Crossway releases ESV New Christian's Bible to help new believers
Crossway, a Christian ministry that publishes the English Standard Version Bible and Gospel-centered books, has released the ESV New Christian’s Bible, an edition created to help new believers navigate God’s word.
Described as the “perfect Bible for new Christians,” the version includes introductions to each book of the Bible, along with 30 sidebars along each passage explaining core Christian beliefs. Additionally, the Bible features four articles helping new believers understand the basic elements of the Bible: “What Is the Bible?” “How to Read the Bible,” “Where Do I Start?” and “Further Helps.”
The ESV’s New Christian Bible also includes accessible 30-day and one-year reading plans to help readers grow in their knowledge of Scripture.
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“The Bible can be daunting to a new believer,” notes Crossway. “The ESV New Christian’s Bible is a unique, affordable edition created specifically to help young Christians begin to navigate God’s Word for the first time.”
While the ESV New Christian’s Bible has been developed specifically for young Christians, the edition will also benefit seasoned believers seeking to cultivate a deeper knowledge of the Bible.
The English Standard Version is described as a “literal translation of the Bible in contemporary English.” Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes “word-for-word accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning.”
Crossway publishes the ESV in more than 200 print editions, from the popular ESV Thinline Bible to the best-selling ESV Study Bible.
The release of the ESV New Christian’s Bible comes on the heels of a study conducted by the Barna Group in partnership with the American Bible Association, which found that a deeper relationship with the word of God is the pathway to a more meaningful life.
The study found that for Americans in general, 60% say the Bible has “transformed their lives,” and Bible engagement was shown to have a positive influence on behaviors, including how they treat people of a different race than themselves; their support for refugees; and their decisions at work or school.
"Our research shows that when people engage with the Word, their lives are bettered," said Roy Peterson, president of American Bible Society. "They find wisdom, hope and healing. In today's sometimes turbulent times, the Bible can provide welcome answers."
The study also found that 21 million people are looking to the Bible for wisdom and guidance this year; 14.9 million people who were disengaged in 2018 have chosen to return and interact with the Bible, and 9.9 million "Bible-centered" adults have decreased their level of engagement with the Bible since last year.
"For those who are growing in their relationship with the Bible, the church is best positioned to help curious people find answers to their questions," said Peterson. "For others whose ties to the Bible may have loosened in recent days, the church can help them establish a lifelong practice of Bible engagement that will sustain them through life's storms."
The American Bible Society used a combination of online surveys and phone interviews between January and February to gather what they said is a representative sample of the U.S. population.
