Buying a new Bible

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Matthew_Holford

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I’ve been considering purchasing a new Bible. I saw one in a book shop today called “Catholic Bible”. I didn’t buy it for two reasons. The first was that it said it was NRSV. I think I’ve heard poor reviews of that version on CAF. The other reason was it said Anglicized Version, which struck me as strange as I’ve never seen that on an English language Bible before.

I’ve checked the website of the National Liturgy Office, an agency of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and it lists the NRSV as an approved version but says that it can’t be used for lectionaries.

Any opinions on this version, please?
 
I love my NRSV. Look for “NRSV-CE” The CE is “Catholic Edition”. I LOVE the Translation - understandable but without losing it’s poetic quality, and the paper and print quality is very good.

I still often prefer it to my Orthodox Study Bible, where the paper is too thin for my tastes.
 
A good bible that I use and that Mother Angelica herself has recomended is the new jeruselem bible. Another good one is the Ignatious bible.
 
Matthew_Holford said:
I’ve been considering purchasing a new Bible. I saw one in a book shop today called “Catholic Bible”. I didn’t buy it for two reasons. The first was that it said it was NRSV. I think I’ve heard poor reviews of that version on CAF. The other reason was it said Anglicized Version, which struck me as strange as I’ve never seen that on an English language Bible before.

I’ve checked the website of the National Liturgy Office, an agency of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and it lists the NRSV as an approved version but says that it can’t be used for lectionaries.

Any opinions on this version, please?
Click to expand...
http://shop.catholic.com/images/P/IB2lg-01.jpg
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This is the Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition (RSV-CE). It has been acclaimed for decades as the clearest, most accurate, and most beautiful translation of the Bible in modern English.

Key features of this magnificent translation include:

*The ONLY major modern translation of the Catholic Bible available in standard English *
*Closely reflects the original languages *
Uses an elegant, rhythmic English style while avoiding the obscurities found in the King James version.

All other major translations have been faulted for excessive paraphrasing or using “inclusive language” – the same language rejected by the Vatican in the new Catechism.

The RSV-CE is used by:
***The **Vatican for scriptural references in all publications *
*The Navarre Study Bible series *
*Dr. Scott Hahn’s Catholic Study Bible series *
Catholic Answers’ Answer Tracts series

The Ignatius Bible is a fine imprint on quality paper. The ample inside gutter eliminates the need to pull the book apart to read the inside columns. The outside margin has been slightly widened as well. The text is easily readable under normal lighting conditions with minimal bleed through. Its handy 5½ x 8½ inch format is perfect for home or travel, Bible Study or reading on your own.

Highly Recommended by:
***Mother Angelica, EWTN ***
Catholic Answers
http://shop.catholic.com/product.php?productid=40&cat=295&page=1:bluelite:
 
I’ll stick with my Douay Rheims. It takes a little getting used to but once there, it flows.
 
Matthew_Holford said:
I’ve been considering purchasing a new Bible. I saw one in a book shop today called “Catholic Bible”. I didn’t buy it for two reasons. The first was that it said it was NRSV. I think I’ve heard poor reviews of that version on CAF. The other reason was it said Anglicized Version, which struck me as strange as I’ve never seen that on an English language Bible before.

I’ve checked the website of the National Liturgy Office, an agency of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and it lists the NRSV as an approved version but says that it can’t be used for lectionaries.

Any opinions on this version, please?
Click to expand...
NRSV is an ecumenical translation that is very reliable. I think that the Church in Canada uses this translation for their lectionary. Also, I think that in the U.S. this translation is used for catechism. Each country’s college of bishops chooses its own translations for these purposes. The differences between Catholic and Protestant editions are:

  1. *]inclusion of Deuterocanonicals
    *]a handful of footnotes
    *]presence of an imprimatur

    I suspect that by “Anglicized Version” they mean how words are spelled (or “spelt” :D).
 
