COMMENT ⊗   VALID 00063 PAGES
C REC  PAGE   DESCRIPTION
C00001 00001
C00004 00002	\input newlet[1,dek]
C00015 00003	%% these defs shut off letter formatting, so that only the changeable stuff shows:
C00016 00004	% Genesis *
C00020 00005	% Exodus
C00022 00006	% Leviticus *
C00023 00007	% Numbers *
C00024 00008	% Deuteronomy *
C00025 00009	% Joshua *
C00026 00010	% Judges *
C00028 00011	% Ruth *
C00029 00012	% 1 Samuel *
C00030 00013	% 2 Samuel *
C00032 00014	% 1 Kings *
C00033 00015	% 2 Kings *
C00034 00016	% 1 Chronicles *
C00037 00017	% 2 Chronicles *
C00039 00018	% Ezra *
C00041 00019	% Nehemiah
C00043 00020	% Esther *
C00044 00021	% Job *
C00045 00022	% Psalms *
C00047 00023	% Proverbs *
C00048 00024	% Ecclesiastes *
C00049 00025	% Song of Solomon *
C00050 00026	% Isaiah
C00051 00027	% Jeremiah *
C00052 00028	% Lamentations *
C00054 00029	% Ezekiel *
C00055 00030	% Daniel *
C00056 00031	% Hosea *
C00057 00032	% Joel *
C00058 00033	% Amos *
C00059 00034	% Jonah *
C00060 00035	% Micah *
C00061 00036	% Nahum *
C00062 00037	% Habakkuk *
C00063 00038	% Zephaniah *
C00064 00039	% Zechariah *
C00065 00040	% Malachi *
C00066 00041	% Matthew *
C00068 00042	% Mark *
C00069 00043	% Luke *
C00071 00044	% John *
C00073 00045	% Acts *
C00074 00046	% Romans *
C00075 00047	% 1 Corinthians *
C00076 00048	% 2 Corinthians *
C00077 00049	% Galatians *
C00078 00050	% Ephesians *
C00079 00051	% Philippians *
C00080 00052	% Colossians *
C00081 00053	% 1 Thessalonians *
C00082 00054	% 2 Thessalonians *
C00083 00055	% 1 Timothy *
C00084 00056	% 2 Timothy *
C00085 00057	% Hebrews *
C00086 00058	% James *
C00087 00059	% 1 Peter *
C00088 00060	% 2 Peter *
C00090 00061	% 1 John *
C00091 00062	% Revelation *
C00092 00063	\bye
C00098 ENDMK
C⊗;
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\newif\ifbloc

\def\invite #1:#2\par#3\par{\message{#1:#2}\global\advance\count1 by 1
Hermann Zapf and I would like to invite you to contribute to a somewhat
unusual book that I am currently preparing for publication.
The book is tentatively entitled
\dd\vcenter{\hbox{3\thinspace:\thinspace16, an approach to Bible study}
\hbox{with sixty examples of fine calligraphy from around the world}}\dd
and we hope that it will be a truly beautiful as well as thought-provoking
volume.

I have enclosed a draft copy of the book's Foreword, which explains that
the basic idea is to choose more-or-less random verses from the Bible
and to study them in depth. Each of these verses will be illustrated
by a page of calligraphy. Hermann has helped me choose the calligraphers who
are being invited to contribute illustrations.

I have also enclosed a draft of a sample chapter.
This sample shows the general layout that will be used for each of the
chapters (one chapter for each book of the Bible).
One of the four pages in each chapter will be devoted to calligraphy.
Since each Bible verse is different, each illustration will be done in
a style that is uniquely suited to its specific verse. The book will be
enhanced by having a wide variety of styles on the calligraphic pages.

The verse that I would like you to contribute to this collection is
described at the end of this letter. I hope that you will find it
an interesting challenge to discover the best visual interpretation
of these words. But if you do not wish to participate, please let me know
as soon as possible, so that I can assign the verse to someone else.

I don't have an enormous budget to support this project or to compensate you
fully for your time, but I do plan to pay \$200.00 for the rights to reproduce
each illustration used in the book.
You will retain all other rights to your work, and I will
return the original art to you. (Perhaps there will also be a
show in which all of the originals are exhibited; if so, I will take care
of the material until the exhibition is over.) Naturally, you will also
receive a complimentary copy of the book when it is finished.

The enclosed sample chapter illustrates the exact final trim size of the book,
although there will be a little more space in the middle to account
for binding. As you can see, the calligraphed Bible verses
should more-or-less fit in an area that is 5\frac1/2 inches (14\thinspace cm)
square, final size, with a caption below.
Your original drawings can be larger, if you want them to
be photographically reduced before printing.

