has all the awesome content. Plus, it also has a very extensive interactive table of contents, which makes navigating through this huge book so easy and quick. It has hyperlinks of each section, chapter, and even sections of each chapter to direct you where you need to go, especially if this is to be used as a reference. This is a huge tome, numbering 868 pages in total. I am reading it from the beginning to the end and enjoying every word of it ! After reading it, I know I will return to it again and again and using it as a useful reference. This edition is updated from the book of the same title almost 20 years ago. This new addition has brought with it may new data, research, archeological evidence etc. since that time. That is why I have waited to buy this book and bought it on the first day available. This is a amazing reference. It strengthens faith, and it has great information for believers and unbelievers as well! It gives us preparation for when people ask us to give an answer and to give a reason of our hope that you have. "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15, and "to always be ready to preach in and out of season, to rebuke, correct, and encourage with patience and careful instruction." 2 Timothy 4:2 I highly recommend this book ! I pray that this book will help you. May God open our spiritual eyes and enlighten our hearts to the hope of our calling ! In Jesus name, Amen.

Awesome, interesting reference and apologetics book. Great gift for Confirmands, Confirmation, Birthday, Christmas, Lent, Holy Week, Resurrection Sunday, Ascension Day, Pentecost, etc. This is a book for a lifetime of reading, reference, and enjoyment. In-depth and technical enough for adults and interesting enough to encourage pre-teens and teens to think, ask question, learn, and grow. If the reading level is a little difficult for early confirmands, the challenge, along with the receiving of a serious book, will encourage reading growth while learning more about the Bible. Great book for family conversations, coffee table, bathroom, etc. Great book for church libraries, Sunday School, Bible Study groups, and reference. Good quality hardback book that will stand up to daily use.

Great book, very insightful. Highly recommend.

I was given the first edition of this book many many years ago as a young Christian and found it significantly impacted my understanding of my faith. Now 30 years later, with an almost teenager who wants to know the ways of the Christian faith, I find the journey she is taking has grown in understanding. I seriously would love to see this book as a devotional for families who wish to impart both knowledge and understanding to their children regarding the faith they have as Christian. Our young ones are exposed to alternative religions, belief systems all the time. So this book, though intense, provides great apologetics for many questions we face in our day to day life.

This book is very well-organized, and the information in it is *very* useful for Christians who want to equip themselves to defend their faith or even for non-believers who want to see how the arguments against Christianity hold. And there's definitely a LOT of information here!

Fantastica lettura, profondamente illuminante sulla fede cristiana. Il libro presenta argomentazioni solide, ben documentate e accessibili, che invitano alla riflessione sia i credenti che chi è in ricerca. Un'opera preziosa per chi desidera approfondire le basi storiche e razionali della fede cristiana. Assolutamente consigliato.

No serious Christian, regardless of denomination, can afford not to read this book. It demonstrates conclusively, through meticulous argument and careful documentation, that the Bible is true. For those who are disheartened by the increasing influence of revisionist and minimalist thought about the real meaning of the Bible, this book is an absolute must-have. Indeed, in its many pages, I have only discovered one single error. The authors, who are otherwise so exact and accurate, mistakenly claim that the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament - which appear in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles but not in Protestant editions - were only added in 1546 by the Council of Trent. In fact however, these books, which form part of the Greek Old Testament utilized by the early Church, were specifically listed as part of the Bible at no less than three Church councils in the 4th century - Rome (382), Hippo (393) and Carthage (397). When the Protestant reformers removed several books from the Old Testament in the early 1500s, the Catholic Council of Trent re-affirmed their integral place in Scripture - just as the Church had believed from the very beginning. Trent was not making a novel pronouncement at all. In effect, since the Orthodox and Catholic Churches have always received these books as being a part of the Bible - they are thus to be found in the in the Scriptures of the overwhelming majority of the Christian world. Also to be noted, the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are far older than Protestantism; they were in continuous possession of the Bible long before the Protestant reformation. It is true that questions were raised from time to time about the canonicity of some of these books, but books which all Christians recognize were also questioned before the canon was settled. It is a little-known fact today that Martin Luther actually wanted to remove several books from the New Testament, including James and Revelation. As stated above, the Old Testament of the early Christians was the Greek version called the Septuagint. This is amply demonstrated by the fact that the vast majority of quotations from the Greek Old Testament to be found in the New Testament were taken word-for-word from the Septuagint. It is sometimes argued by Protestant scholars that a rabbinic council held at Jamnia around the year 90 fixed the canon of the Hebrew Bible at the 39 books later recognized as canonical by Protestants. This is a specious argument, not only because the Church was using the wider canon of the Greeek Old Testament at the time but also because these same Jewish leaders had rejected Jesus as the Messiah. So, if they didn't even believe in Jesus why would Protestants regard them as the best authorities to delineate the limits of the Old Testament? I must again reiterate that this is the only error in the entire text of this book, a truly mammoth undertaking for which the authors richly deserve full credit and appreciation from the entire Christian world. Indeed, note please that I have favoured this outstanding book with a fully deserved 5 Star rating. So, if you are wearied by claims that miracles can't happen or that certain books of the Bible were written by anonymous authors centuries after their actual authors lived, this is the book that will heal your heart and soul and will also truly help to give you back your trust in the Word of God.

Basically a library's worth of extensively researched material, -backing up the evidence supporting the Holy Bible and Biblical world view.