SonCatcher said:
I suspect that by “Anglicized Version” they mean how words are spelled (or “spelt” :D).
Click to expand...
I think that is correct. While the editions I’ve seen have been published by Oxford University Press, I think the international group of scholars who translated it were headquartered in the US, and thus the “original” NRSV used American English.

I’ll agree with Rawb that it seems to be a very good Bible overall. I got it mainly because my version included the apocryphal books; not just the Deuterocanonicals but also several books used by some of the Eastern churches. The one thing I found a bit annoying about this was the OT book order was different from Catholic Bibles.

I know a lot of people whine about the inclusive language in this or any other translation. It’s occasionally noticeable, but major contortions are usually avoided, and any changes of this type are footnoted. The cases where it makes any real difference are exceedingly rare, and I’m familiar with those from this forum, so it doesn’t really bother me.

However, I’ve used it only infrequently in the last several years, since I got high speed internet.
 
your first choice of a bible particularly for group bible study or if you are in RCIA, faith formation class of some kind, is the version approved for the liturgy in your country.

any other translation that is a CE-Catholic Edition and has an imprimatur is fine for private reading and devotion

there is a guide to scripture translations in the stickies and on the CA homepage via the library
 
Thank you for all the advice; it is greatly appreciated. I want the bible for personal use. I’m not in RCIA or any other formation class. I’m torn now between RSV-CE, it was so well recommended and the Holy See use it, and Jerusalem.

RSV is approved for use by my national bishops’ conference without the restriction they place on NRSV and Jerusalem is the one used for the Lectionary. Plus, Jerusalem and RSV were used for LTOH whereas NRSV was not.
 
I would check for readability preference, make sure your comfortable using it. I personally read a number of different translations, I’ve been making heavy use of the Douay-Rheims, but recently I started using the RSV-CE (Ignatious) on my Kindle. I like both bibles, though I do find the modernized language of the RSV provides for a more “causual” feel while reading the bible, which I tend not to prefer to the more… Well I don’t know how to put it exactly, but just a little more Holy feel that you get from a Douay.

That said, I also I find I have to spend less time concetrating to get what I’m reading, I’m actually flying through Isais. I’d say have a number of differeing translations onhand. I usually reference my Douay, NAB (previous edition) and RSV the most.
 
athenasius said:
A good bible that I use and that Mother Angelica herself has recomended is the new jeruselem bible. Another good one is the Ignatious bible.
Click to expand...
Mother Angelica recommends the Jerusalem Bible, not the New Jerusalem Bible.
 
I like my NRSV - it is a more literal (dare I say ‘accurate’?) translation than the JB we use at mass (though the JB is superb prose; I enjoy my JB as well, though I wouldn’t use it for scripture study as it’s a bit loose in it’s translation).

‘Anglicized’ simply means they spell words properly (-: Nothing to do with the Anglican Church - just a sign of spelling of which the Queen would approve. It’s for us English who know how to spell ‘colour’, for example, properly.

I have the version with the full ‘apocrypha’ so you get the books the Orthodox and Coptic Churches use as well as the deuterocanon (they were in the Septuagint after all, so I think they are worth reading even if they may not be considered canonical).

It’s a very solid bible Matthew (or at least as solid as they come; there are always some reasons to quibble), and widely respected.
 
I’m still wondering. I have to admit I was leaning towards either RSV-CE or another Jerusalem. NRSV I’ve seen is in a local book shop and the nearest Catholic book shop, which I’m sure would have a good range, is a bit of a drag to get to. I know my local book shop could order other versions of the bible but I do like to see and handle a book before I buy. They won’t get one in stock just for me to look at. I need to give this some more thought.
 
I rather like the advice given elsewhere on the main Catholic.Com website…

Q. Which is the best bible?
A. The one you will read.
 
athenasius said:
A good bible that I use and that Mother Angelica herself has recomended is the new jeruselem bible. Another good one is the Ignatious bible.
Click to expand...
Mother Angelica uses the Jerusalem Bible not the New Jerusalem bible. ot the same thing.
 