The calligraphy isn't necessarily expected to fill a square. Some examples
will be vertical, some horizontal, some circular or triangular, etc.;
but they shouldn't extend much beyond the 5\frac1/2\thinspace-inch
square region that has been allocated for artwork. You needn't worry
that your work might be too small; white space usually looks good!
A problem will occur only if an illustration is too large.

Your artwork need not be entirely in black and white;
but I have decided to limit the use of color, so that the book will not be
too expensive. The sample chapter illustrates what will be possible: Besides
black, there is also a nice red ink (used to set `The Gospel of John'),
and a blue-green (used for the Bible verse inside). These colors can
either be solid or printed as halftones, separately or in combination.
For example, the red letters on the sample calligraphy page have been
darkened by superimposing a black halftone. The book
{\it International Calligraphy Today\/} provides further examples of what
I have in mind: Some pages of that book are beautiful just in black and
white; others have been rendered in the best way with two colors
of line art; still others are perfectly suited to black-and-white halftones;
some have halftones in two colors.
I expect that my book will include examples of all these types,
depending on what is most appropriate for each verse.
Color should be used only when it really helps!

Besides black, red, and blue-green, you also have the option of adding the
light cream color that has been used as a background to the lettering on
the enclosed sample.  This will make it appear as if your verse had been
written on a piece of parchment.

Of course I cannot promise in advance to include all of the artwork that
is submitted. Some illustrations may not fit well with the overall designs
made by the other participants; for example, one piece might be too
similar to others that have already been accepted.  If for some reason I
decide not to use what you submit, I will return it to you with a check
for \$200.00 plus your mailing expenses; but I must reserve the right to
make the final decision about what will be in the book.

\ifbloc I have no experience in trying to send money to your country,
but I hope it will not be difficult. Hermann says he thinks there will
be no problem if I send American dollars to your artists' organization,
so that they can take care of the financial details.\global\blocfalse\fi

Please let me know if you would like to participate. I have enclosed
a self-addressed postcard for your convenience in replying.

\nobreak\bigskip \leftskip=\longindentation Sincerely,
    \nobreak\bigskip\bigskip\bigskip % space for signature
Donald E. Knuth\hfil\break
Professor
\bigskip
\leftskip=0pt
\halign{##\hfil\ &##\hfil\cr
Enclosures:&(1) Draft of the Foreword to 3\thinspace:\thinspace16\cr
&(2) Sample chapter, illustrated by Hermann Zapf\cr
&(3) Reply postcard\cr}

P.S.: If I haven't heard from you within six weeks, I shall have to
assume that your answer is `no'; I'll want to reassign this particular verse
as soon as possible, because I haven't sent it to anybody else!

\vfill\eject
\null\bigskip\hrule
\bigskip\bigskip
\line{\largebf #1\thinspace:\thinspace#2\hfil\largerm(special
translation for my book)}
\bigskip
{\baselineskip=14pt\bible#3\par}
\bigskip
Please use your own judgment about how to interpret these words visually,
and how to arrange them on the page;
but I would like this specific wording and punctuation to be retained.
You may include the title of the verse, if it helps to balance your
composition, but it is not necessary to do this because the title will appear
in the caption. Please do not incorporate your own name as part of the artwork.

}
%% these defs shut off letter formatting, so that only the changeable stuff shows:
%\headline={}
%\def\deklet\vskip 30pt {\hrule\bigskip}
%\parindent=0pt
%\def\address{\parskip=0pt \begingroup\obeylines}
%\def\body{\endgroup\bbody}
%\def\bbody\par#1, \par{\vskip-\baselineskip\rightline{(#1,)}}
%\def\invite #1:#2\par#3\par{
% \bigskip
% \leftline{\largebf #1\thinspace:\thinspace#2}
% \smallskip
% {\baselineskip=14pt\bible#3\par}
% \parskip=6pt}
%\def\endletter\makelabel{\bigbreak}
% Genesis *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
%Ms.~Karina Meister
%Ten Kate Straat 65\mathdel''\mathdel
%1053 BZ Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS
Mr.~R. Williams
5703 Blackstone
Chicago IL 60637

\body

%Dear Ms.~Meister,
Dear Mr.~Williams,

\invite Genesis 3:16

Turning to the woman, God said:$
\quad\llap{``}Great will be your troubles during pregnancy,$
\qquad and your labors during childbirth;$
\quad yet you will be filled with desire for your husband,$
\qquad and he will dominate you.''

