Can a Catholic read different translations of the Bible?

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Read whatever version you want. Better yet, if you have a smartphone or computer there are apps that allow you to switch between versions. I do this often when studying the bible. I have a Catholic Answer bible, given to me in RCIA and I like it a lot. I have never been a fan of King James even when I was protestant. (from an English major and literature lover that’s saying a lot about readability or lack there of) I like the message bible for paraphrasing, although I agree that its not inspired. New Living is also a favorite of mine. I know I will be burned at the stake for saying this but experiment and see what you like and feel comfortable with. You can’t take anyone else’s bible preferences for your own. What speaks to you, what makes you understand and WANT to read and interact with the Word of God. Thats what you go with.
 
aspirant said:
“The Message” is not intended to be a formal equivalence translation. 😉 Personally, I would not recommend it, but if someone is going to read it they need to know it’s only intended to be a dynamic equivalence version (idea-for-idea)-- it’s not something to use in serious reading & study and will often reflect only Peterson’s personal interpretation.

Many Catholic scripture scholars encourage readers who are not familiar with the original languages of the Bible to use a wide variety of well-known and respected formal equivalence translations in serious study. (Catholic ones would include the D-R, JB, RSVCE, NAB, NJB, etc.; Protestant ones would include the KJV, NKJV, ESV, RSV, NRSV, NIV, etc.) Using several translations, one can see, when discrepancies arise, which translations are more common/similar, which translations are the outliers, and more easily figure out which passages might require more investigative depth.
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I second this.

You should read both protestant and catholic versions so that when discussing scripture with protestants, you understand where they are coming from. I would start with a Catholic Bible, that should be your primary reference, and then compare the protestant version(s) to it.

I would also recommend you research the reasoning behind Luther rejecting the 7 deuterocanonical (protestant refer to as the apocryhpa) books and his modifications to some passages of the bible. (beyond the scope of this thread, and if you search there may already be threads addressing the subject).
 
styrgwillidar said:
I second this.

You should read both protestant and catholic versions so that when discussing scripture with protestants, you understand where they are coming from. I would start with a Catholic Bible, that should be your primary reference, and then compare the protestant version(s) to it.

I would also recommend you research the reasoning behind Luther rejecting the 7 deuterocanonical (protestant refer to as the apocryhpa) books and his modifications to some passages of the bible. (beyond the scope of this thread, and if you search there may already be threads addressing the subject).
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I personally use the RSV Ignatius study bible.
 
Can I just point out that the translators of the Authorized Version did not remove any books from the Biblical canon? Although most modern copies of the KJV are printed without it, C the KJV Apocrypha can be easily acquired in bookshops or online. In fact these books remain part of the Anglican lectionary to this day.
 
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