Standard Lesson Commentary® is the perfect resource for your adult Sunday school class, personal study, and even sermon preparation help. As the nation’s most popular annual Bible commentary for more than two decades, the Standard Lesson Commentary provides 52 weeks of study in one volume and can be used as a supplemental resource for any curriculum that follows the International Sunday School Lessons/Uniform Series (ISSL).

This year, learn from the generations of Israelites who inhabited the promised land, explore the power of the Christian life, consider Jesus through the Gospel of John, and view discipleship through the lens of Paul’s prison epistles.

DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF SCRIPTURE WITH THE 2026-2027 STUDY PLAN:

Quarter 1: Fall 
Generations: From Canaan to Jerusalem—Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel 
Explore ancient Israel’s entry into the promised land. You’ll follow Joshua’s leadership as the Israelites enter Canaan, consider Israel’s propensity to ignore God through the era of the Judges, and examine Samuel’s pivotal role as he sets the stage for King David’s glorious reign. 
 
Quarter 2: Winter 
Power to the People—1 & 2 Peter, 1–3 John, Jude 
This winter, look at powerful living for a powerless people. These letters address the scattered and persecuted church of the first century AD, defending the way of Christ by advising readers to live holy lives. 
 
Quarter 3: Spring 
Written That You Might Believe—John 
As you focus on the Gospel of John this spring, you’ll experience John’s rich imagery and metaphors to testify to the truth of who Jesus is: the Son of God, the Messiah.  
 
Quarter 4: Summer 
Just a Closer Walk—Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon 
In the letters commonly known as the “Prison Epistles,” you’ll discover alongside the apostle Paul how believers are to interact with one another and the world in Christlike ways. Paul calls believers to a life of joyful camaraderie, steadiness in hope, and contentment in God’s provision. 

Did you know there is also a weekly Sunday school curriculum based on the International Sunday School Lesson plan (ISSL)? See Standard Lesson Quarterly.