Time magazine's cover story last week was about school districts that are beginning to offer classes on the Bible. It's not a surprise to know that many irreligious Americans are ignorant of basic Bible facts and references: the names of the Gospels, "An eye for an eye", the Sermon on the Mount. What's more shocking is the numbers of Christians who don't know those things. (Read the article here.)
So what's the best Bible for your kid? Honestly, whichever one they'll read.
Fortunately, there are lots of Bible products out there now that are specifically geared for children, pre-teens, and teenagers. Kids don't have to be stuck with text-only or translations that are written at adult reading levels. Here are the Bibles we showed in class this weekend, and the church bookstore carries or can order all of them:
Personal Compact bibles. These are pocket-sized, leather bound, and come with a variety of covers. They are New Living Translation (easy to read, see below) and have several pages at the front which give practical Biblical guidance on subjects like family, forgiveness, goals, etc.
The ICB Illustrated Bible. Presents the Bible - full text - accompanied by panels of pictures. It's like reading a comic book. The Illustrated Children's Bible can be purchased book-by-book or as an entire volume. Great for kids who can read, but for whom pictures are helpful.
The Picture Bible. Similar to the ICB, but it is selective - that is, you are not getting a full translation of the Bible. Instead, it is a volume of Bible stories, re-worded so they are easy to understand. Fully illustrated, and fully in color. Don't let the fact that this isn't "The Bible" keep you from it - if you have a child who cannot read well or doesn't like to read, this is not a bad alternative.
Bible 'Zines. A fairly recent innovation, a "zine" is a Bible in magazine format. "Refuel" is aimed at young teenage boys (12-15), "Revolve" at the same age of girls. You get the entire New Testament text, but it's interspersed with sidebars, like Q&A with experts, character profiles, lists of do's and don'ts…in other words, it reads just like a magazine. There is also a version aimed at 8-to-12-year-olds.
Similar to the Bible 'zines is a paperback targeted at pre-teen girls called "between - a girl's guide to life". This is not a Bible, but a series of articles on relationships, faith, and healthy self-image.
A word about Translations
There are two basic kinds of translations. One tries to get as close to the actual words in the original Bible texts (technically known as "formal equivalence"). The other tries to communicate the meaning of the passage or book, even if they have to sacrifice direct translation of the words (functional equivalence). Most translations are a blend of the two. Strictly speaking there is no such thing as a direct, "word-for-word" translation, since some words don't translate and the sentence structure of the original languages is different.
Generally, the translations that try for word-for-word accuracy (such as the King James Version, the NASB, or the Revised Standard Version) are too hard for kids to understand. They use outdated language and awkward construction that is not easily understandable to an elementary school student. Even the NIV, which is the translation of choice among most adult evangelicals, is written at too high a reading level for most kids to easily comprehend.
I like the New Living Translation for kids because it's written at a 5th grade reading level. The language and expressions should be understandable to any boy or girl who is reading at grade level by the end of their 5th grade year. Other easy translations include the Contemporary English Version (CEV) and the English Standard Version (ESV).
What about the Message? I'm a fan. The Message is a paraphrase of the Bible - while it presents every verse, it doesn't aim for direct translation, but rather tries to communicate the ideas of each passage. Expressions & dialogue are presented in modern language. It gives a very "now" feeling to the Bible, which could be good for kids who have a hard time with the Bible because of its cultural and historical setting.
Info, articles, and thoughts for parents of kids at North Coast Calvary Chapel.
