Biblical Translations Teach Kids about God

Biblical Translations Teach Kids about God

The Bible is one of the most popular selling books in all of history. It has been translated into many different languages for people all over the world to read. Learn how using different translations can assist in teaching kids about the Bible.

The translation that was used most often during my childhood was the King James Version. For a kid, reading the King James Version was quite hard. All of the formal language (thee and thou) got in the way. I didn’t understand a word of it.

Over the years since the 1600s, other biblical translations that are easier to understand have been produced. These translations use modern language to bring God’s Word to life. For kids, this is the best way to get them to read the Bible.

Younger kids will fall asleep if you ask them to read something without pictures. What else can you do? Read them a bedtime Bible story. The formal language of the King James Version is still too much for kids so be sure to choose another translation.

One translation that is good for kids is The Message. The words read like a story book. Realize that the Bible is not a fairy tale but a collection of historical encounters with God. With that in mind, you’ll love to share these stories with your kids. Change your tone of voice to show a change in emotion of the characters and make the story more interesting. As they drift off to sleep, God will be on their mind.

As kids age and can read by themselves, choose a children’s Bible with a friendly translation and pictures. The pictures help the child to visualize what is being said in the scriptures. Use their children’s Bible to teach higher reading skills. Once they understand more, the questions will come.

Some children’s Bibles feature the popular Bible stories and very little else. That is okay for younger kids. As a Christian parent, you can fill in the gaps. Once they are old enough to read for themselves, you can change to a more structured children’s Bible.

For teens, choose a Bible translation like the ESV (English Standard Version). It cuts out most of the formal language and uses words that kids can understand. They will be able to read a passage and study it without having to struggle with the language first. Deciphering the language can be very frustrating to kids and may even turn them away from wanting to learn more.

Kids are more likely to read the Bible when they can understand it. Once you find the version that keeps your child interested and wanting to know more, you’ll see that children can be really enjoy the Bible and begin to implement God’s teaching into their daily lives. Once this happens, a dialogue can begin between kids and parents about what God is trying to tell them.