I heard a story this week from our local children’s worker about a Lego club they’ve just started at the local church. Several children have already requested their own Bibles, and are actively reading them for themselves.
The youth worker mentioned how she loved children’s Bibles, and how she also loved it when they were good value. But that purchasing a good quality one is the ideal. She had the funds so is making sure that any child who asks for a Bible of their own gets one that says “quality”.
So in this article I’m recommending that we skip the “middle ground” and go straight to the Word of God with our children.
Purchase Bibles that are Bibles and not summaries, shortened versions or indeed something that’s going to fall apart.
If you definitely need something that is aimed at a younger audience then here are two to consider.
The ESV Children’s Bible (ISBN 978 1 433 554 711) has 24 traditional illustrations throughout and is priced very affordably at just over £6. The CSB Bible for Kids (ISBN 978 1 087 758 961) has an infographic style of illustration, a hard cover and is a red letter version. It is priced at £25.50.
However, if you are looking for a Bible that is more of a legacy, something that your child will take with them into adult life then I recommend that you purchase a copy of the version of the Bible that your church or your family use most regularly.
The ESV for example has a variety of high-quality Bibles in a variety of formats and prices. For example the ESV Premium Church Bible (ISBN 979 8 874 903 428) or The ESV Pocket Bible (ISBN 979 8 874 902 872) at under £20.
The NIV has a Thinline Reference Bible (ISBN 978 0 310 449 638) in leather at £32.
Journaling Bibles might be a suitable alternative and most Bible versions will have a journaling option available. I like the look of the New King James journaling Bible (ISBN 978 0 785 218 425).
Whether you want to spend under £10 or if you have a bit more cash to splash, the full Bible is definitely something you should give to your children.
Remember the old Bible seller’s poem:
“Holy Scripture, Writ Divine, Leather-bound, at one and nine; Satan trembles when he sees, Bibles sold as cheap as these.”
But, as always, Spurgeon says it better: “Visit many good books but live in the Bible, the Bible in the memory is far better than on the bookcase. The devil is not afraid of a dust-covered Bible.”
