The Road to Heaven (How to Be Saved) We are separated from God by sin. Everyone has sinned by disobeying God. We all fall short of the glory of God.
Read Romans 3:23. God has taken the first step in rescuing us. While we were still sinners, God showed His love toward us by sending His Son Jesus to die in our place.
Read Romans 5:8. God gives the gift of everlasting life. Even though our sin has earned us death, God has given us the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Read Romans 6:23. Believe in Jesus’ death as the payment for your sins. God loved the world so much that He gave Jesus, His one and only Son, so that anybody who believes in Him will not really die, but will have everlasting life.
Read John 3:16. Just ask Jesus to be your Savior now! If you mean it with all your heart, believing that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Read Romans 10:9.
My Decision Record I
have Name
this day
accepted Date
the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.
Signature
“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” — 1 John 5:11, 12
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How to Use This Bible
God’s Word Is Good ...
Good to read, good to keep, good to learn, good to explore, good to pray, and so much more. The Bible is God’s Word to us. God uses the Bible to teach us, guide us, help us, correct us, and change us to be more like Him. Your NKJV Early Readers Bible will help you begin the life-long practice of reading, memorizing, and studying God’s Word. Several of the features (like the Bible reading plans, memorization charts, and maps) are interactive. That means, for example, that you are asked to answer quizzes and record your progress in reading, or connect cities with copy that describes them in maps. A ballpoint pen or pencil (no markers or roller ball pens) will work best on this Bible’s paper. Let’s take a look at some of the special features this Bible has to help you get started.
Good Information
In the front of this Bible you will find a number of helpful articles that talk about how the Bible came to be, the men who wrote the books of the Bible, how you can study the Bible, where to find certain Bible topics, the importance of discipline, and more.
God’s Word Is Good to Learn
Have you ever wondered when certain events in the Bible took place? “God’s Word Is Good to Learn” gives you a historical time line to help you see when things in the Bible happened and what was going on in world history at that time.
God’s Word Is Good to Read
Have you ever wondered just how to get started on a good Bible reading plan? This section is your answer. There are ten different reading plans to help you read through the Bible. Take a look.
God’s Word Is Good to Keep
Have you always wanted to memorize more Bible verses, but just didn’t know what verses to choose? The first “track,” or plan, in this section asks you to learn the books of the Bible so that you can find verses easily. Then you can begin by memorizing one verse each week for one year. When you’ve mastered that challenge, you can move on to learning passages and chapters.
God’s Word Is Good to Pray
You know you need to pray and talk with God, but sometimes you just don’t know what to say, or how to do it. In this feature, you’ll discover how men and women in
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1-Month Plan: Prophecies of Jesus Day 1
Gen. 3:15; Gal. 4:4 He would be born of a woman.
Day 2
Gen. 12:3; Rom. 9:5 He would come from Abraham’s family.
Day 7
Is. 60:3–9; Matt. 2:11 He would be worshiped by wise men and presented with gifts at birth.
Day 12
Day 3
Is.40:3–5; Mal.3:1; Matt. 3:1–3; Luke1:76–78 He would have a forerunner, someone who would come before Him, telling about Him.
Day 8
Day 17
Day 22
Day 9
Jer.31:15;Matt.2:17,18 Hos. 11:1; Matt. 2:15 Israel would mourn and He would live in Egypt cry about the slaughter for a while. (murder) of many innocent children after His birth.
Day 13
Ps. 78:2; Matt. 13:34, Is. 53:4, 5; Matt. 8:16, 35 17 He would teach in para- He would heal many. bles.
Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:4, 5 He would make a triumphal (or kingly) entry into Jerusalem.
Day 4
Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:22, 23 His mother would be a virgin (a young unmarried woman) who obeyed God’s laws, and His name would be Immanuel, or “God with Us.”
Day 18
Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:2–7 He would come riding upon the colt of a donkey.
Day 23
Is. 53:12; Matt. 27:38; Mark 15:27, 28 He would be crucified between two thieves.
Ps. 22:15; 69:21; Matt. 27:34, 48; John 19:28–30 He would be thirsty and would be given sour wine and gall to drink.
Day 27
Day 28
Ps. 16:10; Matt. 28:2–7 Ps. 110:1; Matt. 22:44; He would be raised Heb. 10:12, 13 from the dead. He would be seated at God’s right hand.
