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Can I make a confession? My favorite translation of the Bible is currently the ICB®, The International Children’s Bible. Yup… you read that right. I’m obsessed with a children’s version of God’s Word.
It’s not because I’m unable to understand the more sophisticated, adult versions of the Bible. I’ve spent my life learning to read the Word with the NIV and I actually love looking at verses in every translation available (thank you BibleGateway.com ). Perhaps it’s because I’m the mom of two kids age nine and six who learned to read right around the same time they began to explore their faith. They’ve only just begun to read a full text Bible but the International Children’s Bible will allow them to better comprehend and process what God wants to speak to them through His Word.
I spend my days writing resources and Bible studies for busy families and the International Children’s Bible has been such a gift to the process. It’s one of the top translations I use in my writing and in leading my own family in faith at home.
The ICB® is an essential faith tool for kids and their families. The translation is simple for kids yet accurate and life-applicable so parents can enjoy it, too.
4 reasons the ICB® translation is a game-changer for kids and God’s Word
- The name itself tells my children this Bible is for THEM, written specifically with their journey of faith in mind.
- The ICB® has more than 300 Key Bible Verses highlighted in the text so that children (and their parents) can read and learn some of the most important and foundational truths of God’s Word.
- Comprehension of the ICB® requires a third-grade reading level making it the perfect full-text Bible for elementary age kids to read.
- Word for word, the ICB® is simple to understand and apply to our lives.
Take Hebrews 11:1 for example,
Faith means being sure of the things we hope for. And faith means knowing that something is real even if we do not see it.
It’s easy to understand yet not a bit of its meaning is lost through the simple words! The ICB® doesn’t water down the truth of God’s Word by simplifying it for kids. The best available Hebrew and Greek texts were used to assure a faithful translation of the original languages. The ICB® is a dynamic equivalent (thought-for-thought) translation of the Bible.
There are many versions of the ICB® translation available for kids. Some of my favorites include:
- The ICB® Blessed Garden Bible – so beautiful and perfect for girls!
- The ICB® Jesus Calling Bible for Children – includes devotions by Sarah Young and beautiful illustrations that will engage boys and girls alike.
- The ICB® Brown Leathersoft Cover – has a fun, embossed leather cover that makes it a grown-up Bible kids will love to have. Because it’s a little more masculine, this one is perfect for boys (though girls would like it, too!).
Maybe, like me, you can remember reading through the King James or New King James versions of the Bible as a kid and thinking, “What on earth is this all about?!” It was confusing. Hard to know where to begin. And difficult to absorb as a child. I’m thankful that as I grew up, more versions of the Bible came out allowing me to dig deeper into life application of the Word as I began to understand through these simpler translations, what God wanted to say to me through each verse.
One of the ways we get our kids excited about God’s Word is to guide them in understanding how they fit into the Story. The ICB® translation will help our children better comprehend the Bible and apply it to their lives. This tool can be an essential element of your child’s journey with Jesus. For their next birthday or Christmas; to commemorate their First Communion or Baptism, present your child with a gift that will open their eyes to the truth of how much God loves us and wants us to join him in the Story of faith.
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Your Turn
Have you tried out the International Children’s Bible translation before? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!