Acts: An Exegetical Commentary (4 vols.)

Keener takes very seriously the claim of the book of Acts to be historiography. His encyclopedic knowledge of ancient literature and his intelligent skill as an exegete make this a magisterial commentary.

—Richard Bauckham, professor emeritus of New Testament studies, University of St. Andrews

Somewhat surprisingly, a socio-historical approach to Acts still needs to be defended and its value demonstrated. No one does this better—is more informed about ancient literature, parallels, and precedents, and more interactively and fruitfully engaged with contemporary literature and issues—than Craig Keener. For anyone wanting to appreciate how Acts ‘worked’ in its original context and to get into the text at some depth, Keener will be indispensable and ‘first off the shelf.’

—James D. G. Dunn, Emeritus Lightfoot Professor of Divinity, University of Durham

With a monograph-level introduction and solid, detailed use of background sources, Craig Keener has provided us with a rich gem of a commentary on Acts. One can use it and get a real sense of what this key work is all about.

—Darrell L. Bock, senior research professor of New Testament studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

This is the most expansive treatment of Acts in modern scholarship. Keener offers the reader a sweeping tour of the relevant ancient material and modern scholarship on Acts. He takes Acts seriously as a work of ancient history; at the same time, he is aware of the literary and rhetorical dimensions of the text.

—Gregory E. Sterling, Lillian Claus Professor of New Testament, Yale Divinity School

Keener’s incredibly detailed megacommentary on Acts is a scholarly achievement that is unlikely to be surpassed in the foreseeable future. The author has an enviable mastery over an amazing number of primary and secondary sources, evident on nearly every page in footnotes providing both documentation and stimulating discussions. He provides in-depth discussions of various critical approaches to the major interpretive issues in Acts, revealing the strengths and weaknesses of each position while carefully arguing his own position. The commentary also includes a rich variety of informative excursuses that provide detailed analysis of a wide variety of important side issues and topics. Every serious student of Acts owes it to herself or himself to carefully work through this significant contribution to scholarship.

—David E. Aune, Walter Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, emeritus, University of Notre Dame

Keener’s scholarship and personal experience give a distinctive cross-cultural perspective to his commentary. His excursuses are treasure troves of cultural information on topics such as ancient anti-Judaism; dreams; patrons, clients, and reciprocity; and suicide. This detailed commentary will deservedly be a major resource on Acts in many libraries—personal and public—for years to come.

—John J. Pilch, Odyssey Program, Johns Hopkins University