NASB Archives | Water on Thirsty Land

Is the NASB Adventure Bible a good Bible for kids?

by Water On Thirsty Land | Jun 3, 2021 | Books & Bibles, Christian Living, Home & Family

As a mom, finding appropriate Bibles for my kiddo is really important. Each age group and reading level requires something different, and different kids are engaged with the Bible in unique ways. The NASB Adventure Bible is a fantastic Bible for helping answer the many questions kids have about the Bible and for inspiring a genuine interest to learn about scripture.

NASB Translation
Features and Layout of NASB Adventure Bible
NASB Adventure Bible Extras
In the Back
Do I recommend the NASB Adventure Bible?

I’d say it is great for elementary to middle-school-aged kids, depending on the reading level of your kiddos and I want to highlight a few specific points about this Bible that may help others determine whether this may be the right Bible for the kids in their lives.

I received a complimentary copy of the NASB Adventure Bible as a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid in exchange for an honest review of this Bible. You can find even more information about this Bible here, and I'd love for you to check out the Bible for sale here. #BibleGatewayPartner

NASB Translation

I have taken some time to read through a lot of the material and dive into the offerings, layout, and translation. I did a study of the NASB translation a while back and it is said to be one of the “most literal” translations of the Bible in modern English. The NASB was updated in 2020, and it is important to note that this NASB Adventure Bible is in the 1995 version of the translation.

I think translation is one of the most important questions we should explore when choosing a Bible for ourselves as well as our kids. The 1995 NASB seems easy for kids to read and understand, making it a more fruitful experience for them when reading the Bible.

Features and Layout of NASB Adventure Bible

I am really impressed with all that this kid’s Bible has to offer. It starts off with an explanation of how your kids will use it which is an immediate encouragement for an endeavor that can feel really intimidating to young Bible readers. It explains to them where to find key items and what they are, such as the page number, book name, chapter, section headers, verse numbers, and footnotes. For any new Bible reader, this can be incredibly helpful!

The very next page is a “How to know you are a Christian” page. I love this! This is such a wonderful explanation that is written at a level children will be able to easily grasp. Considering who this Bible is for it is perfectly simple yet concise. Its inclusion of Bible verses to explain and back up each point is stellar and very important. If it is going to explain this vital question I want my kiddo to be directed to the scripture that the point stems from.

Moving on, it includes the typical Contents page with the list of all the books of the Bible and their page numbers, as well as an alphabetized list, and then a section explaining the different special features exclusive to this children’s Bible.

NASB Adventure Bible Extras

One thing I look for in a kid’s Bible is whether they really help break things down at the level my child needs while obviously keeping the Bible itself the focus and adhering to strict accuracy of the Word. This Bible does an excellent job of this balance. The pages are not overtaken by the “extras”, but the whole book is scattered with helpful information to help explain different things at a child’s level of understanding.

The categories of extras include:

Words of Treasure
Did You Know?
Life in Bible Times
People in Bible Times
Live It!
Book Introductions

These break down just as they sound, and are well written and helpful for the kids in our lives to better understand what they are reading and how to apply it to themselves. It also helps teach them the importance of culture in Bible times and different aspects of self-application early on which is fantastic.

The NASB Adventure Bible includes Book Overviews you would expect to find in a lot of Bibles geared toward older readers but in a format that is intriguing to kids. (My own kiddo was REALLY excited about this part. She told me she wished her other Bibles had such great introductions. We’ve since done a couple of overview studies together and she used this Bible).

There are so many incredible resources within the pages of this Bible. It maintains the focus on the Word itself and helping guide kids through the Bible. I am truly pleased with the balance they present. The helpful explanations and articles are not overly worded risking losing kid’s attention.

In the Back

I am thrilled at this children’s Bible inclusion of a topical index and a dictionary concordance in the back! This is truly impressive to have in a children’s Bible and another aspect my kiddo was extremely excited about.

Maps in full-color glossy pages are also included. These can help give your kids an idea of the geography of Bible times.

Do I recommend the NASB Adventure Bible?

Overall I am incredibly impressed with this Bible. I can’t say that enough, to be honest. It feels like a Bible geared for older readers but designed with kids in mind. It can definitely help encourage, inspire and motivate kids to read, understand, and apply scripture early in their lives.

Book overviews, maps, concordance, index, and articles about Bible times and self-application will truly help kids get excited about scripture. This children’s Bible can help your kids grow in their faith and understanding of the Bible earlier in their lives.

As a parent, I definitely highly recommend the NASB Adventure Bible for the kids in your life. Add the NASB Adventure Bible to your gift ideas for kids.

I encourage you to check out more information about this Bible, and grab your own.

Bible Translation: NASB

by Water On Thirsty Land | Jun 18, 2019 | Basic Bible Studies, Bible Studies, Bible Translations

What is the New American Standard Bible (NASB) translation?

New American Standard Bible, NASB, is prized as the most literal word-for-word English Bible translation. It was originally completed by The Lockman Foundation in La Habra, CA in 1971. The translation ended up getting a refresh in 1995 for clarity, grammar, vocab, and sentence structure updates. It was then updated again in 2020, which we will study at a later time.

What is the New American Standard Bible (NASB) translation?
Who translated the NASB?
Should I use the NASB translation?

In the 1995 update, the translators compared parallel passages in order to update their uses within each specific context. They also modified some paragraphing and punctuation, and added some new manuscript notes. Use of Thee, Thou, Thy, and other archaic and difficult word orders was updated to more modern English.

Using literal translation principles they based their translation on KJV and ASV. New research and resources that had come available for them to study were also utilized. Hebrew texts used were Rudolph Kittel’s Biblia Hebraica, Dead Sea Scrolls, lexicography, and cognate language. Greek texts used were 26th Edition of Eberhard Nestle’s Novum Testamentum Graece.

Who translated the NASB?

It took ten years for the nearly 20 conservative Bible scholars to complete the original version of 1971. These scholars utilized their combined variety of denominational backgrounds, degrees, theology, and languages. It took three years to complete the revision of 1995.

There was a variety of denominational backgrounds, but all of the scholars believed that the words of scripture were inspired by God and needed to be preserved. They put rigorous review processes in place in order to ensure the final product would be accurate and honoring to the original texts.

Should I use the NASB translation?

They referenced the most recent research of the time and the oldest and most reliable manuscripts available. The original order of words and phrases was translated where it would be acceptable in English. Where it was unacceptable in English they used modern idioms. The literal rendering was included in the margins.

The NASB is an incredibly literal yet modernized English translation. The goal was to honor the original texts while letting the reader be the interpreter. It is used in many popular children’s Bibles and can be helpful to early readers.