Bible version(s) used within Roman Catholicism

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OK. I am not really sure which edition of the Holy Bible is the canonical standard approved by the Vatican. For now, I just go with the King James Version, but I am not sure if that version was affected by the Protestant Reformation. I’ve been thinking about going with the New International Version but I tend to avoid newer editions. So, in short, what version of the Bible is the “Catholic” version, or alternatively, which version(s) are approved by canon law? I need to know this because I cannot be reading scripture from Protestant/post-Reformation versions!
 
mykesobe said:
OK. I am not really sure which edition of the Holy Bible is the canonical standard approved by the Vatican. For now, I just go with the King James Version, but I am not sure if that version was affected by the Protestant Reformation. I’ve been thinking about going with the New International Version but I tend to avoid newer editions. So, in short, what version of the Bible is the “Catholic” version, or alternatively, which version(s) are approved by canon law? I need to know this because I cannot be reading scripture from Protestant/post-Reformation versions!
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I have read that the KJV is flawed and didn’t use the best sources. NIV is written by evangelists I believe, but they like their scripture translated well. Why do you avoid newer editions? The newer the edition, the more updated the translations and sources they get the translations from would be. Personally I use an NRSV Bible and it seems to work well.
 
prettylarge said:
I have read that the KJV is flawed and didn’t use the best sources. NIV is written by evangelists I believe, but they like their scripture translated well. Why do you avoid newer editions? The newer the edition, the more updated the translations and sources they get the translations from would be. Personally I use an NRSV Bible and it seems to work well.
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Yes I’ve always regretted purchasing that King James Version Bible since the second I bought it! The reason I tend to avoid newer Bible versions is for the same reason I tend to avoid newer Catholic customs [affected by modernization]; I like tradition, not pop culture. Up until now I’ve been using a New International Version but a lot of the wording was different from whatever Version that was being used at the Liturgy at Mass, and it was sorta hard to follow along. Now I’m just sorta lazy and grab one of those newer Liturgy of the Word books that have all the verses of the day on one or two pages, at the back of the church when I enter, instead of bookmarking the particular verses that would be used at that Mass. And I’ve stopped using the New International Version because of the same reason you have, because I’m starting to think that it was [secretly] written by Evangelists. My local bookstore does not have [New] Revised Standard Version Bibles and I don’t wanna hassle just for a reliable Bible Version.
 
mykesobe said:
OK. I am not really sure which edition of the Holy Bible is the canonical standard approved by the Vatican. For now, I just go with the King James Version, but I am not sure if that version was affected by the Protestant Reformation. I’ve been thinking about going with the New International Version but I tend to avoid newer editions. So, in short, what version of the Bible is the “Catholic” version, or alternatively, which version(s) are approved by canon law? I need to know this because I cannot be reading scripture from Protestant/post-Reformation versions!
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As I’m sure you know, the Catholic Bible contains the full canon of Scripture as set down in three Church councils in the late fourth century and then reaffirmed by the council of Trent in the mid-sixteenth century. The 7 deutero-canonical books of the Old Testament (called the “Apocrypha” by Protestants) are Tobit, Judith, The Wisdom of Solomon (usually just called Wisdom), Ecclesiasticus (aka Sirach), Baruch, and 1 and 2 Maccabees. The Catholic Old Testament also has additions to the Books of Esther and Daniel that the Reformers removed from the true canon. It is very possible that the KJV you own contains these books, they would be in a different section and labeled the Apocrypha. I would still advise getting a good Catholic Bible. There are many good ones out there and here are some of them:
  • Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition (RSV-CE)
  • Revised Standard Version - Second Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE)
  • New Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE)
  • New American Bible (NAB)
  • Douay-Rheims Version (D-R)
  • The Jerusalem Bible (JB)
  • The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
  • The Knox Translation (I’m not sure of the abbreviation!)
There are a few things to note here. The Church, in her councils and official documents, tend to use the RSV-CE and NRSV-CE. They are both solid translations that are at the same time fairly literal but also very readable for most people. One other thing to note about the NRSV-CE is that it tends to use gender-inclusive language; this means that, in cases like Hebrews 6:16:

Douay-Rheims

“16 For men swear by one greater than themselves: and an oath for confirmation is the end of all their controversy.”

New Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition

“16 Human beings, of course, swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all dispute.”

As you can see, “men” is replaced by “human beings,” I think it’s rather silly. If you were going to choose one of these two, I would go with the RSV-CE.

Another thing you should know is that the New American Bible is the Bible that we read at Mass. I don’t know too much about this translation other than that it is very readable, but from what I read, the notes seem to be very unorthodox (and that’s putting it nicely) and it’s definitely not the most literal translation you can find.

