Part 1

"The Children's Bible" provides, in simple English, a translation of selections from both the Old and the New Testament. These selections have been made as a result of more than twenty-five years of observation and study. The text is that of the Bible itself, but in the language of the child, so that it may easily be read to the younger children and by those who are older. It is not in words of one syllable, for while the child is reading the Bible he should gradually learn the meaning of new words and idioms.

The Bible contains the foundations on which the religious life of the child must be built. The immortal stories and songs of the Old and New Testaments are his richest inheritance from the past. To give him this heritage in language and form that he can understand and enjoy is the duty and privilege of his parents and teachers.

It is hoped that "The Children's Bible" will meet the need and the demand, which parents and educators alike have long felt and often expressed, for a simple translation of selections from the Bible most suited to the needs and the interests of the child. It is also believed that after the child has learned to appreciate and love these stories and songs, he will be eager and able to read the Bible as a whole with genuine interest and understanding.

CONTENTS

THE OLD TESTAMENT

PAGE

THE STORY OF CREATION 3

GOD'S GOOD GIFTS TO MAN 4

THE FIRST DISOBEDIENCE 5

CAIN AND HIS BROTHER ABEL 6

NOAH AND THE GREAT FLOOD 7

THE STORY OF THE TOWER OF BABEL 9

ABRAHAM THE FRIEND OF GOD AND MAN 10

LOT'S ESCAPE FROM A WICKED CITY 11

GOD'S CARE FOR THE BOY ISHMAEL 14

ABRAHAM'S LOYALTY TO GOD 14

HOW REBEKAH BECAME THE WIFE OF ISAAC 15

HOW JACOB DECEIVED HIS FATHER 19

JACOB'S DREAM 21

THE DECEIVER DECEIVED 22

MEETING A BROTHER WHO HAD BEEN WRONGED 24

JOSEPH SOLD AS A SLAVE BY HIS BROTHERS 26

JOSEPH'S EAGERNESS TO HELP OTHERS 27

A PRISONER WHO BECAME A MIGHTY RULER 29

THE TESTING OF JOSEPH'S BROTHERS 32

JOSEPH'S FORGIVENESS OF HIS BROTHERS 36

JOSEPH'S LOYALTY TO HIS FAMILY 38

THE BOYHOOD AND TRAINING OF MOSES 40

THE VOICE FROM THE BUSH 42

PHARAOH THE STUBBORN RULER 44

THE COST OF BEING CRUEL AND STUBBORN 45

THE ESCAPE FROM EGYPT 49

GOD'S COMMANDS TO THE PEOPLE 52

OUR DUTIES TO GOD AND MAN 54

THE REPORT OF THE HEBREW SPIES 55

THE LAST WORDS OF MOSES 56

CROSSING THE RIVER JORDAN 57

THE CAPTURE OF JERICHO AND AI 60

WOMEN WHO SAVED A NATION 62

GIDEON'S BRAVE BAND 64

JEPHTHAH'S FOOLISH PROMISE 67

SAMSON WHO DID TO OTHERS AS THEY DID TO HIM 69

A STRONG MAN WHO LOST HIS STRENGTH 71

THE DEVOTION OF RUTH 74

SAMUEL THE BOY PROPHET 78

THE ARK AMONG THE PHILISTINES 81

HOW SAMUEL FOUND A LEADER 84