[You may want to use small caps for the `o' and `d' of `God'.
The words `troubles', `labors', `desire', and `dominate' are
the most important in this verse.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Exodus
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Todor Vardjiev
Mladost I, BL.99 A, III
Sofia, BULGARIA 1156

\body

Dear Mr.~Vardjiev,

\invite Exodus 3:16

Go and call the leaders of Israel together.$
Tell them that Jehovah, the God of their ancestors---$
the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob---$
has appeared to you and said,$
``I have paid close attention to you here in Egypt,$
\phantom{``}and I have seen how you are being treated.''

[The word `Jehovah' should be especially fancy, and emphasized somehow;
for example, it would be appropriate to use small caps for the lowercase
letters `ehovah'.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Leviticus *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Ismar David
132 Nassau Street
New York, NY 10038

\body

Dear Mr.~David,

\invite Leviticus 3:16

The priest shall burn these pieces on the altar,$
as a food offering of pleasing aroma, made by fire.$
All of the fat belongs to God.

[Here the imagery of burning seems too good to pass up! The Hebrew word
for `burn' in this passage means `cause to smoke' rather than `consume by
fire'; thus the smoke rises heavenward, with its pleasing aroma.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Numbers *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Erkki Ruuhinen
Riskutie 26
SF-00950 Helsinki, FINLAND

\body

Dear Mr.~Ruuhinen,

\invite Numbers 3:16

Moses enumerated the sons of Levi,$
as he had been commanded by God.

[You may want to include something like `tally marks', which are calligraphic
symbols of enumeration, to complement this text!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Deuteronomy *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Ms.~Margaret Shepherd
267 Clarendon Street
Boston, MA 02116

\body

Dear Ms.~Shepherd,

\invite Deuteronomy 3:16

To the tribes of Reuben and Gad, I assigned the territory that runs$
from the Jabbok River in Gilead, as far as the Ammonite frontier,$
down to the Arnon River, extending to the middle of that riverbed.

[Here I would like the words to be arranged somehow in the form of a map
that describes the places mentioned; I worked out the translation
so that this would be possible! See the attached sketch.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Joshua *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
M.~Jean Larcher
16 chemin des Bourgognes
F-95000 Cergy, FRANCE

\body

Dear M. Larcher,

\invite Joshua 3:16

The water came to a standstill and accumulated$
far upstream at Adam, the town near Zarethan.$
This completely cut off the flow down to$
the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea),$
so the people were able to cross opposite Jericho.

[You might want to add some palm trees for decoration, since the Bible
sometimes calls Jericho the `city of palms.'\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Judges *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Robert Borja
5136 Dorchester Avenue
Chicago, IL 60615

\body

Dear Mr.~Borja,

\invite Judges 3:16

Ehud made himself a short, double-edged sword,$
and strapped it to his right thigh,$
underneath his clothes.

[Hermann assures me that you are left-handed, and I have specially chosen
this verse for you because Ehud is a hero of left-handers!  (If you read
the story, you'll see why Ehud was able to use this fact to surprise his
corpulent enemy.) I suppose the work of left-handed calligraphers is
normally hard to distinguish from that of right-handers; but in this case,
I intend to make a point about left-handedness in my commentary. Therefore
it would be nice if you could somehow make left-handedness stand out in
your calligraphy of this verse, possibly by using an unusual pen angle.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Ruth *
\bloctrue
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Jovica Veljovi\'c
Gospodara Vu\v ci\'ca 229
Beograd, YUGOSLAVIA 11000

\body

Dear Mr.~Veljovi\'c,

\invite Ruth 3:16

When Ruth came back, Naomi said,$
``How did it go, my daughter?''$
And she told her mother-in-law everything$
that Boaz had done for her.

\endletter\makelabel
% 1 Samuel *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Julian Waters
9423 Gentle Circle
Gaithersburg, MD 20879

\body

Dear Mr.~Waters,

\invite 1 Samuel 3:16

Eli called him, saying, ``Samuel, my son.''$
And he answered, ``Here I am.''

[In this story, Samuel answers very timidly, and it would be nice
to suggest this visually---for example, by making the letters very tiny!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% 2 Samuel *
\bloctrue
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
%Mr.~Wassil Jontschew
%ul.~``6 Septemwz'' 3
%Sofia, BULGARIA
Satyanarayan Mallayya Wadisherla
%39/1048 Adarsh Nagar, Worli
%Bombay-400025, INDIA
% tel:4223644
c/o Shabbir Diwan
1253 Warren Road
Lakewood, OH 44107

\body

Dear Mr.~Wadisherla,

\invite 2 Samuel 3:16

Michal's husband walked behind her, sobbing,$
as far as Bahurim; then Abner ordered him to go back.$
So he went back.

