Easter Gifts: Finding Growth and New Life

Tyndale House Publishers

Easter is often a time where faith is strengthened, hope is renewed, and a sense of purpose is discovered. From children to adults, engaging or reengaging with the story of Christ’s sacrifice and powerful victory over death can be a catalyst for deeper understand of who God is and our role in his continuing story. As you prepare for Easter, consider giving a gift of growth and new life with a New Living Translation Bible. Whether it’s for a seasoned believer, someone just starting the journey, or someone seeking where to begin, when people read an NLT Bible, they are encountering the living Word. It’s an invitation to go deeper, to explore the depths of God’s abounding love, and to find new life in Christ.

Here are some suggestions for Bibles to help you or those you love find growth and new life.

For Kids:

Hands-On Bible

The Hands-On Bible makes God’s Word come alive in a kid’s world. It’s a kids Bible, but it’s not a storybook Bible. The entire text of the accurate and easy-to-understand New Living Translation is included. This full-color Bible is packed with weird facts, captivating experiments, colorful graphics, and more, getting all the senses involved as your kids engage with God’s Word, discover his truth, and have so much fun! See all the options

Boys Life Application Study Bible

Filled with hundreds of notes and colorful features, the Boys Life Application Study Bible is easy to use and helps answer questions that preteen boys may have about God and life. As they read the text of the New Living Translation, they are encouraged to go deeper and discover how to think biblically about real issues they face, such as self-esteem, friendship, and peer pressure. Help them get rooted in Scripture and discover God’s will for their lives. Learn more

Girls Life Application Study Bible

A one-of-a-kind discipleship resource, the Girls Life Application Study Bible helps girls draw closer to God and establish healthy relationships with those around them. It includes over 800 Life Application notes, plus full-color features that are designed to help girls learn more about the Bible, understand the big story, meet Jesus, know what it means to follow him, learn how to share their faith with others, and gain practical faith and relationship skills that will help them live out what they believe. Learn more

Inspire Bible for Girls and More!

The Inspire Bible for Girls is designed to draw girls deeper into God’s Word and to inspire creativity and connection with God. Over 500 beautiful, full- and partial-page Scripture line-art illustrations to color are attractively displayed throughout the Bible. In addition, there are devotionals, journaling prompts, and interesting Bible facts to enhance girls’ coloring and creative journaling journey through the Bible. Girls can leave traces of their faith throughout their Bible for a unique treasure that will truly inspire! Explore Inspire Bible for Girls

And don’t forget our other titles in the Inspire Bible line. These bestselling coloring and journaling Bibles are perfect for girls and women of all ages. Discover more

The EPIC Bible

Created by some of DC’s and Marvel’s best comic book artists, The Epic Bible transports readers through a visual journey of Scripture. From Eden to eternity, this stunning hardcover edition engages even the most reluctant readers with brilliant and dramatic full-color graphic art. Packed with action and powerfully illustrated, The Epic Bible brings a fresh, lifelike view of Creation, the story of the Israelites, Jesus’ life on earth, and the early church. Learn more

For Teens:

Teen Life Application Study Bible

The Teen Life Application Study Bible is filled with features designed to meet the challenges and needs of today’s high school students. Combining traditional study Bible features like book introductions, textual notes, person profiles, and maps with application-oriented features focusing on choices, real-life issues, and real-life stories of actual teens, the Teen Life Application Study Bible helps answer the tough questions and grounds teens in their faith. Order now

Streetlights New Testament

Linking to remarkably creative audio and video resources, the NLT Streetlights New Testament explains Christian truth to young people and serves as a basic discipleship tool for ministries. Its unique tone and approach to the gospel break down traditional barriers to engaging God’s Word and illuminate a pathway for discovering God’s truth. Experience it

New Believer’s Bible

The New Believer’s Bible is a perfect resource for people who are seeking answers but don’t know where to start. Uniquely created for new Christians, it helps them to read, study, and apply God’s Word to their lives. The trusted and easy-to-understand New Living Translation, combined with features that make the Bible accessible, lets readers quickly engage with God’s Word, allowing them to take that next step so they can deepen their relationship with God. Order now

Immerse: The Reading Bible

Ever had a book you just couldn’t put down? Immerse: The Reading Bible takes away all the distractions and gets you right into the story. With no chapter and verse numbers and a cover that feels more like a novel than a Bible, it’s like reading the Bible for the first time. Start falling in love with the Bible all over again. Learn more

For Young Adults and Beyond:

Student Life Application Study Bible

The Student Life Application Study Bible is in a class of its own. It goes beyond the ordinary presentation and limited resources of other student Bibles with more than 27,000 on-page and in-app study notes and a full-color interior design, marrying historic illumination with clean modern elegance. Access to the Filament Bible app opens a world of resources, including study notes, hundreds of videos, interactive maps and infographics, and a full audio Bible—and that’s just the beginning! Learn more

