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The Bible is an important book for Christians all over the world. It is believed that it was written by men inspired by God. The Bible consists of two main parts that convey various messages – the Old Testament and the New Testament. The content of every part addresses specific individuals such as couples, parents, children, and even the clergy. Bible stories have been published for many centuries targeting particular groups. Special editions have been recommended only for children due to the manner in which they address critical issues such as sex, violence, and the problematic image of God.

Methodology

To offer a detailed recommendation about the most suitable Bible for children, some publications and Bible versions were thoroughly considered. The selected versions and publications were critically analyzed according to main criteria for establishing strengths and weaknesses. The most important criterion applied in the analysis, rating, and submission of the recommendations on different versions of Children’s Bibles includes the ease of understanding in accordance with used languages and formats. Other important parameters that provide a crucial measure for the evaluation of the selected Bibles for children include the nature and the manner in which the issues of violence and sex have been addressed. In this paper, the selected Children’s Bibles include The International Children’s Bible, NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers, Best News Ever, The Action Bible, NIV Boys Bible, and NIV Faithgirlz! Bible. Different reviews of these Bibles have compared and contrasted them to choose the best option for children.

The International Children’s Bible

The International Children’s Bible was published by Thomas Nelson. Initially, it was translated from the original language into English and many other languages (Bible Gateway, n.d). The translation of the book focuses on the adaptation of the original manuscripts to the needs of children. To create the best translation for the young audience, the publishing firm aimed to evaluate all possible Bible versions (Bible Gateway, n.d). Another important requirement for the translation of the Bible was the simplicity of the language. Notably, simple and clear sentences make it understandable for children. Appropriate vocabularies were selected according to the techniques of teaching vocabulary by Edgar Dale and Joseph O’Rourke. The concepts have been described in the terms easy for the children and other readers to understand. There is also consistency in the reference to the conventional terms such as Lake Galilee. The style does not cause misunderstanding and confusion.

NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers

NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers is funny and enjoyable for the children because they can explore it even on their own. Important and unique features include clear articles on the ancient days, detailed analysis and description of people from the old days, practical guidelines for the application of the Biblical concepts, vivid examples of real-life situations, and the important facts about God. In addition, a number of preeminent Bible verses can be committed to memory. Moreover, this Children’s Bible has twenty pages dedicated to Biblical games and fun activities. It entails the introduction to each book, fully colored maps, and a dictionary to enhance the readability and understanding of the Biblical contents. The style of this Bible allows it to be read at the 3rd level and also by non-English speakers who might not know the language (Faith Passed Down, 2015). Despite the fact that this version does not offer word-for-word translation, it provides the exact meaning of the original manuscripts. It adheres to the sense-for-sense translation based on the dynamic balance and simplification that improve the Bible’s readability (Guide to Popular Bible Translation, n.d.). Moreover, the Bible was translated according to the New International Version (NIV), which makes it very easy to understand.

Best News Ever

Best News Ever is another Bible that is very suitable for children. The book illuminates the biblical teachings since the information is available and understandable for every interested reader. On average, the book has short sentences comprised of about 9.85 words in each sentence (The Best News Ever, 2018). Moreover, this is the direct opposite of some available Children’s Bibles which are composed of comparatively long and complex structures that are difficult to understand. Some versions such as the New Living Translation have about 15.78 words in every sentence while the King James Version (KJV) has more than 25 words in every sentence (The Best News Ever, 2018). It is also important to note that Best News Ever Bible has received worldwide endorsements from reputable people due to its consistency and quality of translation.

The Action Bible

The Action Bible is Christian adventure book known as another useful Bible for children. Published in 2010 by David C. Cook, the book remains to be ideal for teenagers between the ages of 9 to 12 years (Howell, 2014). It narrates Bible stories in a very systematic order, beginning with the stories of creation to the time when the door is open for Jesus Christ to enter, which is told in the Book of Revelation in the Chapter 3 (Howell, 2014). The authors mainly rely on graphical representation, but occasionally, they use words to describe certain aspects of the stories, which cannot be expressed through the pictures. God’s power of continuous forgiveness has been clearly illustrated as people disregard His wish from time to time. The examples of killing, consulting sorcerers and witches, murder, and revenge have also been illustrated in The Action Bible in a disapproval manner that aims to discourage young readers from committing vices. A careful consideration has also been made by the authors in the attempts to address various issues, including homosexuality, kissing, and sex witnessed in Sodom and Gomorrah. For instance, the authors illustrate men without a shirt and female midriff (Bible Bookshelf Blog, 2014). This Children’s Bible offers scriptures for its pictorial representation, and it covers a larger number of Bible stories as opposed to other publications.

