Best Bible for 7th and 8th Grade Religion Classes

[runnerryan]

I’m going to be giving the 7th and 8th grade religion classes at my parish’s school an overview of the bible. What would be the best bible available to use as the required text for these students? For the purpose of this class it does need to be a full bible with commentary and notes, so unforunately the Navarre and Ignatius Press study bibles which I rely on so much myself won’t work for this class.

Thanks,

Fr. Ryan Larson

 

[tobinatorstark]

NAB St. Joseph Medium Size Edition. It was the Bible I used all through Catholic School and used in CCD afterwards. My Christ Renews His Parish Group also uses it. If you can I still would recommend the original Jerusalem Bible, but since NAB is what is used at mass NAB would be the most logical choice to stick with

 

[Ruthie]

I would recommend the RSV-CE; it is a good and faithful translation, which the NAB is not. Plus I know the NAB has a couple of footnotes that do not match Catholic teachings.

I think 7th and 8th graders do not have to be condescended to by using the NAB, even if the USCCB chose to inflict it on us in the Mass!

Let’s take Psalm 23 for an example. “I shall not want” (RSV) means much, much more than “there is nothing I lack.” (NAB). I’ll pass over the next two verses, though the comparison holds; throughout the Psalm the NAB “dumbs down” the subtler meanings. And to change “He restores my soul” to “He restores my strength”!!??! There’s a world of difference there! “I fear no harm” means little compared to “I fear no evil.”

Last, but not least, the translators removed the connection between “paths of righteousness” (NAB: “the right path”) and eternity by translating *orek *as “years to come” instead of “forever.”

Can you tell I feel strongly about this?

Ruthie

 

[Jerry-Jet]

Confraternity New Testament.

Douay Rheims Haydock Old Testament.

Psalms from the New Translation of Pope Pius XII.

None of these are perfect but they’re better than anything else out there.

They’re all CATHOLIC.

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

I would recommend the Good News Catholic Edition, aka Today’s English Version. It is on their reading level and fairly easy to understand. The best translation is the one that gets read.

Those others, many students struggle with and in time ( after the class work ) give up reading the scriptures. You want to encourage them to become life long learners, readers of scripture.