Matthew_Holford said:
I’ve been considering purchasing a new Bible. I saw one in a book shop today called “Catholic Bible”. I didn’t buy it for two reasons. The first was that it said it was NRSV. I think I’ve heard poor reviews of that version on CAF. The other reason was it said Anglicized Version, which struck me as strange as I’ve never seen that on an English language Bible before.

I’ve checked the website of the National Liturgy Office, an agency of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and it lists the NRSV as an approved version but says that it can’t be used for lectionaries.

Any opinions on this version, please?
Click to expand...
The RSV-CE is used by the Vatican for English translations, that’s good enough for me.
 
Catherine_S said:
http://shop.catholic.com/images/P/IB2lg-01.jpg
.
This is the Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition (RSV-CE). It has been acclaimed for decades as the clearest, most accurate, and most beautiful translation of the Bible in modern English.

Key features of this magnificent translation include:

The ONLY major modern translation of the Catholic Bible available in standard English
Closely reflects the original languages
Uses an elegant, rhythmic English style while avoiding the obscurities found in the King James version.

All other major translations have been faulted for excessive paraphrasing or using “inclusive language” – the same language rejected by the Vatican in the new Catechism.

The RSV-CE is used by:
***The ***Vatican for scriptural references in all publications
The Navarre Study Bible series
Dr. Scott Hahn’s Catholic Study Bible series
Catholic Answers’ Answer Tracts series

The Ignatius Bible is a fine imprint on quality paper. The ample inside gutter eliminates the need to pull the book apart to read the inside columns. The outside margin has been slightly widened as well. The text is easily readable under normal lighting conditions with minimal bleed through. Its handy 5½ x 8½ inch format is perfect for home or travel, Bible Study or reading on your own.

Highly Recommended by:
***Mother Angelica, EWTN ***
Catholic Answers
http://shop.catholic.com/product.php?productid=40&cat=295&page=1:bluelite:
Click to expand...
I like this description – especially the part about the “gutter.” I never knew what that was called, I was thinking about that, just yesterday.

In response to the OP: The New Revised Standard Edition was developed in England and then brought over to the US. I suggest you read the Introductions, which explain the “position” of this translation among others.

I was just reading the introductions in the Ignatius Study Bible - New Testament, which explain its development and purpose.

If you don’t buy the Revised Standard Version - 2nd Catholic Edition, then what would be your alternative?

There are levels of Bibles, you know. There’s a Bible with no cross references or footnotes. Then, there’s a Bible WITH cross references AND footnotes, then there’s a “study” bible with cross references, footnotes, and often frequent essays, introductions, and added supplelments, maps, etc.

The Church recommends (see The Interpretation of the Bible within the Church, 1993, Pontifical Biblical Commission) studying a Bible alongside a commentary on scripture – and there are many of these.

So, you have to decide which features you want. You can probably get one with all the best features for not much more than the price of the basic Bible.
 
Matthew_Holford said:
I’ve been considering purchasing a new Bible. I saw one in a book shop today called “Catholic Bible”. I didn’t buy it for two reasons. The first was that it said it was NRSV. I think I’ve heard poor reviews of that version on CAF. The other reason was it said Anglicized Version, which struck me as strange as I’ve never seen that on an English language Bible before.

I’ve checked the website of the National Liturgy Office, an agency of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and it lists the NRSV as an approved version but says that it can’t be used for lectionaries.

Any opinions on this version, please?
Click to expand...
First, I’d get the Bible used during Mass in your country (U.K), ya know, the one approved by the Bishops. For you, that would be the RSV-(2?)CE. If you want the NRSV-CE as a back up Bible, I’d get it. As for me (even though I’m not Catholic) I have the NAB-RE because it’s the one approved by the Bishops, and the RSV-2CE as I think it’s an unbiased translation (it’s Catholic and Protestant).
 
swiss guy, I believe the UK uses the New Jerusalem bible does it not?
 
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