Can I use non Catholic bibles

[darakhshan]

Hi
Before becoming catholic I was in protestant Church. Have a lot of nice bibles which I have marked important verses but those bibles lacks some Catholic books. Now my question is : Is it OK if I continue using those bibles and from time to time use Catholic bible just for those books which are not in my King James version bible?
Is it acceptable by God?

Please guide me

 

[Joysong]

I have an old St. Joseph bible dated 1962. It is so highlighted and familiar to me, that even though I have other bibles, I know exactly where to turn to find a special verse in this one, and remember which side of the book it’s on. You are no doubt in the same situation. It is hard to switch.

Could I suggest then, that you continue to use it when you are looking up something familiar; then check the same verse in your Catholic bible to get the fuller meaning of the writer. Very often both will have the same sense, but you may find a few verses that have been mistranslated that are not in accord with Catholic doctrine. That’s where you need to be careful.

When I look up a verse on-line to provide a quote for someone, it is good to check a few sources there, too, but generally I find they are the same in meaning, but use different words to express it.

drbo.org/
usccb.org/nab/bible/
biblegateway.com/

 

[darakhshan]

Thanks

 

[InLight247]

I have an old St. Joseph bible dated 1962. It is so highlighted and familiar to me, that even though I have other bibles, I know exactly where to turn to find a special verse in this one, and remember which side of the book it’s on. You are no doubt in the same situation. It is hard to switch.

I cannot help smile when I read the above.
A Protestant friend gave me a Bible many years ago.
It is hightlighted and underlined all over. When I want to look for some verses, I know which part of the Bible and which side of the book it may be.

Now I am reading my Catholic Answer Bible but still refer to the other one sometimes.

 

[puzzleannie]

I think I just answered this yesterday on another thread. keep the bible that has meaning for you, where you have marked favorite verses and you know how “to find stuff” or that aids you most in devotion. Keep bibles with sentimental or family associations. Then get a good Catholic Study Bible for that purpose.

 

[Jane_K]

Hi
Before becoming catholic I was in protestant Church. Have a lot of nice bibles which I have marked important verses but those bibles lacks some Catholic books. Now my question is : Is it OK if I continue using those bibles and from time to time use Catholic bible just for those books which are not in my King James version bible?
Is it acceptable by God?

Please guide me

I’ve read the other responses to your question which are very good. I would only add this: if your King James Bible has study notes, be cautious in using them since many times notes in a Protestant Bible have, if not a directly anti-Catholic slant, at least a non-Catholic understanding of the verses being annotated. A prime example might be notes on the Gospel of John, Chapter 6. Also, notes referring you to other sections in your Bible might be incomplete in a Bible which does not include the “deutero-canonicals” (those books that are in a Catholic Bible but not in a Protestant one). All that said, happy reading of God’s precious Word. :clapping:

 

[Joysong]

That’s a very good point, Jane, and one that I forgot about in my reply. Yes, the little footnotes and tiny letters in a Catholic bible refer us back to the source of the prophecy or example in the Old Testament that Jesus or the writers of the epistles are referring to. These are invaluable and may not be referenced in the KJV as accurately, if they are there at all.

I have learned much by taking the time to look up those tiny a,b,c’s, and then I write sidways in the margins where to find the companion verse. That’s why a new bible would never be as helpful to me, other than for devotional reading.