JONATHAN'S BRAVE DEED 87

DAVID'S VICTORY OVER THE GIANT 90

SAUL'S MEAN JEALOUSY 93

JONATHAN'S LOVE FOR DAVID 94

THE COST OF A LIE 97

A SOLDIER WHO SPARED HIS ENEMY 98

ABIGAIL'S SENSIBLE ADVICE 101

MAKING THE BEST OF TROUBLE 103

THE DEATH OF TWO BRAVE WARRIORS 106

A SHEPHERD BOY WHO WAS CALLED TO LEAD A NATION 109

JERUSALEM MADE THE CAPITAL CITY 111

DAVID'S KINDNESS TO JONATHAN'S SON 112

A RICH MAN WHO WAS A THIEF 113

ABSALOM THE UNGRATEFUL SON 115

A BROKEN-HEARTED FATHER 119

HOW SOLOMON BECAME THE RULER OF ISRAEL 120

A YOUNG MAN'S WISE CHOICE 123

BUILDING A GREAT TEMPLE 124

A RULER WHO WRONGED HIS PEOPLE 125

REHOBOAM'S GREAT MISTAKE 127

ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW'S SON 128

THE PROPHET OF FIRE 130

GOD'S LOW WHISPER 132

AHAB THE THIEF 134

MICAIAH'S COURAGE IN TELLING THE TRUTH 135

THE MANTLE OF ELIJAH 137

ELISHA HEALING THE SICK BOY 138

A SLAVE GIRL WHO HELPED HER MASTER 139

ELISHA'S WAY OF TREATING ENEMIES 141

THE END OF AHAB'S SELFISH FAMILY 144

THE BOY JOASH ON THE THRONE OF JUDAH 146

A YOUNG MAN WHO SAID, "SEND ME" 147

JEREMIAH'S CALL TO DO A HARD TASK 148

THE YOUNG JOSIAH AND THE BOOK OF THE LAW 149

THE WRITING OF AN ANCIENT BOOK 151

A PROPHET WHO SAVED A GREAT CITY 153

JEREMIAH'S COURAGE IN DANGER 155

THE SAD FATE OF A GUILTY NATION 156

THE COURAGE OF FOUR CAPTIVES 158

A KING'S STRANGE DREAM 159

THE TEST BY FIRE 162

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL 164

DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN 166

QUEEN ESTHER'S LOVE FOR HER PEOPLE 167

REBUILDING THE TEMPLE 174

NEHEMIAH'S ANSWER TO A CALL FOR HELP 175

OVERCOMING GREAT DIFFICULTIES 177

A BRAVE KNIGHT 179

JONAH THE NARROW-MINDED PATRIOT 180

THE STORY OF JOB 182

THE KING OF GLORY 190

GOD THE LOVING CREATOR 191

GOD THE LOVING FATHER 193

GOD FROM WHOM ALL GOOD THINGS COME 194

GOD'S GOODNESS AND MERCY 194

GOD THE ALL-SEEING 195

GOD WHO ALWAYS WATCHES OVER HIS PEOPLE 197

GOD WHO PROTECTS FROM ALL DANGER 197

GOD'S PROTECTION OF THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM 199

GOD'S LOVING CARE 200

TRUSTING IN GOD'S CARE 201

A PRAYER OF TRUST 201

SAFETY IN GOD'S CARE 202

GOD OUR REFUGE 203

THE JOY OF WORSHIPPING GOD 204

WHAT GOD ASKS OF THOSE WHO WORSHIP HIM 205

A CALL TO PRAISE GOD 206

THE UNITED SONG OF PRAISE 206

MAN'S PLACE IN GOD'S WORLD 208

THE REWARD OF DOING RIGHT 208

A PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS 209

THE REWARDS OF LISTENING TO THE ADVICE OF THE WISE 211

WHAT GOD LIKES AND DISLIKES 212

GOD'S CARE FOR THOSE WHO TRY TO DO RIGHT 213

THE WAY TO BE WELL AND HAPPY 214