[This is a sad story, so you might want to incorporate something that
suggests crying---for example, by hinting at teardrops in some way. I'm
not sure what calligraphy looks like if you use water-soluble ink and cry
over it; tears are one art medium that probably has never been tried before, and
for good reason!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% 1 Kings *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Hermann Bongard
17 Bjerk\aa sen
N-1310 Blommenholm, NORWAY

\body

Dear Mr.~Bongard,

\invite 1 Kings 3:16

One day two prostitutes came to Solomon's hall of judgment$
and stood before the king.

[If you read the story, you'll see that the prostitutes were not there
on business. It should be an interesting challenge to do justice
to this verse!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% 2 Kings *
\bloctrue
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Andrzej Kot
20-112, Vrodzka 19~m~2
Lublin, POLAND

\body

Dear Mr.~Kot,

\invite 2 Kings 3:16

Elisha declared, ``Here is what God says:$
Pools of water will fill this dry riverbed.''

[It would be appropriate to emphasize the word `God' in this verse, for
example by putting the `o' and the~`d' in small caps and/or by using a
special color. The imagery of water is also suggestive here.]

\endletter\makelabel
% 1 Chronicles *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Prof.~Werner Schneider
Am Langen Land, 2.
D-5928 Bad Laasphe, WEST GERMANY

\body

Dear Prof.~Schneider,

\invite 1 Chronicles 3:16

The descendants of Jehoiakim were:$
Jeconiah, his son; Zedekiah, his son.

\endletter\makelabel
% 2 Chronicles *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Allen Q. Wong
1405 N.W. Vista Place
Corvallis, OR 97330

\body

Dear Mr.~Wong,

\invite 2 Chronicles 3:16

He decorated the tops of the pillars$
with chains, as in the inner shrine.$
One hundred specially crafted pomegranates
were attached to each chain.

[The pomegranate is such a nice symbol, it seems too good to pass up in
this case! The passage is about Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, in front of
which there were two massive pillars with square capitals. Four
pomegranates were attached at the four corners, and the other 96 were
distributed around with 24 on each side. The chains were apparently
festoons. For your artwork, it seems clear that 100 pomegranates would be
too many, since that would make them unrecognizable; but I think it would
be nice to have pomegranates at the four corners, with some sort of
chainwork border connecting them. Of course I don't mean to insist on any
particular design; these are just suggestions for your consideration.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Ezra *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Derick Pao
904 Far East Finance Center
16 Harcourt Road
HONG KONG

\body

Dear Mr.~Pao,

\invite Ezra 4:3

Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other Israelite leaders replied,$
``No; the house of our God---Jehovah, the God of Israel---$
\phantom{``}should not be built with your assistance.$
\phantom{``}We must build it by ourselves, in accordance with the$
\phantom{``}command of his majesty, Cyrus the emperor of Persia.''

[The date is about 535 {\sc B.C.} \
They are speaking to Samaritans, who they believe have corrupted Israel's
true religion.
The word `Jehovah' should be especially fancy, and emphasized somehow;
for example, it would be appropriate to use small caps for the lowercase
letters `ehovah'.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Nehemiah
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
%Se\~nor Chaly Hauyon
%Casilla 1759
%Santiago, CHILE
Mrs.~Ann Hechle
23 Eastville, Claremont Road
Bath / Somerset, ENGLAND BA1 6QN

\body

Dear Mrs.~Hechle,

\invite Nehemiah 3:16

Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, leader of half the Beth-zur district,$
restored the next section of the wall,$
from a point facing the tombs of David,$
to the artificial pool and to the House of Heroes.

[It may be possible to give this verse a feel of arch\ae ology. The site being
described can still be visited; it's on the south part of the ``city
of David'', south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. I'm not sure this
information will be of any use to you, but I thought I should mention
it just in case it gives you a bright idea!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Esther *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Fritz Eberhardt
Old Sumneytown Pike 942
Harleysville, PA 19438

\body

Dear Mr.~Eberhardt,

\invite Esther 4:1

When Mordecai heard the news, he tore his clothes into shreds,$
wrapped himself in coarse burlap, covered himself with ashes,$
and walked into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.

\endletter\makelabel
% Job *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Luigi Cesare Maletto
Via Cumiano 46
I-10141 Torino, ITALY

\body

Dear Mr.~Maletto,

\invite Job 3:16

Why wasn't I stillborn, hidden away?$
\quad a child who never saw the light of day?

\endletter\makelabel
% Psalms *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Ms.~Kris Holmes
15 Vandewater Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

\body

Dear Kris,

\invite Psalm 4:8

I'll lay me down in peace,$
\quad and go to sleep;$
for you alone, O God,$
\quad my safety keep.

