Jo

All of my life has been consumed with an insatiable quest for treasure. It has led me to explore abandoned mining tunnels hundreds of feet beneath the surface of the earth. To the highest mountains and ocean floors I’ve scoured the nations to acquire ancient oddities and specimens of splendor. But through all my journeys nothing has enriched my life and those of countless others as The Fiery Words of The Scriptures. It’s with great effort and incalculable labors I seek to bring His Word to life through these readings. May they be a strength to you amidst your weakness and bring courage to ...

In the second book of Dante’s epic poem The Divine Comedy, Dante has left hell and begins the ascent of the mount of purgatory. Just as hell had its circles, purgatory, situated at the threshold of heaven, has its terraces, each representing one of the seven mortal sins. With Virgil again as his guide, Dante climbs the mountain; the poet shows us, on its slopes, those whose lives were variously governed by pride, envy, wrath, sloth, avarice, gluttony, and lust.

The epic grandeur of Dante's masterpiece has inspired readers and listeners for 700 years and has entered the human imagination. But the further we move from the late medieval world of Dante, the more a rich understanding and enjoyment of the poem depends on knowledgeable guidance.