The One Year Chronological Study Bible

The One Year Chronological Study Bible takes you on a journey from creation to eternity in the order the action took place, as lessons were learned, and as kingdoms rose and fell. This is the story of God’s dealings with his people from generation to generation. The engaging text of the New Living Translation is broken down into 365 daily readings. Each reading includes a daily introduction and concludes with reflective discovery questions. Throughout the Bible, you will encounter five building blocks that help create a better understanding of the story. Using the easy-to-follow 14-era format, you’ll be guided through the expansive timeline of the Bible, see the unfolding of God’s work among His people, and encounter your place in God’s grand story. Start your journey

Courage For Life Study Bible for Men and Women

The Courage For Life Study Bible for Women and the Courage For Life Study Bible for Men each have 1,464 Bible studies—that’s a Bible study on every page of Bible text—so you’ll be pointed in the right direction no matter where in the Bible you’re reading. And with access to the Filament Bible app, you can dive even deeper. As you read, just scan the page number to open a world of resources, including over 25,000 additional study notes, hundreds of videos, interactive maps and infographics, and a full audio Bible—and that’s just the beginning! In the accurate New Living Translation, these Bibles offer a pathway to transformation as you grow in your understanding of God and of your role in his story. Learn more

Filament Bible Collection

These beautifully crafted Bibles offer a simple and engaging reading experience. And with access to the Filament Bible app, you can turn your text Bible into a study Bible. As you read, just scan the page number to open a world of resources, including over 25,000 additional study notes, hundreds of videos, interactive maps and infographics, and a full audio Bible—and there’s more! Find out more

If God is so good, why do bad things happen to his people?

Tyndale House Publishers

Article from the New Believer’s Bible

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:3-5, NLT

Sickness, war, accidents, natural disasters, tragedies—they come indiscriminately to the just and the unjust,
the Christian and the non-Christian, the moral and the immoral. If God is so good and all-powerful, why doesn’t he just wipe out evil things in this world? This question often arises after a tragedy, especially when it affects people we think should be protected from such things. God originally created the world perfect. But he also gave human beings the freedom to choose to obey him or to disobey him. When Adam sinned, death and suffering became an inevitable part of life (see Romans 5:12).

God will allow many events to come into our lives—good things, bad things; things that make sense, things that make no sense at all. Every one of these incidents serves as a part of his plan for us. Tragedy in itself is never good. But in his grace, God can take tragedy and hardship and use them for his glory. As God’s children, we know that God loves us and protects us. And when we experience more than we can handle, we can rely on God’s strength to get us through it. For this reason, we can rejoice even “when we run into problems and trials” (Romans 5:

3). We have the assurance that God is working in our lives to strengthen and develop our characters.

 

When something unexpected comes into the picture, we may wonder if God is paying attention. That’s when we need to realize that God is painting on a large canvas. He is looking at the big picture. We see only what is in front of us at the given moment.

When we gave our lives to Jesus Christ, we entered into the master plan that God has for us. He has promised to make everything work together for the good of those who love him (see Romans 8:28). Not just the good things—everything.

Learn more about the New Believers Bible

Connecting in God’s Word

Tyndale House Publishers

When we think of the Bible, we often relate it to our own personal quiet time with God or maybe to a special gift that could encourage a loved one into a deeper conversation with God. But have you thought about the Bible as a way to connect with your community? Looking to come together as a church in God’s Word or want to make an impact in your broader community, here are a few ideas:

Streetlights New Testament brings audio and print together in an exciting new format. Working with our friends at Streetlights Bible, we have been able to create a Bible portion that resonates with the urban generation. With the scan of a QR code, readers link to remarkably creative study content and audio resources that explain Christian truth and serve as a basic discipleship tool. Its unique tone and approach to the gospel have a strong appeal to many who are searching for an unconventional way to connect with God’s Word.

Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience was created for reading in community. The entire Bible is split into six volumes complete with reading plans, videos, and other resources to help your church, book club, Bible study, or neighborhood group engage in God’s Word together. Immerse removes many of the barriers which make Bible reading difficult, paving the way for deep connection with God and others through the Scriptures.

Filament Bible Journal Collection will be releasing at the end of the year and is perfect for Bible studies, sermon series, and outreach. Each journal is a book or series of books from the New Testament. They have a single-column format and every other page is blank, which is perfect for note-taking. Scan a page with a phone or tablet and you’ll have access to the Filament Bible app’s content for the book or books you are studying.

The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Church is a dynamic way to connect with people around the world who are being persecuted for their faith. Created with The Voice of the Martyrs, this Bible uses The One Year Bible reading plan, and each day’s reading includes a prayer prompt focusing on requests from our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. As a church, why not spend a month focusing on praying for people being persecuted for their faith and then give the people in your church community the opportunity to continue to pray all year using The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible? One in eight Christians around the world are persecuted for their faith, and their first request is for us to pray. Let’s do it!

