
I was asked recently, “What is the best Bible for a new Christian”. This is a really good question as it is important to start off right.
I believe the best Bible for new Christians is the Life Application Study Bible (LASB). The reason I believe this is because it has a book introduction for each book, maps of key locations, profiles of the authors and most importantly a commentary in the margins.
The commentary in the margins is a great feature. Some Bible verses do not make sense at first reading. They might have a cultural or historical meaning that we find hard to understand in today’s world. Having these notes can help us understand how it applies to us today.
As far as a Bible translation goes I think it is important to find one that you find easy to read and understand. With the LASB it has a number of English translations that range from a simple plain English versions, right through to the older King James style of writing.
For my personal Bible reading and preaching I mostly use the New Living Translation. I find this simple to read as it paraphrases the original text (Hebrew or Greek) in a way I find easy to read and understand. I have a large print paper version and I also have copies on my iPad and iPhone…so it goes with me everywhere!
If you are interested you can find more information on the LASB website here.