Below is the text for a possible children’s book that would introduce them to the Bible. Of course, there would be illustrations, too, but I can’t draw, or at least not very well. Or a parent or grandparent could just read this text to his or her child or grandchild.
WHAT IS THE BIBLE?
What is the Bible?
The Bible is a book. In fact, the word “Bible” means “book.”
What is the Bible about?
The Bible is about many things. In fact, it is a book with many smaller books inside it! But all the books have one thing in common: They teach us about God.
What kinds of books are inside the Bible?
Some are history books. That means they are about what has already happened. Some of the Bible is about what will happen in the future. There are also books about God’s rules. There are many songs and poems in the Bible, and there are proverbs, or sayings. And many books in the last part of the Bible are letters about God that people wrote to each other.
Is the Bible an old book?
Yes, it is. The newest parts of the Bible were written down 2000 years ago, and most of it was written a long time before that! But the lessons that the Bible teaches us are still fresh and important. The Bible never goes out of style.
What happens in the Bible?
The Bible is divided into two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The Old Testament is mostly about a group of people called the Israelites or Jews or Hebrews – they were called by different names. These people are very important because they were chosen by God to have a special relationship with Him. Many exciting events happened with them, some good and some bad. There were many wars, and sometimes they won and sometimes they lost. Sometimes they all became slaves! But God never forgot them, and He was always there for them.
And what about the New Testament?
The New Testament is about a special man named Jesus. In fact, He was the most special man who ever lived. He was a Jew but He was also the Son of God, and He came to our world to teach us how to live – and to die for us so we can all be with God forever in Heaven after we die. Wow! And don’t worry: Jesus came back to life and is now in Heaven, too!
Is the Bible true?
Yes.
Did God write the Bible?
No, the Bible was written by people. But the people were inspired to write it by God. “Inspired” means that God came to them and gave them the ideas to write down. We say the Bible is “the Word of God.”
Can I read the Bible?
Yes! Everyone should read the Bible. When you first start reading, you will probably not want to read the whole grown-up version of the Bible, but you can read stories from the Bible written for kids.
Can children in other countries read the Bible?
Yes! The Bible has been translated into all different languages. God wants everyone to know about Him and His son Jesus.
Was the Bible first written in English?
No. The Old Testament was written in a language called Hebrew, and the New Testament was written in an old-fashioned kind of Greek.
How many books are there in the Bible?
There are 66 altogether: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
Are the books in the Bible all the same length?
No. Some are short and some are long. The longest book is called Psalms, and it is a collection of 150 songs to God. The shortest book is a letter by one of Jesus’ followers called John.
Speaking of long and short: The books are divided into chapters, some short and some long. And the chapters are divided into verses, which are usually a sentence or two. The shortest verse in the Bible reads, “Jesus wept.” “Wept” means “cried.”
Where did everything in the Bible happen?
If you look at a map, you can find countries called Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, and Israel. That’s where most of the Old Testament happens. Israel is where Jesus lived, so much of the New Testament takes place there. After Jesus went back to Heaven, His early followers told people about Him in Syria, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, and Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean Sea – so these are all places in the New Testament, too.
Are there any pictures in the Bible?
Not the way it was first written, but there’s no rule that says you can’t add pictures to it. So many Bibles have pictures and maps, too!
Who are the people in the Bible?
There are lots of people in the Bible – too many to list all of them. But here are a few: There’s Jesus, of course, and He had lots of friends who followed him called disciples, and of course His mother Mary and the rest of His family on earth. The first man in the Bible was Adam and the first woman was Eve. You may know the story of how a boy named David killed a mean giant named Goliath. Other bad guys were a king called Herod and a queen named Jezebel. There was a very wise king named Solomon, who wrote part of the Bible. And you may also know the story of Noah and his ark filled with animals: There are lots of animals in the Bible, too!
Does the Bible have a happy ending?
Yes! God defeats his enemies, and we can all live forever in Heaven with Jesus.