If you really like the language of the KJV, the Douay-Rheims just might be the Bible to suit your needs. The D-R was published two years before the KJV, and therefore uses similar archaic language. For many, many years it was the standard English version of the Bible for the Church. One thing you should know about this translation is that it is translated from the Latin Vulgate rather than just the Greek. There is a newer version of the D-R out called the Confraternity Version that is essentially a revision of the D-R to make is a little more readable and bring it a little closer to the Greek manuscripts.

I really do not know much about the other versions other than that they are Catholic and contain all 73 books of the Bible so I’ll leave it up to other posters to bring you (and myself I guess) up to speed on the others, I really hope this has helped you! If anything is confusing please ask for clarification.

BTW, please do not think you have to limit yourself to only one translation! Having multiple translations handy is very good for studying, seeing the different ways a certain verse is translated really gives you a better feel for what that particular passage really means.

Hope this helped!

PS - Here is a link to the Douay - Rheims version online.
PPS - Here is a link to the Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition online.
PPPS - Here is a link to the New American Bible online.
PPPPS - Here is a link to the New Jerusalem Bible online; unfortunately, the Jerusalem is not available online to my knowledge.
PPPPPS - Here is a link to a very solid, orthodox commentary on the Scriptures compiled by Father George Leo Haydock, it follows the D-R version of the Bible.
PPPPPPS - All of these versions should be available via amazon.
PPPPPPPS - I’ll stop with the post scripts now! 😃
 
zach_dunn said:
  • Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition (RSV-CE)
  • Revised Standard Version - Second Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE)
  • New Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE)
  • New American Bible (NAB)
  • Douay-Rheims Version (D-R)
  • The Jerusalem Bible (JB)
  • The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
  • The Knox Translation (I’m not sure of the abbreviation!)
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With regard to approved Bible versions, you have left out (and these quotes are from EWTN):

Confraternity Edition. Begun in 1936 by the American bishops’ Confraternity for Christian Doctrine as a translation from the Clementine Vulgate. The publication of Pius XII’s encyclical Divino afflante spiritu (1943) caused the translation committee to switch to the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts. Not all books were completed by the time of Vatican II (1962-1965). Those that were finished were used in the liturgy in the 1950s and 60s. Published in a dignified American idiom. Though hard to find, this edition of the Scriptures is worth possessing.

Today’s’ English Version - Catholic (1992). This is the Catholic edition of the popular Good News Bible by the American Bible Society. Translated according to the principle of dynamic equivalence for readability. The same principle was used by ICEL to translate the Mass texts. Would be better to call a paraphrase than a translation.

There are also the following permutations of the New American Bible:

1.1 New American Bible or NAB (1970). Translated from the original languages by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine according to the principles of Vatican II for use in the liturgy. It was the basis of the American Lectionary from the 1970s until 2002. A good translation, but it was criticized for its changing of some traditional and familiar expressions, such as “full of grace”.

1.2 NAB with Revised New Testament (1986). A restoration of some traditional familiar phraseology. Unfortunately, it also included some mild inclusive language. No longer widely available, owing to the publication of the revised Psalms (see next entry).

1.3 NAB with Revised Psalms and Revised New Testament (1991). It was due to the use of vertical inclusive language (re: God and Christ) and some uses of horizontal inclusive language (re: human beings), that the Holy See rejected this text as the basis of a revised Lectionary for the United States. This is the version of the NAB currently on sale in the United States.

1.4 Modified NAB with Revised Psalms and Revised New Testament (2000-2002). This title is of my own invention. It does not refer to any currently available Bible, but to the NAB with Revised Psalms and Revised NT, as modified by a committee of the Holy See and the Bishops for use in the liturgy. It is the text found in all current Lectionaries in the U.S… The Holy See accepted some use of inclusive language, where the speaker/author intended a mixed audience (e.g. “brothers and sisters”, instead of the older “brethren”), but rejected it in references to God or Christ, and man, where the word has anthropological and theological significance (e.g. Psalm 1:1, with reference to Adam and Christ). Whether a Bible will be made available having these modified NAB texts is not known at this time. Since they do not extend to the entire Bible, it is possible that none will be, as that would require further editing of the underlying NAB text.
 
To cut a long story short

The NAB is aproved for use at Mass in America

The (original not the new) Jerusalem Bible is approved for the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

A heavily edited version of the NRSV is used at Mass in Canada

The Grail Psalms are used at Mass in all if not most of the afore mentioned places. The Catholic Truth Society (CTS) in England currently has them availalbe in a nice pocket size book.

My fav is the Confraternity Bible, it used to be used at Mass in the US. It is literal, has the tradtional (accurate) phrases of the Douay Rheims and though some thees thous etc is less arcaic and more readable than the Douay and very poetic.
 
