Bible for Third Graders

[NHInsider]

I wrote

The NIV also does not translate “sarx” as “flesh,” using instead the word “human nature” or “body” when “flesh” refers to Jesus and “sinful nature” the rest of the time. This, too, undermines understanding of the Incarnation, and combined with a couple of other tweaks, almost supports a form of Docetism (Jesus only “appeared” to be human . . .).
Sally

Left out a critical word: “in Romans” the NIV does not translate “sarx” as “flesh” . . . .

My point remains the same, but it’s not true that the NIV never translates “sarx” as “flesh.”

Always proofread . . . .

Sally

 

[Tous_Logous]

I don’t even think I received a Bible for my first Communion. I’m not too educated about children’s Bible translations.

However I’m going to be different and recommend a Bible I thoroughly enjoyed reading through. It’s called “The Picture Bible” (published by David C. Cook). It’s basically a comic book version of the Bible, with more than 200 of the Bible’s most important stories. While technically for all ages, it’s also geared towards younger readers. It just tells the stories as best as they are (paraphrased, of course) and I have not seen any particular denominational bias. It is nearly 800 pages long, so it does a good job of summarizing the most important stories of the Bible. It also shows which parts of the scriptures each story corresponds to. So, for the “Temptation in the Garden” story, it shows under that heading “From Genesis 3.”

Of course, I’m assuming that’s using Protestant Bible numbering (Masoretic Text compared to the Septuagint). I read “The Picture Bible” a couple of years ago, before delving into the Old and New Testament myself. It is fun to read through. I suggest having your child starting “easy” before delving into real scripture. Get your third grader used to the major stories before graduating to a wall-of-text Bible translation.

Here is the link to “The Picture Bible:” amazon.com/The-Picture-Bible-Iva-Hoth/dp/0781430550/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371413765&sr=8-1&keywords=the+picture+bible

If you don’t want to go for a paraphrased picture Bible, maybe start out with this: thomasnelson.com/heavens-bible.html

The “Heaven’s Bible” is a children’s Bible translation (International Children’s Bible). I’m not too familiar with the ICB but I when I saw this at the Christian bookstore, it caught my attention. It contains images taken of our universe from the Hubble Space Telescope. If I were an elementary school student looking for a Bible, this would probably be the one. What child doesn’t love pictures taken in space? It might also get them interested in science and God’s creation. Again, I don’t think the ICB is a Catholic translation but that one looks like it would catch the attention of a third grader.

 

[NHInsider]

There is a family in my Sunday Scripture class whose young son has one of those graphic Bibles. He’s very taken with it. I’ll check with them to see find out more about it.

Sally