Bible Recommendations for a Family Member

Get him The Gospel of John, it was written to tell people how to receive God's free gift of Eternal Life.

LivingWater

It sounds like he would benefit more from words of encouragement and support. You might consider what you think will motivate him to read it at all. But if you want to get him a Bible, I recommend a translation that is fairly easy to understand. The New Living Translation (NLT) is the most popular one, but the passages I've read in the CSB, CEV, and NIRV also seem good, too, and may be even easier. (There are even easier translations if, for example, English weren't his first language.) You can compare a passage at biblegateway.com in multiple translations. Also, publishers add footnotes to help explain the actual Scriptural passages, which I found very helpful for years. These are called "study bibles." You can find most combinations of features for a Bible at christianbooks.com, such as searching there for "NLT study bible."

first Corinthians was written to people that were recently pagan. They were even getting drunk at communion. It might be a relatable place to start.

peaceful-forest said:

I was hoping to give him some kind of comfort and support while pointing him to Jesus.

He's got a lot of trouble for someone young. He didn't grow up in a family that was serious about Christianity and God. His parents are terrible role models.

I think he could be hostile towards the Gospel, but I don't know what to do and sometimes it's on my mind.

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Just an idea: give him a Bible and explain seriously that God is real, that He loves him, and wants to help him, but we have to choose to seek Him, because He will not override our option to keep away from Him. You'll want to be prepared for what he responds with—personal experiences with God or something authentic that is related to you, in my mind, is more valuable than repeating what other people say about God that is outside your experience.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15, 1984 NIV)

Patrick Morley has some wonderful resources for men. The Man in the Mirror and How God Makes Men are good starting points. I’d gift the first one and The Power of a Praying Parent which can be used by both. If your resources are tight I’d give him a gift for the baby with the book on prayer. He’s becoming a father and I wouldn’t ignore that in deference to your concern about his salvation. You’ll make more inroads by acknowledging the child and demonstrating your concern than focusing on him alone.

~bella

peaceful-forest said:

I have a family member that is going through some trouble. He is in his 20s, has money problems, smokes marijuana, and is expecting a baby with his girlfriend.

I have thought about buying this family member a Bible, but I do not know which one to buy him. I believe his current problems are happening and God is allowing them so that this family member will turn to Christ for salvation.

What recommendations do you all have?

Thanks.

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Get him the New American Standard Bible, easy to read and very accurate.

But if he is not inclined to read that sort of thing, think about the NIV or the Living Bible.

peaceful-forest said:

I was hoping to give him some kind of comfort and support while pointing him to Jesus.

He's got a lot of trouble for someone young. He didn't grow up in a family that was serious about Christianity and God. His parents are terrible role models.

I think he could be hostile towards the Gospel, but I don't know what to do and sometimes it's on my mind.

Click to expand...

I would get him a large beautiful icon of the Byzantine or Coptic style, for example, of the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan, or a set of icons. The wonderful thing about icons is you can present them to people as artwork, but there is a splendid icon for every important moment in the Gospel, and you can get them as a diptych or triptych (panel of two or three icons).

Also a good Bible could help as well. It might help to get one of some historical evidence. I like to carry with me for example a New Testament from the Korean War carried by a soldier which also contains the Psalms, Proverbs and a beautiful set of prayers for various occasions, and which fits in my pocket, but which otherwise I display on my icon stand.

The idea is to get something that is of apparently general interest, that will draw him in. Much of the recent record growth of my denomination and other traditional churches, in converting atheists, Mormons and other non-Christians, has been driven by the interest people have in our architecture, music, iconography and so on, so we draw people towards the Gospel rather than pushing it on them. Induced curiosity is the key to effective proselytism.

That’s a really thoughtful idea. A Bible can be a loving, hopeful gift — especially if it’s given with care, not judgment.

For someone in their 20s who’s going through a lot, I’d choose a readable translation like the New Living Translation (NLT) or New International Version (NIV). These are easy to understand and great for someone new to reading Scripture.

If you want something simple, the NLT Gift Bible or NLT Thinline is affordable and approachable. You could also include a short note like, “I believe God has a purpose for you. This book has helped me — maybe it will speak to you too.”

Focus on encouragement and hope. The heart behind your gift — showing love and faith that God’s working in his life — will mean the most.

peaceful-forest said:

I have a family member that is going through some trouble. He is in his 20s, has money problems, smokes marijuana, and is expecting a baby with his girlfriend.

I have thought about buying this family member a Bible, but I do not know which one to buy him. I believe his current problems are happening and God is allowing them so that this family member will turn to Christ for salvation.

What recommendations do you all have?

Thanks.

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I'm a bit late on this, but everyone has an opinion right..

King James Version is high level English, so unless they are extra-gifted with literature this is not good for fast comprehension of the intended meaning of the text.

I personally feel the Berean Standard Bible and English Standard Version are two good translations that are on the more extremely high level accuracy to original text and its meaning, aside from very deep technical studies. They are also incredibly easy to understand.

If I were to suggest particular books to a younger person or (prayerfully) new believer, shorter is better and Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Galatians, and 1st John are slam full of the majority of major concepts a person needs to see the truth. The Gospels of course, are a given, especially the book of John, but are longer reading than the first five listed.

Romans is also upheld by majority of scholars to be the most profound book in the Bible, and most impacting if read consistently. I never leave it out if someone asks what to read, it is usually first on the list or the one I recommend if they want to master a single book.