[The keyword here is `peace', and I've got an idea that you might like:
Great big capital letters in two lines, saying `SHA' in the top line and
`LOM' in the bottom line. Superimposed on these letters is the text of
this little poem: the first two lines over `SHA' and the other two lines
over `LOM'. Thus, there's an echo of peace (shalom) in the background; the
foreground letters might be on opaque lines that block out the background.
(Or perhaps the background could be a tint that shows through; but I do
NOT like the Florida license plates!) Of course I don't want to force any
particular design on you. This is just a suggestion, and you can probably
think of something better.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Proverbs *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mrs.~Susie Taylor
1256 19th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122

\body

Dear Mrs.~Taylor,

\invite Proverbs 3:16

Wisdom: Long life is in her right hand,$
\quad and her left hand holds riches and honor.

[Left/right imagery is strong here, so I imagine it will be fun to
make a suitable layout!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Ecclesiastes *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mrs.~Sheila Waters
20740 Warfield Court
Gaithersburg, MD 20879

\body

Dear Mrs.~Waters,

\invite Ecclesiates 3:16

I have also noticed something else under the sun:$
\quad in the places where justice ought to be, there is wickedness;$
\quad in the places where virtue ought to be, there is wickedness.

[In this passage I can almost `see' the sun rising or setting over the words!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Song of Solomon *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Bent Rohde
4 Lindevej, Hareskov
DK-3500 V\ae rl\o se, DENMARK

\body

Dear Mr.~Rohde,

\invite Song of Solomon 4:5

Your graceful breasts are like two fawns,$
\quad like twin gazelles among the lilies.

[A slightly erotic touch would be appropriate here, although of course it
should not be overdone.  I must admit that the analogy between breasts and
gazelles is rather strange!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Isaiah
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Donald Jackson
The Hendre Hall
The Hendre, Monmouth
Gwent, ENGLAND NP5 4HQ

\body

Dear Mr.~Jackson,

\invite Isaiah 3:16

God says: ``The women in this city are so haughty!$
\quad They strut around with heads held high,$
\qquad flirting with their eyes;$
\quad they mince along with dainty steps,$
\qquad jingling with their feet.''

[The letters `o' and `d' of `God' might be put in small caps.
This verse should be fun to do because of the strong imagery.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Jeremiah *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Claude Dieterich
c/o Lilian Martinez Asos.
2216 Coral Way
Miami, FL 33145

\body

Dear Mr.~Dieterich,

\invite Jeremiah 3:16

God declares that there will come a time$
when you return and repopulate the land.$
Then nobody will speak any more about$
``The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.''$
People won't think about it; they won't remember it;$
they won't need it; they won't make another.

\endletter\makelabel
% Lamentations *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mrs.~Georgia Deaver
c/o Neugebauer Press
Aigner Stra\ss e 127
A-5026 Salzburg, AUSTRIA

\body

Dear Mrs.~Deaver,

\invite Lamentations 3:16

Viciously he ground my teeth on gravel,$
\quad trampling me in dust and ashes.

[Here I have a special request: The `V' should be a large,
illuminated initial letter! The reason is that this is part of
an ``alphabetical psalm,'' and verses 16--18 each begin with the
letter~V (Hebrew {\it Vav\/}). It will be interesting to see if
the cruelty of the words in this part of the psalm can be brought out somehow,
perhaps in the illumination of the initial `V'.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Ezekiel *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Michael Harvey
4 Valley Road
Bridport / Dorset, ENGLAND DT6 4JR

\body

Dear Mr.~Harvey,

\invite Ezekiel 3:16

The seven days came to an end---$
then Jehovah's word came to me.

[The dash `---' is important here, for reasons I shall explain
in my comments on this verse. The second line is much more
important than the first; you might want to make the
word `Jehovah' especially fancy, and emphasized somehow.
For example, it would be appropriate to use small caps for the lowercase
letters `ehovah'.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Daniel *
\bloctrue
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mrs.~Irmgard Horlbeck-Kappler
Dittrichring 14
DDR-701 Leipzig, EAST GERMANY

\body

Dear Mrs.~Horlbeck-Kappler,

\invite Daniel 3:16

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego looked at the king and said,$
``O Nebuchadnezzar, your decree does not require us$
\phantom{``}to answer you with words.''

\endletter\makelabel
% Hosea *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Steven Skaggs
517 Oxford Place
Louisville, KY 40207

\body

Dear Mr.~Skaggs,

\invite Hosea 4:11

Orgies with old wine and new wine$
\quad are making my people lose their wits.