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING WILLING TO LEARN 214

HOW TO HONOR YOUR PARENTS 215

THE TROUBLES OF THOSE WHO ARE LAZY 216

THINGS THAT ARE BETTER THAN RICHES 216

RIGHT EATING AND DRINKING 217

THE RIGHT USE OF THE TONGUE 218

THE CONTROL OF THE TEMPER 218

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MODEST 219

BEING GENEROUS AND LOVING 219

THE NEW TESTAMENT

JESUS IS BORN AT BETHLEHEM 223

THE WISE MEN BRING GIFTS TO THE YOUNG CHILD 224

THE BOY JESUS ASKS QUESTIONS 225

JOHN THE BAPTIST TELLS OF JESUS' WORK 225

JESUS DECIDES HOW HE WILL DO HIS WORK 226

JESUS WINS DEVOTED FRIENDS 227

THE WEDDING AT CANA 228

THE HEALING OF THE TEN LEPERS 229

HEALING THE MAN AT THE POOL 229

JESUS TALKS WITH A SAMARITAN WOMAN 230

GIVING LIFE TO A WIDOW'S SON 231

JESUS HEALS THE SICK 232

JESUS CURES A MAN WHO CANNOT WALK 233

JESUS MAKES EVEN WRONG-DOERS HIS FRIENDS 233

JESUS FINDS JOY IN ALL HIS WORK 234

JESUS CALMS THE STORM 235

JESUS HEALS A LITTLE GIRL 236

JESUS VISITS HIS OLD HOME 237

JESUS CALLS TOGETHER HIS FRIENDS AND HELPERS 238

WHAT JESUS ASKS OF HIS FRIENDS AND HELPERS 238

THE WAY TO LEARN FROM JESUS 239

THE REWARDS FOR FOLLOWING JESUS' TEACHINGS 241

GOD'S LOVE EVEN FOR SINNERS 242

GOD'S READINESS TO ANSWER PRAYER 243

HOW TO PRAY 244

WHY WE SHOULD TRUST GOD 245

THE KINGDOM OF GOD 245

THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS 247

THE REWARDS OF MODESTY AND UNSELFISHNESS 247

HOW TO USE MONEY 248

DIFFERENT WAYS OF USING TALENTS 249

THE GOOD SAMARITAN 250

THE WAY TO TREAT THOSE WHO WRONG US 250

THE GOLDEN RULE 251

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY HAPPY 252

JESUS SENDS OUT THE FIRST MISSIONARIES 252

JESUS PRAISES JOHN THE BAPTIST 253

JESUS FEEDS THE HUNGRY 254

JESUS TELLS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CLEAN 256

JESUS IS KIND TO A STRANGER 256

JESUS MAKES AN HEROIC CHOICE 257

JESUS IS GLORIFIED 258

JESUS TELLS HOW ONE MAY BECOME GREAT 258

JESUS MAKES THE WICKED ZACCHEUS HIS FRIEND 259

JESUS IS GLADLY WELCOMED BY THE PEOPLE 259

JESUS FIGHTS WRONG IN THE TEMPLE 260

JESUS CONDEMNS THOSE WHO PRETEND TO BE GOOD 262

JESUS WARNS HIS DISCIPLES 263

JESUS CURES A BLIND MAN 264

JESUS TELLS WHAT HE CAME TO DO 265

JESUS BRINGS LAZARUS BACK TO LIFE 266

JESUS PRAISES A WOMAN WHO GAVE HER BEST 268

JESUS EATS THE LAST SUPPER WITH HIS DISCIPLES 268

JESUS ENCOURAGES HIS FRIENDS AND HELPERS 269

JESUS IS SEIZED BY THE MOB 271

JESUS IN THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES 272

JESUS IS CRUCIFIED BY HIS ENEMIES 274

JESUS CONQUERS DEATH 276

JESUS WALKS AND TALKS WITH TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES 277

