There are three really good Catholic Study Bibles that I would recommend: The Ignatius Study Bible, the Navarre Bible, and the Haydock Douay-Rheims Bible.
So, which study Bible to get? Well, it depends on what you want. Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch are working on the Ignatius Study Bible, which uses the Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition. I have several volumes, and I think they’re great. The notes are very clear, there are ample maps, and there are occasional mini-essays dedicated to important passages for Catholics, or particularly important Greek words that are difficult to translate. The introductory essays are also very good. The main problem with this version is that it is a work-in-progress. It is being released book-by-book, and most of the New Testament has been completed. A single version of the complete New Testament is expected to be released late this year or early next year. The Old Testament won’t be finished for several years. Once totally complete, many people think that this will become the new standard in Catholic study Bibles. This is the version to get if you’re looking for a good, orthodox, in-depth study of the background and interpretation of the Bible.
As far as the Navarre Bible, it is also outstanding, and also uses the Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition. It has several distinctive features. First, it’s complete. Second, it’s available in three versions: a 10-volume hardbound set, a 12-volume paperback New Testament, and an abridged single-volume New Testament. The longer versions contain the text of the Bible, the commentary, and the entire Nova Vulgata, along with long introductory essays. The abridged volume drops the Nova Vulgata and shortens the introductory essays. The hardbound version is almost of heirloom quality; it is very well made. The Navarre is printed by Scepter Press, the publishing arm of Opus Dei, so you KNOW it’s going to be orthodox. The Navarre tends to be more of an exceptional devotional Bible than a rigorous scholarly study Bible. The great thing is that both Bibles present something completely different. You could read both and learn totally different things. If you search
Amazon.com, I think you can search inside the books so you can compare passages and see which version you like best.
I might also recommend the Douay-Rheims Bible with Haydock Commentary. This was a Bible commentary written by a Father Haydock in the mid-nineteenth century. It’s very orthodox also, and is known for utilizing a tremendous number of quotes from the Early Church Fathers themselves. If you want to know what the great theologians had to say about various passages, all in one place, than this is also a great resource. Not all Douay-Rheims Bibles have the Haydock Commentary, so search carefully. There aren’t that many versions out there, and they tend to be about $100-$125. I should also point out that it’s available online for free viewing. (Although I’ll have to search for the link).