[One wonders if this passage shouldn't be drawn with a
somewhat unsteady hand, or in some psychedelic fashion!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Joel *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Fred Peter
193 East St.~James Road
North Vancouver, B.C., CANADA V7N 1L1

\body

Dear Mr.~Peter,

\invite Joel 3:16

On that day, God will roar from Mount Zion;$
\quad his voice will thunder from Jerusalem.$
The heavens and the earth will tremble and quake.$
But God will be a shelter for his people,$
\quad a mighty fortress for the Israelites.

[There's obviously some interesting imagery here; perhaps the letters
of the third line should `tremble and quake'!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Amos *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
%Mr.~Aloisio Sergio Magalh\~aes
%Rua Meno Barreto 137, Botafogo
%Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
Mr.~Peter Fraterdeus
804 Dempster
Evanston, IL 60602

\body

Dear Mr.~Fraterdeus,

\invite Amos 4:1

Listen to this, you fat cows of Bashan,$
\quad you women who live on the hill of Samaria:$
You, who squeeze the powerless and crush the penniless;$
you, who order your husbands to bring lots of drinks!

\endletter\makelabel
% Jonah *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Lili Cassel Wronker
144-44 Village Road
Jamaica, NY 11435

\body

Dear Ms.~Wronker,

\invite Jonah 4:6

Then God made a plant spring up over Jonah's head,$
to give him some shade and to calm him down.$
This plant made Jonah very happy.

[A broad-leaved shade plant should probably spring up over these words!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Micah *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Timothy S. Girvin
Maritime Building, Suite 408
911 Western Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

\body

Dear Tim,

\invite Micah 4:4

People will dwell in the shade$
\quad of their own grape vines$ % revised text, Jan 87!
\quad and their own fig trees;$
\quad nobody will make them afraid.$ % revised text, Jan 87!
For God Almighty has made this decree. % revised text, Jan 87!

[Vines and fig leaves should probably give shade to these words!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Nahum *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Gunnlaugur SE Briem
21 Shepherd's Bush Road
London, ENGLAND W6 7LP

\body

Dear Gunnlauger,

\invite Nahum 3:16

Your merchants outnumbered the stars in the sky.$
Grubworms strip, then off they fly.

[Here you can have fun with stars and/or worms!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Habakkuk *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Prof.~Karlgeorg Hoefer
Weilburger Stra\ss e 7
D-6050 Offenbach, WEST GERMANY

\body

Dear Karlgeorg,

\invite Habakkuk 3:16

I heard this and my body quaked;$
\quad my pale lips quivered at the sound.$
My bones began to totter, and$
\quad I shook in terror where I stood.$
I calmly wait for days to come$
\quad when plunderers will meet with grief.

[The first four lines of this verse seem to call for
letters that quake, quiver, totter, and shake!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Zephaniah *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Ms.~Pam Jones
32 Sunnyside Road, Birnam
Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA 2196

\body

Dear Ms.~Jones,

\invite Zephaniah 3:16

On that great day, Jerusalem will hear these words:$
\quad Zion, do not fear!$
\quad Don't let your hands hang limp!

\endletter\makelabel
% Zechariah *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
M.~Claude Mediavilla
212 Avenue du Maine
F-75014 Paris, FRANCE

\body

Dear M.~Mediavilla,

\invite Zechariah 3:16

Then the angel answered me.$
``This is God's word to Zerubbabel:$
\quad \llap`Not by might, not by power,$
\quad but by my Spirit,' says God Almighty.''

\endletter\makelabel
% Malachi *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Ms.~Jacqueline Sakwa
Bitstream, Inc.
215 First Street
Cambridge, MA 02142

\body

Dear Jacky,

\invite Malachi 3:16

When people who revere God have$
discussed these things with each other,$
God has listened to them and understood them.$
A book has been written in his presence,$
containing a permanent record of those who$
revere him and keep his name in their thoughts.

[Clearly the book (scroll) referred to in this verse must have been
beautifully calligraphed!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Matthew *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Prof.~Friedrich Neugebauer
Ramsau 66
A-4822 Bad Goisern, AUSTRIA

\body

Dear Prof.~Neugebauer,

\invite Matthew 3:16

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water,$
and an amazing thing happened:$
The heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God$
coming down like a dove, to rest on him.

[Here I get a strong image of a dove, preparing to land, approaching
hands that are held out to it; and the hands are dripping wet!
I mention this only as a suggestion that some small pictures might usefully
accompany the words of this famous verse, in order to bring out the full meaning
of the text. You will probably think of an even better idea,
because I have always been very impressed by your creative arrangements
as well as your beautiful letters.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Mark *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Adolf Bernd
Wilhelm-Raabe-Stra\ss e 20
D-3252 Bad M\"under 1, WEST GERMANY

\body

Dear Mr.~Bernd,

\invite Mark 3:16

Jesus chose Simon,$
and gave him a new name:$
\quad `Rock'.