JESUS GIVES HIS LAST COMMAND TO HIS HELPERS 278

THE WONDERS OF THE DAY OF PENTECOST 280

THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE 281

THE GENEROSITY OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS 283

STEPHEN THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR 284

PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN 286

PETER AND THE ROMAN OFFICER 287

PETER'S ESCAPE FROM PRISON 289

PAUL'S ACCOUNT OF WHAT HE SAW AND HEARD ON HIS WAY TO DAMASCUS 290

THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT ANTIOCH 291

PAUL AND BARNABAS IN FOREIGN LANDS 292

WHY PAUL WENT TO MACEDONIA 295

PAUL AND SILAS IN MACEDONIA 296

PAUL'S GREAT SPEECH AT ATHENS 298

PAUL WRITES TO HIS FRIENDS AT THESSALONICA 299

PAUL'S WORK AT CORINTH 301

PAUL WRITES TO HIS FRIENDS IN CORINTH 301

THE NEW LIFE AFTER DEATH 304

WAYS OF SHOWING LOVE 305

PAUL'S TRIALS AND VICTORIES AT EPHESUS 305

PAUL WRITES TO THE CHRISTIANS AT ROME 307

PAUL'S LAST JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM 308

PAUL'S NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH 310

A PRISONER WHO PREACHED TO HIS JUDGES 313

PAUL'S SHIPWRECK 315

THE END OF PAUL'S LONG JOURNEY 318

PAUL'S LAST WORDS TO HIS FRIENDS 319

THE MEANING OF FAITH 321

THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING WHAT IS RIGHT 322

THE LOVE THAT MAKES MEN BROTHERS 323

THE GLORY AND HONOR THAT JESUS HAS WON 324

THE REWARD OF THE FAITHFUL 326

THE NEW HEAVEN ON EARTH 327

ILLUSTRATIONS

IN COLOR

"The Lord Is My Shepherd" Painted by W. L. Taylor Cover

"Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me" Painted by W. L. Taylor Title page

FACING PAGE Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness Painted by W. L. Taylor 14

Rebekah Comes to Isaac Painted by W. L. Taylor 18

Saul and David Painted by W. L. Taylor 90

The Parting of Elijah and Elisha Painted by W. L. Taylor 138

The Prophet Isaiah Painted by W. L. Taylor 148

"Lo, Children Are a Heritage of the Lord" Painted by W. L. Taylor 194

"I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Unto the Hills" Painted by W. L. Taylor 198

The Nativity Painted by W. L. Taylor 223

The Three Wise Men Painted by W. L. Taylor 224

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" Painted by W. L. Taylor 226

Seeking the Lost Sheep Painted by Herbert Moore 242

The Prodigal Son Painted by Herbert Moore 244

The Good Samaritan Painted by Herbert Moore 250

Among the Lowly Painted by L. L'hermitte 256

IN DUOTONE

FACING PAGE

Building the Tower of Babel Painted by J. James Tissot 10

The Testing of Abraham Painted by Fritz von Uhde 16

Joseph Converses with Judah, His Brother Painted by J. James Tissot 36

The Finding of Moses Painted by Juliaan de Vriendt 42

Ruth Painted by Henry Ryland 76

Daniel's Answer to the King Painted by Briton Riviere 166

Esther Denouncing Haman Painted by Ernest Normand 174

Christ and the Fishermen Painted by E. Zimmerman 228

Raising the Daughter of Jairus Painted by Leon Gerome 236

Christ with Mary and Martha Painted by H. Siemiradzki 238

The Sower Painted by Herbert Moore 240

Christ on the Hilltop Painted by C. A. Slade 252

Christ in the Temple Painted by C. A. Slade 260

The Last Supper 268

The Walk to Emmaus Painted by Eugene Girardet 278

St. Paul Preaching at Athens Painted by Raphael 298

THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE

THE STORY OF CREATION

In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth, and while the earth was still unformed, God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then God separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day and the darkness Night. And there was an evening and a morning, making the first day.

And God said, "Let there be a sky and let it divide the waters that are below from the waters that are above the sky." And it was done. And God called the sky the Heavens. And there was an evening and a morning, making the second day.

And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be brought together, and let the dry land appear." And it was done. And God called the dry land Earth and the waters that were brought together Seas. And God saw that it was good.

And God said, "Let plants and trees grow from the earth." And it was done. And plants and trees grew from the earth, each plant bringing forth its own kind of seed and each tree its own kind of fruit, and God saw that it was good. And there was an evening and a morning, making the third day.

