Best Version of the Bible?

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captainmike

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I’m getting confirmed this coming Sunday. 🙂

I’d like to buy a good “Catholic” bible. Any recommendations?

Thanks.
 
Douay-Rheims is certainly the best. An the most orthodox.
 
Good and Gentle People,

I, too, admire greatly, and read frequently, the Douay-Rheims Bible, since it is solidly “Catholic”.

However, I think we just may be doing the OP a dis-service by pushing him in the direction of the D-R, particularly if he’s never read a bible before. The slightly-antiquated wording and Latinate style could pose a difficulty for him in discerning the meaning of many passages.

Therefore, I would recommend he FIRST obtain a Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition bible, available from Ignatius, Oxford, or Scepter Press. Once he’s made it through the RSV-CE would he then be in a better position to digest the D-R.
 
captainmike said:
I’m getting confirmed this coming Sunday. 🙂

I’d like to buy a good “Catholic” bible. Any recommendations?

Thanks.
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The Douay-Rheims with the Haydock commentary which is better than the D-R Challoner revision.
 
Manfred said:
Good and Gentle People,

I, too, admire greatly, and read frequently, the Douay-Rheims Bible, since it is solidly “Catholic”.

However, I think we just may be doing the OP a dis-service by pushing him in the direction of the D-R, particularly if he’s never read a bible before. The slightly-antiquated wording and Latinate style could pose a difficulty for him in discerning the meaning of many passages.

Therefore, I would recommend he FIRST obtain a Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition bible, available from Ignatius, Oxford, or Scepter Press. Once he’s made it through the RSV-CE would he then be in a better position to digest the D-R.
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I agree with you. Especially since the books have different names in the Douay-Rheims than in any other translation. For example, if somebody refers to Hosea, a new Bible reader may not know that it’s called Osee in the Douay-Rheims. Also the Psalms are numbered differently. Almost everyone knows the 23rd Psalm (The Lord is my Shepherd . . .), except if you use a Douay-Rheims Bible it’s actually the 22nd Psalm.
 
first I would wait and see if your sponsor or other kind person gives you a bible for a gift, and you could politely suggest it if they ask. the next suggestion would be a daily Roman Missal, pricey, but the last prayer book you will ever need.

for your first bible, the Oxford Catholic Study bible NAB. invest in hardcover it should last a lifetime.

then for your next bible (they tend to collect, as you get more into scripture study you will want to look at other translations, and find your favorite translation, and size, for study and for devotion)

next RSV-CD, Ignatius bible, I love the new pocket-sized version and it is my Christmas present. I like the smallest bible I can carry around, without notes, for my personal bible for holy hours, devotional use.

the Jerusalem bible is the third translation approved for Catholics, I love it for the NT esp. John’s gospel, it is a very poetic translation, less pedestrian than NAB

If you like “the king’s english” bible-sounding translations, get the Douay-Rheims Challoner, the translation of the vulgate which was the standard for Catholics up until the Confraternity version of the 1950s (forerunner of the New American Bible). This bible sounds wonderful for reading aloud.

Personally, I feel every English speaking person should own a King James Bible simply because of its influence on the develoment of the modern English language and literature. not a NKJV, if you can find a translation dating after 1880 and befor 1930 when the Authorized Version came in, it will have had most of the original translation errors removed, but be essentially the bible that shaped the English language used by great statesmen and writers in that language. this is a literary choice, not a religious choice.

when you are ready to get more in depth on study bibles, check out that specific topic here, lots of good (name removed by moderator)ut. If money is no object go with the Navarre Bible. otherwise start with the one-book-of-the NT Ignatius study bible guides.

obviously you are not going to buy all these at once but bible aquisition becomes a habit. just be sure the bible is something you open every day, not a home decor item.
 
I used to have many but now I use the Jerusalam bible because I am very simple and it suits me, so simple to read.
 
thistle said:
The Douay-Rheims with the Haydock commentary which is better than the D-R Challoner revision.
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I think I know what you mean, but just to be clear: as far as I know, the Haydock bible used Bishop Challoner’s revised Douay-Rheims as it’s text but with new and much more extensive notes.
 