[Here I'm thinking that `Rock' could be made very fancy!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Luke *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mrs.~Alice Koeth
221 East 88th Street
New York, NY 10028

\body

Dear Alice,

\invite Luke 3:16

John told everybody, ``I am baptizing you with water.$
But someone more powerful is coming;$
I am not even fit to untie his shoes!$
He will baptize you with a holy Spirit, and with fire.''

[In this verse it would be nice to emphasize and contrast the key words
`water' and `fire'. You could possibly use fiery imagery (flames) in the
words `powerful' and `Spirit'. I mention this only as a suggestion,
of course; you will probably have better ideas!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% John *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Prof.~Hermann Zapf
Seitersweg 35
D-6100 Darmstadt, WEST GERMANY

\body

Dear Hermann,

\invite John 3:16

Yes, God loved the world so much that he$
gave his$
\quad only child,$
\quad\quad so that all$
\quad\quad\quad people with faith in him can$
\quad\quad\quad\quad escape destruction, and$
\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad live forever.

[Martin Luther called this verse ``the gospel in miniature,'' and I~have
purposely chosen a translation in which the word {\sc gospel} appears
right within the verse, as the first letters of `gave -- only -- so --
people -- escape -- live'!  I sort of hope that you can highlight this
idea, perhaps in a vertical or diagonal column as indicated.  It seems to
me that such an arrangement might appeal to you, based on some of your
past work. If the {\sc gospel} words stand out, I'll be able to refer to
them in my commentary, when I discuss Luther's remark.  But of course I
don't insist on this approach, if you have a better idea.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Acts *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Lothar Hoffman
20927 Country Club
Harper Woods, MI 48225

\body

Dear Mr.~Hoffman,

\invite Acts 3:16

By faith in the name of Jesus,$
the man you see here has become strong;$
and you know how lame he used to be!$
It was the name of Jesus,
and the faith that Jesus inspired,$
that gave him this gift of completeness$
in front of you all.

\endletter\makelabel
% Romans *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Prof.~Alfred Linz
Christian-Wildner-Stra\ss e 15
D-8500 N\"urnberg, WEST GERMANY

\body

Dear Prof.~Linz,

\invite Romans 3:16

They leave a trail of wreckage and misery.

[Since the passage is so short, you might want to supplement it with
some kind of sketch that evokes a feeling of ancient ruins; perhaps
fallen pillars, etc. However, this is not required; please do
whatever you think best!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% 1 Corinthians *
\bloctrue
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Villu Toots
A. Kapi t\"an 6-10
Tallinn / Eesti NSV
CCCP-200031 UdSSR, SOVIET UNION

\body

Dear Mr.~Toots,

\invite 1 Corinthians 3:16

Don't you know that you people are God's Inner Temple,$
and that God's Spirit is living among you?

\endletter\makelabel
% 2 Corinthians *
\bloctrue
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mrs.~Edit Zig\'any
Gutenberg t\'er 2.
H-1088 Budapest, HUNGARY

\body

Dear Mrs.~Zig\'any,

\invite 2 Corinthians 3:16

But when a person turns to the Lord,$
the heavy veil is removed.

[Here the key words are `turn', `the Lord', and `removed'. It would be
nice if `the Lord' and `removed' were somehow ``uncovered.''\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% Galatians *
\bloctrue
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~\v Lubom\'\i r Kr\'atky
Detvianska 6
\v CSSR-83106 Bratislava, CZECHOSLOVAKIA

\body

Dear Mr.~Kr\'atky,

\invite Galatians 3:16

Notice that the promises were addressed to Abraham and to his offspring.$
(The passage does not say `and to offsprings' in the plural;$
it uses the singular, `and to your offspring'---meaning Christ.)

\endletter\makelabel
% Ephesians *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mrs.~Kerstin Anckers
Br\"annkyrkagatan 13
S-11720 Stockholm, SWEDEN

\body

Dear Mrs.~Anckers,

\invite Ephesians 3:16

May God, who is so rich in glory,$
grant you additional strength through his Spirit,$
so that your inner selves will be powerful.

\endletter\makelabel
% Philippians *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Guillermo Rodr{\'\i}guez-Ben{\'\i}tez
G.P.O. Box 71320
San Juan, PUERTO RICO 00936

\body

Dear Mr.~Rodriguez-Benitez,

\invite Philippians 3:16

Meanwhile, let us keep in step with the pace we have set.

