Daily Gleanings (2 May 2019)

I recently did a blog post series on expanding your research materials.

In this same vein, Mark Hoffman discusses the “Library Extension” for Chrome and Firefox. As Mark summarizes,

Once you add the extension in either of the those browsers, an icon appears in the toolbar. Click it on to select your available public library and some educational institution ones. If your library system offers it, it will also allow you to connect to Hoopla and OverDrive.

It’s not a perfect system. Depending on which edition or version of a book you select, you will get different results. And your public library probably doesn’t carry that technical volume on an advanced biblical topic.

In any case, this is a handy way to see if your local library has a book you can check out, and sometimes it is even available as an eBook or an audiobook.

I’ve just installed the extension myself and am interested to see what it may turn up.

HT: Kirk Lowery


Michael Kruger abstracts a longer essay of his and concisely discusses the possibility that 1 Timothy quotes Luke.

For the full essay, see Louis Dow, Craig Evans, and Andrew Pitts, eds., The Language and Literature of the New Testament: Essays in Honor of Stanley E. Porter’s 60th Birthday (Brill, 2016), 680–700.

To do so and still afford to read anything else, perhaps interlibrary loan of this one chapter might be a good option. 🙂

Trial versions of Biblical Studies software

Software that supports biblical and theological scholarship can be pricey, and shifting from one platform to another or working with multiple ones can be even more so. In that context, “try before you buy” is a helpful principle, and Mark Hoffman has helpfully collected links to trial versions for several of the major options.  Subsequent discussion on that post has noted a couple more besides.

STEP Beta

Scripture Tools for Every Person

Tyndale House recently announced the beta release of their Scripture Tools for Every Person (STEP) project, headed by David Instone-Brewer. The resource includes a nice selection of original-language texts—apparently including some, like the Samaritan Pentateuch, not yet listed in the documentation. Later this year, the Tyndale House edition of the Greek New Testament should also appear in STEP.

For those interested, Mark Hoffman has already provided a helpful, general review of some of STEP’s current functionality.

Update (8/2): Via email, David IB especially encourages STEP testers and users “to click on the ‘Feedback’ button in STEP with bugs, errors and their wish-list of features they can’t find.”

On the Web (January 18, 2013)

On the web:

  • Mark Hoffman notes that Google Maps’ street view now includes several additional locations of significance around Israel.
  • Charles Jones identifies several publicly accessible dissertations from the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Dirk Jongkind reflects on Acts 17:3 in connection with the two latest Nestle-Aland texts.