As a Catholic, can i keep my protestant bibles?

[TraditionalCath]

i have 2 protestant bibles,. one is the Gideon bible, and the other one is the New International Version bible. are we supposed to keep protestant bibles? if not, why not? does the church forbid keeping protestant bibles?

 

[mainusch]

i have 2 protestant bibles,. one is the Gideon bible, and the other one is the New International Version bible. are we supposed to keep protestant bibles? if not, why not? does the church forbid keeping protestant bibles?

I hope not. I have about ten different translations around the house, most of which are not “catholic.” I also refer to several online (bible.crosswalk.com).

I’ve always been of the mind that when digging into scripture, since translations from greek and particularly hebrew cannot be done perfectly into english, it’s good to read from more than one translation; one being a dynamic translation, and the other a more literal translation. Sometimes I’ll read the same verse in several translations in hopes that one will help shed light on the other.

Of course, protestant translations don’t help much when you’re reading from one of the “deuterocanonical” books (ie Tobit, Sirach, Wisdom, etc) since they have removed them from their Bibles. (except, interestingly enough, the King James Version, which still had them in the 1611 version… but I digress)

Now, some non-catholic translations are definitely to be avoided. Some have literally changed (ahem, “corrected”) some verses in order to line up with the particular theology of the translators. Most mainstream Protestant translations are pretty good though, to the best of my knowledge.

Always bear in mind, however, that any translation WILL be somewhat colored by the beliefs of the translator. This cannot be helped.

 

[lak611]

This was answered in Ask an Apologist in this thread.

 

[DebChris]

There is no reason not keep keep your old Bibles. You can learn from any translation. For several years I would read a different translation each year, keeping in mind that the liturgy is NAB.

 

[puzzleannie]

there are two very recent threads asking this same question. my advice to RCIA candidates is that if you have a version that aids you in private devotion, or helps you find what you need, keep it for reference. keep a bible with family or sentimental attachment (your grandmother’s bible for instance, or your wedding bible). Then get a good Catholic study bible for your own use.

 

[mercygate]

Roger all the above. And DON"T get rid of your STRONG’s EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE!!! Even though there are web based search tools, there’s nothing like the heft and comfort of Strong’s Exhaustive!

 

[estesbob]

i have 2 protestant bibles,. one is the Gideon bible, and the other one is the New International Version bible. are we supposed to keep protestant bibles? if not, why not? does the church forbid keeping protestant bibles?

Its ok but I would stay away from the footnotes.

 

[Jerry-Jet]

If you Know that Protestant bibles have changed the translation of the scriptures to promote doctrinal lies then why read them?

All Protestant translations lie about 2 Corinthians 2:10 and translate it as Paul forgiving the Incestuous Corinthian “In the presence of Christ” instead of what it really says “In the Person of Christ” because they can’t stand the fact that the bible teaches confession and absolution.

The only Protestant version that doesn’t do that is the KJV and it lies about John 3:16. The bible really says “may not perish” and “may inherit” eternal life–not “shall not perish” and “shall inherit eternal life”.

So if you didn’t know that Protestant translations are doctrinal lies you do now.

And the Council of Trent said that the Vulgate could be used in any disputations.

No other translation can say that!

What part of “any disputations” and what part of the Authority of the Ecumenical Council of Trent do some Catholics not understand?

The bottom line is the closer you get to the Vulgate the more accurate you get so why mess with Bibles that are inaccurate not on small things but on doctrinal things that matter!

That’s not to say that the Vulgate is perfect–just that it is better than anything else!

Now you’ll hear of chorus of people who will tell you a million reasons to use bibles that are far aweay from the Vlgate but you’ll never hear them make one argument–

And that is that bibles other than the Vulgate are DOCTRINALLY superior!

Why? Because it isn’t so! And how can you know that that is so? Because the Catholic Church has never said that about any translation other than the vulgate!

Prove that one is doctrinally superior to the Vulgate!

You won’t hear any Catholic make that argument here–though an argument might could be made that the Nova Vulgata is superior.

Bottom line: Protestant translations are Protestant for a reason: the translation decisions they make come from translators who at the heart of their souls protest against the Catholic Church!

By definition their translation choices will be on the whole Inferior!

I wouldn’t throw away Protestant bibles because in Non doctrinal areas they can have superior translation to the Vulgate or to the Douay Rheims that is based on the Vulgate.

If there ever is a translation question that comes down to doctrine, though–take that Proteastant translation, throw it in the fire, and read a translation that is closer to what the Catholic Church says is the truth!