\endletter\makelabel
% Colossians *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Ms.~Nazneen N. Billawala
2014 Colony Street, \#8
Mountain View, CA 94043

\body

Dear Neenie,

\invite Colossians 3:16

Let Christ's word live exuberantly among you.$
Teach and guide each other in all wisdom.$
Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs;$
praise God with all your hearts!

[I hope you can have fun giving this verse an exuberant treatment!
Some kind of musical imagery might be appropriate.]

\endletter\makelabel
% 1 Thessalonians *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mrs.~Margaret Snape
5 Bank Lane
North Sydney NSW 2060, AUSTRALIA

\body

Dear Mrs.~Snape,

\invite 1 Thessalonians 4:3

God wants you to be holy;$
you should keep away from sexual immorality.

\endletter\makelabel
% 2 Thessalonians *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Gudrun Zapf - von Hesse
Seitersweg 35
D-6100 Darmstadt, WEST GERMANY

\body

Dear Gudrun,

\invite 2 Thessalonians 3:16

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace,$
at all times and in all ways.$
The Lord be with you all.

[The key word, of course, is `peace'; and I know this is
one of your favorite words!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% 1 Timothy *
\bloctrue
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Leonid Pronenko
Nevkipelova Street 15-67
CCCP-350065 Krasnodar UdSSR, SOVIET UNION

\body

Dear Mr.~Pronenko,

\invite 1 Timothy 3:16

We acknowledge that true religion$
is a great mystery: Christ was$
\quad revealed in body,$
\qquad justified in spirit;$
\quad witnessed by angels,$
\qquad proclaimed to pagans;$
\quad trusted on earth,$
\qquad glorified in heaven.

\endletter\makelabel
% 2 Timothy *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~David Kindersley
152 Victoria Road
Cambridge, ENGLAND CB4 3DZ

\body

Dear David,

\invite 2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture, inspired by God, is beneficial:$
for principles, for persuasion, for correction,$
and for education about what is right.

\endletter\makelabel
% Hebrews *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~John Stevens
18 Manor Place
Huntington Station, NY 11746

\body

Dear Mr.~Stevens,

\invite Hebrews 3:16

Consider the people who listened and rebelled.$
Almost everybody who left Egypt with Moses did this.

[In this verse I would like to have the words `listened', `rebelled',
and `Almost everybody' get special emphasis in some way.]

\endletter\makelabel
% James *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Jerry Kelly
c/o A. Colish
40 Hartford Avenue
Mount Vernon, NY 10550

\body

Dear Jerry,

\invite James 3:16

Wherever there is jealousy or greed,$
there will be turmoil and all kinds of foul play.

[You might have some fun with the word `turmoil'!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% 1 Peter *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Jos\'e Mendoza y Almeida
23 rue des Pommerets
F-92310 S\`evres, FRANCE

\body

Dear Mr.~Mendoza,

\invite 1 Peter 3:16

Maintain good will.$
Then, if people denounce you as criminals,$
they will be ashamed of themselves$
for slandering your Christian conduct.

[It may be nice to have a smiling face, `\thinspace
\mathdel\ddot\smile\mathdel\thinspace', added to
the first line of this text!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% 2 Peter *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Jean Evans
142 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

\body

Dear Jean,

\invite 2 Peter 3:16

Paul says this in all of his letters,$
whenever he refers to these things.$
Some of his writing is hard to understand;$
ignorant and insecure people distort his words,$
just as they twist the rest of the Scriptures,$
and they destroy themselves in the process.

[The two sentences here are separate thoughts, and I intend to
emphasize the second sentence in my commentary; so I would prefer if
the first sentence were downplayed somewhat. The second sentence
should be fun, since it involves `distorted words' and `twisted' text!\thinspace]

\endletter\makelabel
% 1 John *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mrs.~Jeanyee Wong
131 East 19th Street
New York, NY 10003

\body

Dear Mrs.~Wong,

\invite 1 John 3:16

We have learned the meaning of love,$
because the Holy One laid down his life.$
Just as he did this for us,$
we too should lay down our lives for each other.

[It would be nice to emphasize somehow the interconnection between `love' and
`life', in the first two lines of this verse.]

\endletter\makelabel
% Revelation *
\deklet \vskip 30pt \address
Mr.~Rick Cusick
7501 Westgate
Lenexa, KS 66216

\body

Dear Mr.~Cusick,

\invite Revelation 3:16

Since you are merely lukewarm---$
\quad neither cold nor hot---$
I'm going to spit you out of my mouth!

\endletter\makelabel
\bye