This forum has a permanent “sticky” on this topic":

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=83627

My own preference? Primarily the RSV-CE because of it’s accuracy and relative beauty of language, and because most of the best Bible study material these days is geared to this translation.

Secondly, the NAB, because it is the one most commonly used in this country and the one promoted by our bishops. When leading parish Bible studies I use this because it’s less confusing for beginners when we are all using the same translation, especially if we are studying the Mass readings.

After that (though I have several other Catholic translations, including all those mentioned above), I have no preference.
 
Anyone know any good Spanish Catholic Bibles? I looked for a RSV but cannot find one. I have one that is very simple and easy to understand. The version is “Dios Habla Hoy” for Catholics, but I don’t think it’s the one recommended to Catholics.

Any takes?
 
yessisan said:
Anyone know any good Spanish Catholic Bibles? I looked for a RSV but cannot find one. I have one that is very simple and easy to understand. The version is “Dios Habla Hoy” for Catholics, but I don’t think it’s the one recommended to Catholics.

Any takes?
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You won’t find any Spanish (or other language) versions of English translations like the RSV because each and every Bible translation is specific to the language it is translated into. Speakers of other languages have their own translations (that’s why it’s funny when you have people who beleive that there is only one “inspired” translation – like the King James-onlyists. What about people who speak other languages? :rolleyes: )

Anyway, some popular Spanish language Catholic Bibles are:

La Biblia Latinoamerica
Biblia De America
La Biblia Dios Habla Hoy - con Deuterocanonicos
 
Fidelis said:
Anyway, some popular Spanish language Catholic Bibles are:

La Biblia Latinoamerica
Biblia De America
La Biblia Dios Habla Hoy - con Deuterocanonicos
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yay! At least I have one that you mentioned. I have La Biblia Dios Habla Hoy - **con Deuterocanonicos. **I also have a Catholic Bible in English, I think it’s the New American Translation. I don’t really remember, it’s at home and I’m at work, but when I was in my RCIA class, the Church gave them to us as a present. So I guess it must be a good version, right?

BTW, is there such a thing as a Catholic pocket Bible?
 
yessisan said:
Anyone know any good Spanish Catholic Bibles? I looked for a RSV but cannot find one. I have one that is very simple and easy to understand. The version is “Dios Habla Hoy” for Catholics, but I don’t think it’s the one recommended to Catholics.

Any takes?
Click to expand...
if you do a search on Spanish bibles on the scripture thread there are a couple of very good discussions, in reply to my own inquiry, and links to on-line bibles.
the US Bishops have still not approved a new Spanish language lectionary for this country.
La Biblia Latinoamerica a project of Mexican and Central American bishops is approved for use in this diocese.
La Santa Biblia con deuterocanonicas from ABS is also allowed here, it would correspond to the English “Good News Version”
The third version approved for parish use is the side-by-side English/Spanish good news version also from ABS (the blue one with all the books, not the gold “protestant” version) this is the volume prescribed for lectio divina promoters.

For all those who helped in my search, thank you, Spanish bookstore Libros en Espanol, now a division of Word Among Us-Emmaus has La Biblia Latinoamerica on CD-ROM, it was less than $20 and comes with lots of reference aids, maps, pix etc.
 
yessisan said:
BTW, is there such a thing as a Catholic pocket Bible?
Click to expand...
I am looking for a NAB without all the notes so it really will be a pocket edition. the new Ignatius bible 4.5x6.5 is perfect for me, my Christmas present, as I said
 
Douay-Rheims is about the best english Catholic Bible out there. Of course you could always get the Latin Vulgate 😉

But since you are just being confirmed, perhaps the D-R is a bit advanced (antique language and some changes on the passage numbering and some of the words makes it difficult for those new to the faith). Perhaps a good start would be the New American Bible or the New Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition.

Good luck 👍
 
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