Day 14
Day 5
Ps. 89:34–37; Luke 1:31–33 He would be a descendant of David and would be given the throne of King David.
Day 10
Judg. 13:5; Matt. 2:23 He would be called a Nazarene.
Day 15
Is. 53:1; John 12:37, 38 Is. 53:3; Matt. 26:37, His miracles would not 38 be believed. He would be a “man of sorrows.”
Day 19
Ps. 41:9; 55:12–14; Matt. 26:14–16; Luke 22:47 He would be betrayed by a friend.
Day 24
Ex. 12:46; Ps. 34:20; John 19:33–36 His bones would not be broken when He died.
Day 29
Ps. 109:8; Acts 1:20 The one who betrayed Him (Judas Iscariot) would be replaced as one of the twelve disciples by another man.
Day 20
Is. 50:6; Matt. 26:67; 27:26 He would be punished unjustly with whips and spat upon.
Day 25
Ps. 31:5; Luke 23:46 He would commend (give) His spirit to the Father.
Day 30
Ps. 2:9; Is. 9:1, 2; 42:1–4; Matt. 4:13–16; 12:17–21; Rev. 2:27 He would rule the Gentiles (non-Jewish people) and deal gently with them.
Day 6
Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:5, 6; Luke 2:4–6 He would be born in Bethlehem.
Day 11
Ps. 45:7; Luke 4:18, 19 He would be filled with God’s Spirit.
Day 16
Ps. 69:8; 118:22, 23; 53:3; Zech. 13:7; Matt. 21:42; 26:31, 56; John 1:11; 7:5; 1 Pet. 2:7 He would be rejected by His own people.
Day 21
Ps. 22:16, 18; Matt. 27:35; John 20:27 His death would include piercing of His hands and feet and casting of lots for His clothes.
Day 26
Is. 53:9; Matt. 27:57–60 He would be buried among the rich.
Day 31
Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:4–6; 7:11–28 He would become a greater high priest than Aaron.
1 / 19349/NELSON: Early Readers’ Illustrated Word List
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Illustrated Word List This illustrated word list will help you find the meanings of some of the words used in your Bible. It will also help you find some key passages using those words. The verse references give you the name of the Bible book, then the chapter, then the verses or verses. Thus, Luke 24:30–51 would be Luke, chapter 24, verses 30 through 51. See the abbreviations of the Bible books below. See also the key to pronunciation that shows how to use the pronunciations included with some of the words in the list. If you need additional verses for a word, look the word up in the longer concordance in this Bible and see if that word appears in more verses as well.
Abbreviations for the Books of the Bible Acts Amos 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Colossians 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Daniel Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Ephesians Esther Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Galatians Genesis Habakkuk Haggai Hebrews Hosea Isaiah
Acts Amos 1 Chr 2 Chr Col 1 Cor 2 Cor Dan Deut Eccles Eph Esther Ex Ezek Ezra Gal Gen Hab Hag Heb Hos Isa
James Jeremiah Job Joel John (Gospel) 1 John 2 John 3 John Jonah Joshua Jude Judges 1 Kings 2 Kings Lamentations Leviticus Luke Malachi Mark Matthew Micah Nahum
Jas Jer Job Joel Jn 1 Jn 2 Jn 3 Jn Jon Josh Jude Judg 1 Kgs 2 Kgs Lam Lev Lk Mal Mk Mt Mic Nah
Nehemiah Numbers Obadiah 1 Peter 2 Peter Philemon Philippians Proverbs Psalms Revelation Romans Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel Song of Solomon 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Zechariah Zephaniah
Key to Pronunciation ä ă ā â ĕ ē ı̄ ı̆
as in farm, father as in cat as in fame as in share, dare as in jet, met as in beat, street as in kite, shine as in sit, dim
ō ŏ ô ū û ŭ u oo oo
as in bone, boat as in bottle, gone as in shore, born as in cute, tune as in crude as in fuss as in burner as in pool as in foot ph is pronounced as f
Neh Num Obad 1 Pet 2 Pet Philem Phil Prov Ps Rev Rom Ruth 1 Sam 2 Sam Song 1 Thess 2 Thess 1 Tim 2 Tim Titus Zech Zeph
GOOD TO EXPLORE