Inspire Portions allow your community to get creative while studying God’s Word. These coloring-book-style Bible portions provide a way to reach out to people looking to engage with God’s Word in a more tactile way. They feature high-quality art paper that works well with all art supplies so you can start a Bible journaling study or group. Coloring and creative art-journaling options appear throughout the portions, and the Bible text is displayed beautifully in a single-column, wide-margin, spacious layout.

New Believer’s New Testament is a great Bible to start answering some of the most common questions people have about the Bible. This softcover New Testament is perfect for an outreach ministry, for those who are just starting their faith journey, or for helping equip people who want to reach out to those in their lives who have questions about what it means to have a relationship with God.

Outreach Bibles are economy-priced, full-text Bibles available only in bulk order. Designed for outreach efforts, these Bibles include resources like how to become a Christian and basics on how to use a Bible. They are available in softcover full size, large print, children’s edition, and New Testament portion.

Don’t just study the Bible; apply its truth to your life

Tyndale House Publishers

First Steps Article from the New Believer’s Bible

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” Psalm 1:1-3, NLT

Believers’ happiness or joy comes both from what they do and from what they don’t do. First, they don’t let ungodly people influence them. Psalm 1 says they do not “follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers” (Psalm 1:1). Instead, they do fill their hearts and minds with God’s Word: “They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night” (Psalm 1:2).

Have you ever eaten your food so quickly that you could not enjoy or savor its taste? Reading God’s Word quickly is like inhaling your food. To truly understand the Bible, we need to slow down, read the passage more than once, and think about it. As we meditate on God’s Word, we will come to know what is right and true. To meditate on Scripture means to ponder, consider, and “chew on” its great truths.

While it is excellent to read through the Bible, to study it, and to memorize it, the truth of God’s Word must also sink in. We must apply what we learn to our lives. It’s not the way we mark our Bibles that’s important, but the way our Bibles mark us. What we meditate on must affect the way we live.

When we meditate on God’s Word and apply its truths to our lives, we will experience the promise in Psalm 1 of living a spiritually fruitful life.

Don’t Just Study the Bible; Apply it to Your Life

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” Psalm 1:1-3, NLT

Note from the New Believer’s Bible

Believers’ happiness or joy comes both from what they do and from what they don’t do. First, they don’t let ungodly people influence them. Psalm 1 says they do not “follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers” (Psalm 1:1). Instead, they do fill their hearts and minds with God’s Word: “They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night” (Psalm 1:2).

Have you ever eaten your food so quickly that you could not enjoy or savor its taste? Reading God’s Word quickly is like inhaling your food. To truly understand the Bible, we need to slow down, read the passage more than once, and think about it. As we meditate on God’s Word, we will come to
know what is right and true. To meditate on Scripture means to ponder, consider, and “chew on” its great truths.

While it is excellent to read through the Bible, to study it, and to memorize it, the truth of God’s Word must also sink in. We must apply what we learn to our lives. It’s not the way we mark our Bibles that’s important, but the way our Bibles mark us. What we meditate on must affect the way we live.

When we meditate on God’s Word and apply its truths to our lives, we will experience the promise in Psalm 1 of living a spiritually fruitful life.

Learn more about New Believer’s Bible

The Holy Spirit’s Work

Note from the New Believer’s Bible

“Peter replied, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.'” Acts 2:38-39, NLT

The Holy Spirit has been given to all believers to deepen our spiritual walk and to enable us to impact our world for Jesus Christ. This passage illustrates three aspects of the Holy Spirit’s unique work in the lives of believers:

The Holy Spirit Fills All Believers.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was given to a select few individuals and only when they needed to perform specific tasks. This chapter indicates a change in that pattern. The Holy Spirit was poured out on all the believers in the house that day (Acts 2:4), and he was present in each of their lives from that day forward.This outpouring of the Holy Spirit was used by God to establish the church—and to spread the message of the gospel to everyone everywhere (see Acts 2:39).

The Holy Spirit Draws Attention to the Savior. Notice that Peter did not focus on the unique happening that had just taken place but turned the crowd’s attention to the message of Jesus Christ and their need to repent and receive forgiveness. When the Holy Spirit fills our lives, he will increase our ability to share the gospel with others.

The Holy Spirit Inspired Peter’s Message.
Peter’s sermon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, led many in the crowd to a point of decision: “What should we do?” (Acts 2:37). The people were attracted not to Peter but to his message. The Holy Spirit worked powerfully that day, and three thousand people responded to the message. This shows us the Holy Spirit is the one who leads people to Christ. We must be open to the ways in which he wants to work through us.

