A. B. Simpson Books: A Reading Guide to All 8 and Where to Start

Devotional Holy Spirit Holiness Bible Study

A. B. Simpson (1843–1919) founded the Christian and Missionary Alliance and preached in New York for nearly forty years. He wrote quickly and often, and most of his books began as sermons or talks. TheWay Library has eight of them, all free to read: two books of daily readings, three short books on the Christ-life, a study of the Holy Spirit, and two books that find pictures of Christ in the Old Testament. For his life story, see who was A. B. Simpson.

This guide sorts them so you can find what you need.

Where to start

If you're new to Simpson, start with Days of Heaven Upon Earth, one short reading for every day of the year. It gives you his whole message in small pieces.

After that, choose by what you want:

His main message in one sitting: The Christ Life.
On surrender and the self-life: The Self Life and the Christ Life.
On the Holy Spirit: Walking in the Spirit, or When the Comforter Came for a month of daily readings.
For a short word of encouragement: El-Shaddai.
For Bible study on types of Christ: Christ in the Tabernacle, then Divine Emblems in the Book of Genesis.

Every quotation below is checked against the book it comes from. For many more, see our collection of A. B. Simpson quotes.

Daily readings

Days of Heaven Upon Earth

A year of daily readings, from January 1 to December 31. Each one opens with a verse and gives about two hundred words on a single thought: Christ living in the believer, the keeping power of the Holy Spirit, strength in weakness, victory over worry and fretting, and living "on the heaven side." You can start on any date.

The time to trust is when all else fails.
Days of Heaven Upon Earth, March 27

Read Days of Heaven Upon Earth.

When the Comforter Came

Thirty-one readings on the Holy Spirit, one for each day of a month. Each takes a picture of the Spirit from Scripture: the Dove, the river, fire, breath, the seal and the earnest. Later readings teach walking and praying in the Spirit, being filled, and how to receive the Comforter. Read When the Comforter Came.

The coming of the Comforter is to make Jesus intensely real, more real indeed than the Comforter Himself.
When the Comforter Came, Orphaned Lives

The Christ-life

These three are short, a sitting or two each, and they carry the heart of his teaching.

The Christ Life

Five chapters on our union with a personal Christ. Simpson moves from knowing Jesus as a living friend, to being "in Christ," to "Christ in us," to what His indwelling brings, and ends with a chapter on abiding from John 15. If you read only one Simpson book, make it this one. Read The Christ Life.

Dear friends, it is not what you become that is going to save you, but how you become united to Jesus.
The Christ Life, The Personal Christ

The Self Life and the Christ Life

Addresses on dying to self so that Christ can live in us. He starts with Galatians 2:20 and the difference between being "raised," which is improving the old life, and being "resurrected," which is new life out of death. Then he uses Saul, Agag and Jonah as Old Testament pictures of the self-life and how it hides. Read The Self Life and the Christ Life.

El-Shaddai, or the God Who Is Enough

A short address on God's name in Genesis 17:1, "I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." Simpson explains El-Shaddai as the God who is enough for every need. A second piece, "A Call to Prayer," urges believers to pray most when God has promised. Read El-Shaddai.

The Holy Spirit

Walking in the Spirit

Thirteen studies built on Galatians 5:25, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Living in the Spirit is being born again; walking in the Spirit is the daily habit of depending on Him. Simpson explains who the Spirit is, then describes Him as the Spirit of light, holiness, life, comfort, love, power and prayer, and closes with how we work with Him or grieve Him. Read Walking in the Spirit.

To walk in the Spirit is to recognize the Spirit as present and abiding in us.
Walking in the Spirit, Walking in the Spirit

Pictures of Christ in the Old Testament

Christ in the Tabernacle

A walk through the tabernacle in Exodus from the gate inward: the altar and the blood, the laver, the lampstand, the table of shewbread, the altar of incense, and the ark in the holy of holies. Each piece of furniture becomes a picture of Christ and of the Christian life. The chapter on the incense is a fine short study of prayer. It works well for a group. Read Christ in the Tabernacle.

Divine Emblems in the Book of Genesis

Eight chapters that read Genesis as true history that also pictures the gospel. Simpson moves from creation and the fall through Abel, Enoch, the flood, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to Joseph, whom he presents as the clearest picture of Christ in the book. Read Divine Emblems in the Book of Genesis.

A note on these editions

Divine Emblems in the Book of Genesis and When the Comforter Came were restored from scans of old printings. Many chapters lost their large opening letter, and a few words are misread. They're readable, but expect some rough spots.

Why read Simpson today

Simpson writes about Jesus as someone you can know today, not only someone you read about. He's short, warm and practical, and he always asks for a response: trust Him, yield to Him, let Him live in you. Begin with Days of Heaven Upon Earth, then read The Christ Life. All eight books are on the A. B. Simpson author page.