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P aul ’ s M issionary Come with Paul and Barnabas as they sail for the Island of Cyprus! After telling many people about Jesus, they travel to Pamphylia, and from there to the cities of Galatia—Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium, and to Antioch in Pisidia. Can you find these cities on the map? What happens to Paul in Derbe? (Acts 14:19) What does he do in all these places? (Acts 14:21–23) On their second journey, Paul and Silas return to visit the new Christians in the churches they have started. But one of their most exciting adventures takes place in Macedonia (present-day Greece), where they go after they leave Galatia. After being arrested in Philippi, Paul and Silas are beaten and put in a dungeon. (Acts 16:23, 24) While they are singing hymns in the prison at midnight, there is a miracle! What is it? (Acts 16:25, 26) The poor jailer is sure all the prisoners have escaped and is about to kill himself when Paul speaks up. What happens next? (Acts 16:29–33) Paul sets out once more from Antioch to revisit the churches he has started in Galatia and Greece. (Acts 18:23) This time he goes on to Ephesus, where he stays for two years, teaching about Jesus and working miracles in His name. Back home in Jerusalem, Paul’s missionary work is interrupted when he is arrested in the temple on false charges. (Acts 21:30–33) He is held by Roman soldiers for many months before sailing to Rome to appeal to Caesar as a Roman citizen.
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GOOD TO EXPLORE
J ourneys
© 1991 Thomas Nelson, Inc.
h
Ahab Ahab
3 3
Ahab (āhab) An evil king of the northern kingdom of Israel in the time of Elijah; married Jezebel, a Sidonian princess, which caused religious turmoil; robbed Naboth of his vineyard and then caused his death (1 Kgs 16:29–22:40). alien A foreigner. give it to the a. Deut 14:21 Alleluia (ăl-le-lû’ia) Hallelujah; ‘‘Praise the Lord’’ (Rev 19:1, 3, 4, 6). Almighty, the God, as being all powerful. I am A. God Gen 17:1 as God A. Ex 6:3 Holy, holy, holy, Lord God A. Rev 4:8 Alpha and Omega (ăl’pha; ō-mē’ga) The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; hence, ‘‘the First and the Last.’’ Applied to God (Rev 1:8, 11; 21:6) and to Christ (Rev 22:13). altar Table of sacrifice. Noah built an a. Gen 8:20 Moses built an a. Ex 17:15 Am Exist; be. The reply to Moses’ question for the name of the Deity, ‘‘I AM WHO I AM’’ (Ex 3:14),
Angel of the Lord Angel of the Lord
indicates that the Lord makes Himself present as He wills. Amen Verily; so be it (Mt 6:13; Rev 3:14). Amos (ā’mos) A prophet of Israel; the first to proclaim that God is the ruler of the whole universe; foretold the downfall of the northern kingdom. The OT Book of Amos is the third of the 12 Minor Prophets. Ananias (ăn-a-nı̄ ’as) 1. A Christian of Jerusalem who lost his life for lying and attempting to hold back part of the price of property he had sold (Acts 5:1–10). 2. A Christian of Damascus who received Paul into Christian fellowship (Acts 9:10–17; 22:12–16). 3. A Jewish high priest before whom Paul was tried in Jerusalem (Acts 23:2; 24:1). Ancient of Days The judge in Daniel’s vision; probably intended to be God Himself (Dan 7:9, 13, 22). Andrew One of the first of the 12 apostles of Jesus; brother of Simon Peter (Mt 4:18; 10:2–4; Mk 1:16– 20, 29; 3:16–19; 13:3; 6:14–16; Jn 1:35–42, 44; 6:8; 12:20–22; 21:15– 17; Acts 1:13). He was a former disciple of John the Baptist (Jn 1:35– 40). See Simon. angel A heavenly messenger. an a. spoke to me 1 Kgs 13:18 a little lower than the a. Ps 8:5 a. came and ministered Mt 4:11 the a. Gabriel was sent Lk 1:26 a. of the bottomless pit Rev 9:11
altar
Angel of the Lord The heavenly messenger whose presence is evidence of God Himself (Gen 16:7; Ex 3:2; Num 22:23; 1 Kgs 19:7; Mt 28:2; Lk 1:11; 2:9).