NIV Boys Bible and NIV Faithgirlz!

NIV Boys Bible is ideal for boys aged 9 to 12. It was written using the NIV manuscript, which makes it easier to read and understand (Guide to Popular Bible Translation, n.d.). The book is specifically meant for boys, giving them an accurate impression of real-life situations when the Bible teachings are applicable. Accompanied by essential features such as “Makin’ it Real,” “Words to Live By,” “Glossology,” “Check it Out,” and “What’s the Big Deal,” the book offers young boys an opportunity to remember the principal characters in the Bible and inspires them to live according to Biblical principles. NIV Faithgirlz! Bible for girls resembles the one for boys. It also has unique features that identify it with the intended users. Designed and covered in a colorful pink hardcover, the book is recommended for girls aged 9 to 12. The Bible is designed in a very attractive form in order to grasp the attention of young girls studying biblical stories. The distinctive feature such as “Is there a Little” enables girls to read, understand, and relate some Bible stories to the real-life situations.

Recommendations

From the discussion above, it is crystal clear that different Bible publications available for children have been developed to suit the changing needs of the young generation. Therefore, it is essential to select the ideal Bible version to suit the needs of the young children regardless of their age and background. The selection process should be based on the ease of understanding, suitability to the users, and the way in which the nature and the image of God have been brought. For instance, The Action Bible has revealed God as being very caring, forgiving, and principled. He has also been presented as the creator of the universe. An example of His power is demonstrated in the story about the Garden of Eden. Taking into consideration the criteria mentioned above, it is only appropriate and justified to claim that The Action Bible is one of the most suitable options for children, especially in the adolescence. In fact, this is recommended because it has been published in graphical form, which makes it easier for users to read and comprehend. It is user-friendly and safe to read without the supervision of parents or guardians. Despite the fact that all these Bibles for children have been written according to the biblical teachings and beliefs, different modes of presentation have been used. Thus, the diversity of approaches makes these versions unique. Hence, despite the fact that the source is one, these Children’s Bibles might be perceived by the young audience differently.

Other publications such as NIV for boys and girls have been created specifically for the two genders. Notably, it might make it difficult for a parent or a guardian with two children of nearly the same age but opposite gender to acquire one. In such a case, he or she will be compelled to purchase two Bibles, which makes it uneconomically viable. Thus, The Action Bible will be a preferred option for the families with the children of opposite gender. The Action Bible offers a better option of visual understanding as compared to all the available choices because it focuses on the photos instead of words. Moreover, the Bible does not include violence and mature content that might spoil the minds of young readers. Remarkably, this makes The Action Bible easier to understand and read even when compared to the Bibles with shorter and simple sentence structures such as in The Best News Ever Bible. Thus, it is better if parents and guardians permit the children to use this version of the Bible because it allows children to learn about the biblical stories with joy.

Conclusion

For children, certain Bible editions have been recommended due to the manner in which they address critical issues such as sex, violence, and the problematic image of God. Obviously, different Bible publications available for children have been developed to suit the changing needs of the young generation. One should, therefore, select the Children’s Bible that will meet the needs of the young children of different age and background. To come up with a more detailed recommendation about the most suitable Bible for children, various publications and versions of the Bible have been considered. The selected children’s Bibles include The International Children’s Bible, NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers, Best News Ever, The Action Bible, NIV Boys Bible, and NIV Faithgirlz for Girls. Distinctly, the authors of The Action Bible have not only presented its intended messages in a more attractive and convenient photographic presentation, but they have also applied brief and meaningful words, especially where the graphics are considered to be inefficient in expressing the intended points. Other publications such as NIV for boys and girls have been created for two genders. This unique feature ensures that the objectives of the authors have been fully achieved because they made it possible to address the readers of opposite genders by introducing interesting content. Every version brings benefits for young learners. However, parents, guardians, and children, who are considering purchasing a Bible, should firstly look at The Action Bible.

References

Bible Gateway. (n.d.). International children’s Bible. Retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/International-Childrens-Bible-ICB/

Faith passed down. (2015, September 17). My favorite Bible translations for kids and teenagers. Retrieved from http://www.faithpasseddown.com/favorite-bible-translations-for-kids/

Guide to popular Bible translation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://bibleroads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/bible_translation_comparisons.pdf.

Howell, C. (2014, February 18). The Action Bible pros and cons. Retrieved from http://biblebookshelf.weebly.com/blog/the-action-bible-pros-and-cons.

The Best News Ever. (2018). Retrieved from http://thebestnewsever.org/endorsements/