The Holy Spirit is promised to all who repent and receive Jesus Christ into their lives. Many people fail to understand who the Holy Spirit is and what dimension of power is available to them through him. It may help to examine what took place after the disciples received the filling of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had promised (see Acts 1:8).

Look inside the New Believer’s Bible

 

God Loves You Reading Plan: Day 3

“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

“I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

“And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.” Luke 12:6-12, NLT

Note from the New Believer’s Bible

As this parable illustrates, it is easy to allow other pursuits to cloud our spiritual vision. We have to make enough money to get that new car, buy that house, or take that dream vacation.

But we get so caught up in chasing after money and success that we leave God out of the equation altogether. Jesus has strong words for people who store up earthly wealth but fail to cultivate a rich relationship with God—he says they are fools.

God’s answer to this dilemma is for us to focus on his will for our lives. Jesus said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33). The more you channel your energy, ambition, and life into this one holy pursuit, the less obsessed you will be with the cares and concerns of this world.

Everything else will come into balance. Seek God’s Kingdom in all that you do. Failure to do so will only guarantee confusion, failure, and emptiness.

Look inside the New Believer’s Bible

Share Your Story

In front of King Agrippa Paul shares his story of transformation after meeting Christ. Read this passage from Acts and the note from the New Believer’s Bible. Then reflect on why should we always be willing to share our story?

“‘One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’

‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.

‘And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’

‘And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.'” Acts 26:12-13, NLT.

Note from the New Believer’s Bible

A useful tool in our evangelistic toolbox is the story—also called our testimony—of how we came to personally know Jesus Christ. Paul often used this method effectively, such as in this account of his appearing before King Agrippa. After explaining how Paul had personally come into a relationship with Christ, he segued into the proclamation of the gospel message (Acts 26:19-23).

Every believer has a testimony. Some may be more dramatic than others. Such was the case with Paul, formerly the notorious Saul of Tarsus, who had been an aggressive persecutor of the church. Whether your testimony is incredible or ordinary, your personal salvation story will help you find common ground with nonbelievers.

You can tell them about your life and attitude before coming to Christ, then explain the changes that came afterward. When nonbelievers see that you can relate to their own lives, they may be more open to what you have to say. The objective in evangelism is to build a bridge, not burn one. Your testimony is a great way to do that.

Why don’t you take a moment to think about the changes that have taken place in your life since you became a Christian? You may even want to write down your testimony so that you will be ready to share it at the next opportunity.

Take a look inside the New Believer’s Bible

Greg Laurie Share His Excitement about the Updated New Believer’s Bible

Where Is God In Suffering? Day 2

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Why are you so far away when I groan for help?

Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.

Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.

Our ancestors trusted in you,
and you rescued them.

They cried out to you and were saved.
They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

But I am a worm and not a man.
I am scorned and despised by all!

Everyone who sees me mocks me.
They sneer and shake their heads, saying,

‘Is this the one who relies on the Lord?
Then let the Lord save him!

If the Lord loves him so much,
let the Lord rescue him!’

Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb
and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.

I was thrust into your arms at my birth.
You have been my God from the moment I was born.

Do not stay so far from me,
for trouble is near,
and no one else can help me.

My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls;
fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in!

Like lions they open their jaws against me,
roaring and tearing into their prey.

My life is poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax,
melting within me.

My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.

My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
an evil gang closes in on me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.

I can count all my bones.
My enemies stare at me and gloat.

They divide my garments among themselves
and throw dice for my clothing.

O Lord, do not stay far away!
You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!

Save me from the sword;
spare my precious life from these dogs.

Snatch me from the lion’s jaws
and from the horns of these wild oxen.

I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you among your assembled people.

Praise the Lord, all you who fear him!
Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob!
Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!

For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.
He has not turned his back on them,
but has listened to their cries for help.

I will praise you in the great assembly.
I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.

The poor will eat and be satisfied.
All who seek the Lord will praise him.
Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.

The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him.
All the families of the nations will bow down before him.

For royal power belongs to the Lord.
He rules all the nations.

Let the rich of the earth feast and worship.
Bow before him, all who are mortal,
all whose lives will end as dust.

Our children will also serve him.
Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.

His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.
They will hear about everything he has done.” Psalm 22, NLT

Note from the New Believer’s Bible

Psalm 22 is one of the most dramatic scriptural descriptions of what happened when Jesus died on the cross. What makes this so amazing is that it was written a thousand years before the Crucifixion took place.

The Medes, Persians, and Assyrians devised this horrible form of death, spreading it throughout the East. The Romans borrowed it from the Phoenicians and then took it to another level. They crucified thousands of people.

And yet Psalm 22 reads as a vivid eyewitness account of Jesus’ crucifixion. It is one of the most amazing messianic prophecies anywhere in Scripture. Jesus quoted directly from it as he hung on the cross (Matthew 27:46).

Look inside the New Believer’s Bible