In his book, Malone discusses the original preaching and sacred writings of St. Peter the Apostle and compares them to the current modern-day translations of his works. The author is deeply concerned that scholars from both conservative and liberal sides are failing to pass down the faithful translations of the gospel and, instead, are falling prey to skeptics who argue that the original words are false or poorly translated. Malone states that the evangelists were not interested in editing the sacred words to fit into Roman and Greek cultures but rather were attempting to give other faithful men the true commands from God. Written for religious scholars and serious Bible students, the book offers a precise look at the sacred writings.

It is evident that the author has a great passion for showing his readers the authentic wording of the original source material without the watered-down or otherwise translated editions that may be popular today. In his organized and color-coded breakdown, Malone gives his readers the original writings of St. Peter as they were first composed. In further detail, Malone helpfully explains that notes have been added to assist readers in their research and encourages them to go online to find more about the color-coded text from the Codex Sinaiticus Project website. The author’s preface is important to read as Malone reiterates some of the information given in the forward. For example, he further explains that each verb in the sacred writings reflects the person, gender, and number of the subject.

Discussions range from the Romans and how their culture of bravery and brutal force defined the courage and valor of their times to Malone comparing religious liberal scholars in the modern era to “henchmen of the devil.” Sections of the book are used to discuss the manuscripts, including the dates and locations of where they were written. A particularly interesting passage concerns the “Multiple Endings of the Gospel of Jesus kata Mark.” Among other arguments, one theory is that there may have been a second author who finished the texts. Malone himself states that he supports this idea. The author reminds his reader that these sacred writings are a purview into God’s miraculous work and may often be beyond the scope of human comprehension. Nonetheless, God’s miracles are on full display within the pages. The evangelists and apostles, according to the author, are merely delivering God’s words and remaining faithful to his messages. The order, Malone states, was for the evangelists and apostles to relay the importance of handing the sacred writings down from one generation to the next in order to defend the Christian faith.

Malone offers useful background information, as well, by giving his readers the ancient history of the sacred writings, stating that the first printing of the Greek New Testament was prepared by the Dutch scholar Erasmus in the sixteenth century. Later, Robert Stephanus and other scholars translated and modified the texts. Filled with footnotes and translations, Malone’s impressive book will be a great resource for anyone interested in learning more about St. Peter’s works.

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