Best advise i can think of is give those Protestant bibles away to a Protestant and get a catholic bible. The one you have is incomplete.
 
jamesdunnaway said:
Best advise i can think of is give those Protestant bibles away to a Protestant and get a catholic bible. The one you have is incomplete.
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only two in my experience are really reliable and recommended for Catholics as before so even now 1]Douay and 2]Knox - all the others tend to give the impression that there could well be a contradiction between Genesis 1 & 2 and many have come to accept this as two creation accounts when this is not so - twinc
 
zach_dunn said:
  • Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition (RSV-CE)
  • Revised Standard Version - Second Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE)
  • New Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE)
  • New American Bible (NAB)
  • Douay-Rheims Version (D-R)
  • The Jerusalem Bible (JB)
  • The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
  • The Knox Translation (I’m not sure of the abbreviation!)
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What is the difference between the RSV-CE and the RSV-2CE?
 
Being you are coming from the KJV, I would recommend the RSV (Catholic Edition). You can go to www.ignatius.com and get the Ignatius Bible. Its got a great style, respected amongst Catholics, and it is light on footnotes.
 
twinc said:
only two in my experience are really reliable and recommended for Catholics as before so even now 1]Douay and 2]Knox - all the others tend to give the impression that there could well be a contradiction between Genesis 1 & 2 and many have come to accept this as two creation accounts when this is not so - twinc
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And the reason your opinion is authoritative is . . . ?

On the original thread -

NIV is just a bad translation, and yes, it is very, very Protestant. If you like the KJV you’ll probably be comfortable with the D-R but there are so many changes between it and the more recent translations that it can be confusing - not only translation issues but numbering, etc. I’d second the recommendations of the RSV-CE.
 
NHInsider said:
And the reason your opinion is authoritative is . . . ?

On the original thread -

NIV is just a bad translation, and yes, it is very, very Protestant. If you like the KJV you’ll probably be comfortable with the D-R but there are so many changes between it and the more recent translations that it can be confusing - not only translation issues but numbering, etc. I’d second the recommendations of the RSV-CE.
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not really for even here in levicitus we get the impression that God does not know how many legs the insects he created have - twinc
 
Thank you all for your valuable (name removed by moderator)ut and assistance with helping me choose the “right” Bible. As for so far, I may just go with the Douay-Rheims Version, due to its reliability that it has had with Holy Mother Church, but I am considering the Confraternity Version, though I do tend to like the “thees” and “thous”. For usage at Mass I may just use a New American Version, and perhaps add in a Revised Standard Version.

But as for my King James Version that I have, what should I do with it? Of course, no matter how tainted its contents may be, I probably cannot trash it or throw it away. (:plol:D)
 
You can give the bible to prisons. They allow them religious literature.
 
mykesobe said:
But as for my King James Version that I have, what should I do with it? Of course, no matter how tainted its contents may be, I probably cannot trash it or throw it away.
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Keep it, there really is nothing wrong with reading it. Just know you are missing books. You can always use it for reference and to compare with.
 
If you’re a Catholic traditionalist, you have two choices:

Douay-Rheims Version (DRV)

and

Confraternity Version (CV)

Now, both are still in print. If you want a DRV you can carry around, this is your best choice by far:

saintbenedictpress.com/Catholic-Classics/Douay-Rheims-Bible—Genuine-Leather—Black.cfm?ID=15492

Please note you can get it in large print, leather, or paperback, etc.

If you want the Confraternity Version, a complete Bible rather than just the NT, then you have only one option:

sinagtala.com/single_bibles_catechisms_holybible.htm

Make sure you realize how thick this Bible is before you buy it: ISBN 971 554 195 X, 2892 pp, biblepaper,
Printed in China Price: US$24.00

I have both bibles in various forms. I also have both the St. Benedict’s Bible (the DRV) in paperback (it’s a wonderful paperback), and the chunky little Confraternity from Sinagtala. The Sinagtala is just too chunky to carry around with you. It has some nice features, but isn’t really all that worthwhile. If I had known how wonderful the St. Benedict’s DRV was I would have paid $35 more to get it bound in leather!!!
 
Scepter also publish a pocket size NT of the Confraternity Bible.

amazon.com/Testament-Challoner-Rheims-Confraternity-Christian-Doctrine/dp/0933932774/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261361761&sr=8-1

Product Description
The hard-to-find 1941 revision of the Challoner-Rheims Version by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (Catholic). Pocket-sized edition of the New Testament with readings from the Gospels and Epistles throughout the year. The translation is smooth, traditional, and reverent. There are also footnotes which aid in understanding the text. Blue flex vinyl with a ribbon marker.

Would be nice if someone could get the full Confraternity Bible on google books for download - it’s in the public domain.
 
i use the KJV right now, as i like the literal translation, and the stately language. i’m not a big fan of modern translations, paraphrases, or inclusive language.

thank you for this thread! it is very helpful, thank you.

which Catholic Bible translation would you say is the most literal? would that be Douay-Rheims?
 
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