The Best Bibles for Kids

When you think of how the Bible relates to the children in your kids ministry, what are some important factors? For instance, does it matter that your kids can understand the words? What about resources — does the perfect Bible need to include practical tools and activities for application? Well, we’ve got good news for you, and we’re not just talking about the Gospel. We’re going to give you the best tips on how to choose a Bible translation for your kids ministry. Let’s take a look at some options to choose from!

Why Are Translations Important?

Before we tell you about the Bible translations that might be best for you, it’s important to quickly touch on why choosing a Bible translation is important for your entire ministry to reference.

• Consistency. For starters, it keeps everyone on the same page. Whether teaching or learning, it’s important that your ministry is familiar with the same phrases and terms. As translations differ, so will specific words and phrases. It can be easier to understand the Bible when everyone can agree to use the same terminology in discussions and teachings.
• Understanding. Bible translations are most helpful when they provide understanding. It makes all the difference when you can select a translation that is age appropriate and fits your ministry group’s reading level.

Translations for Kids!

Now that we’ve gone over the “why,” let’s get to the “which.” When it comes to your kid’s ministry, here are some Bible translations that we think will work best.

• NCV — The NCV or New Century Version is a great option for your kids ministry because it was written specifically for young readers with lower reading abilities. This Bible translation was constructed using fewer and more common vocabulary words, making it easy to understand for your little Bible scholars.
• ERV — Another option for your kids ministry is the ERV or Easy-to-read Version. Although this translation was originally constructed for those belonging to the deaf and hard of hearing community, this translation is beneficial to young readers because because it caters to readers that don’t have much experience using words — much like the children you serve.
• GW — When it comes to reading and teaching kids, the GW or God’s Word translation can be helpful. It was intentionally written using natural English so that it reads in a more simple tone that can be easy to understand. Not to mention, it is printed in large text that use fewer lines, which makes it easier when reading to groups of kids.

What Does An Ideal Translation Have? 

Choosing the best Bible translation doesn’t have to be overwhelming. When it comes to your kids ministry, what’s most important is that the Bible is easy to read, easy to understand, and resourceful for applying to their lives. Here are some Bibles you can purchase today that come with helpful tools and resources for your kids ministry.

• Your kids will love the CSB Explorer Bible . This helpful tool reads similar to the NCV translation and comes filled with fun activities, maps, and images that your kids won’t want to put down.
• The Bible Made Easy for Kids is a great resource to include alongside the ERV Bible translation. This study guide hits the heavy topic like faith and salvation but is also fun-filled and age appropriate.
• Bigger font size and easy to read? Yep, we remember. That’s similar to the GW translation we covered. If you know a young reader who could benefit from these features, offer them the NIV Bible for Kids.

Conclusion

If deciding how to choose a Bible translation was difficult for you, then we hope these suggestions were helpful! Remember that deciding on a translation can be easy once you can identify the reader and the resources they need to make the Bible understandable and relatable.

The Grow Team

A team packed with pastors, ministry leaders, writers, editors, designers, project managers, app developers, and more! The Grow Team works to bring curriculum and ministry strategy to church leaders everywhere.

Related Posts