And God said, "Let there be lights in the heavens to separate the night from the day. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, the days, and the years. Let them be lights in the heavens to light the earth." And it was done. So God made the two great lights (the sun and the moon): the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night. God made the stars also and placed them in the heavens to throw light upon the earth. And God saw that it was good. And there was an evening and a morning, making the fourth day.

And God said, "Let the waters bring forth many living creatures and let birds fly above the earth and in the sky." And God made large sea-monsters and all kinds of living creatures with which the waters abound, and all kinds of birds. And God saw that it was good. And he blessed them, saying, "Increase and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was an evening and a morning, making the fifth day.

And God said, "Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures, cattle and creeping things and wild beasts." And it was done. So God made all the different kinds of wild beasts, and the cattle, and everything that crawls upon the ground. And God saw that it was good.

And God said, "Let us make man like ourselves. Let him rule over the fish in the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the wild beasts and all the living things that crawl upon the ground." And God made man like himself, like God he made him. He made them male and female.

And God blessed them, and said to them, "Have children, increase, live all over the earth, and conquer it; rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that crawls upon the ground."

And God said, "See, to you I give every plant which grows on all the earth, and every tree which bears fruit with its own kind of seed. It shall be food for you. And to every wild beast and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that crawls on the earth and is alive, I give every green herb for food." And it was done.

And when God saw everything that he had made, he saw that it was very good. And there was an evening and a morning, making the sixth day.

And the heavens and the earth were finished and all that there was in them. And on the seventh day when God had finished the work which he had done, he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, for in it he rested from all the work which he had done.

GOD'S GOOD GIFTS TO MAN

At the time when Jehovah made earth and heaven, no trees or plants grew on the earth, for Jehovah had not yet sent the rain; and there was no man to till the soil; but a mist rose from the earth and watered the ground.

Then Jehovah made man out of dust taken from the ground and breathed into him the breath of life; and man became a living being. And Jehovah planted a garden in Eden, far in the East; and out of the ground he made grow all kinds of trees that are pleasant to look at and good for food, also the tree of life and the tree that gives the knowledge of good and evil.

Then Jehovah took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and to care for it. And Jehovah gave the man this command: "You may eat all you wish from every tree of the garden, except from the tree that gives the knowledge of good and evil; from this you shall not eat, for if you eat from it you shall surely die."

Then Jehovah said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a companion for him." So out of the ground Jehovah made all the wild beasts and birds, and brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever he called each living thing that became its name. But for the man himself there was found no companion suited to him.

Then Jehovah made the man fall into a deep sleep; and while he slept, he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The rib which he had taken from the man, Jehovah made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "Because she was made from my body, she shall be called Woman."

THE FIRST DISOBEDIENCE

Now the serpent was more deceitful than any other animal that Jehovah had made; and it said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" The woman answered, "We may eat of the fruit of all the trees of the garden except the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, for God has said, 'You shall not eat from it, nor shall you touch it; for if you do, you shall die.'" Then the serpent said to the woman, "You shall not surely die; for God knows that as soon as you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will know what is good and what is evil."

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, beautiful to look at and that it would make her wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, so that they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together and made girdles for themselves. When they heard the sound of the footsteps of Jehovah, as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, the man and his wife hid from him among the trees of the garden.

And Jehovah called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" and he answered, "I heard the sound of thy footsteps in the garden and I was afraid, because I was naked; so I hid myself." Jehovah said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I forbade you to eat?" The man answered, "The woman whom thou didst give to me—she gave me fruit from the tree and I ate." Jehovah said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman replied, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Then Jehovah said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you shall be hated more than all beasts. You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust all your life, and men and serpents shall always be enemies. They shall bruise your head, and you shall wound them on the heel."

To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your trouble and your pain, and you shall be subject to your husband, and he shall rule over you."

But to the man he said, "Because you have listened to your wife and have eaten of the tree from which I forbade you to eat, as long as you live you shall earn a living only by hard work. By hard work shall you raise food to eat. And you shall die and your body go back to the ground, for from dust you were made, and to dust you shall return!"