Check out this link: cathtruth.com/catholicbible/cathprot.htmApart from those 7 books, is there such a difference? Many of my catholic friends use the KJV which is supposed to be a protestant version… so do you HAVE to use a catholic version of the scriptures? And in the end, what difference does it make?
Yes, one must use an authorized version of the bible. No protestant translation is authorized.Apart from those 7 books, is there such a difference? Many of my catholic friends use the KJV which is supposed to be a protestant version… so do you HAVE to use a catholic version of the scriptures? And in the end, what difference does it make?
For official church functions you should use a catholic bible, but for casual reading a protestant bible is fine. I use a NIV study bible which discusses the various scriptures and have drawings in it regarding architecture in the old testament. For prayer I use the St. Joseph Bible which is a very good reading bible. The only bible that I’m aware of that is a bad translation is the Jehovah’s Witnesses bible which changes some key words to fit their belief that the Trinity is false.Apart from those 7 books, is there such a difference? Many of my catholic friends use the KJV which is supposed to be a protestant version… so do you HAVE to use a catholic version of the scriptures? And in the end, what difference does it make?
We should always, read in a Catholic approved Bible. Single words can change, the meaning of the whole Scripture passage.We also need to look in the CCC to see the Churches teaching, of the Scriptures. Another good place, I have found is Haydock’s Catholic Bible Commentaries, to understand better the passage. The original King James had over 700 translation mistakes. Yes, many are fixed, but there still are some. Duewy Rhemes(don’t know if spelling is right) is one of the oldest, translations,one I recommend Catholics to be reading from.When Jesus, was arrested and the Temple guards, ask who was “Jesus of Nazareth”, the KJV says he said “I am he” in contrast to" I am" (Yawhew,God), and every one fell to their knees. Jesus, was proclaiming to be, God in the Flesh, that is why every one feel to their knees. Big difference, in translations of the Bible.Most people miss that.Why so important, to use a Catholic approved Translation. An do the research, of what the Church interpret, the Scripture to mean.It is not for individual interpretation.Apart from those 7 books, is there such a difference? Many of my catholic friends use the KJV which is supposed to be a protestant version… so do you HAVE to use a catholic version of the scriptures? And in the end, what difference does it make?
It’s not the text, although the KJV isn’t a great translation, it’s the titles and notes. Yes, use a Bible approved by the Church or you will get heresy creeping into your Bible study.Apart from those 7 books, is there such a difference? Many of my catholic friends use the KJV which is supposed to be a protestant version… so do you HAVE to use a catholic version of the scriptures? And in the end, what difference does it make?
Many Catholics may not understand there is a difference. My mother-in-law is non-denominational now, but even when she was still Catholic I don’t think she had a Catholic Bible in her home. My husband had one that he received as a Confirmation gift from someone else, but all of the Bibles his mom bought for him were Protestant ones. I think she went into “Christian bookstores” and figured that everything in there was OK for Catholics too (when actually a lot of it is blatantly anti-Catholic!)
Excellent point! This is also why it is important to have a Bible with accurate commentary and notes.If she had known better, she might not be Protestant today. She has spoken quite often about how “unbiblical” so many Catholic things are…well, of course, if the translations she’s using are so, um, selective.
Can you cite a source for this? Certainly an authorized version must be used liturgically, but I was not aware of such a restriction officially for personal reading. I understand that a Catholic version is preferred for many reasons, but to say that a Catholic must use an authorized version of the Bible just doesn’t seem right to me. There are many reasons why a Catholic might prefer to use, for example, a NIV Bible when having an apologetics discussion with an Evangelical. If we insist upon using our own Bible, we will lose credibility because Protestants will get the idea that their Bible says something different that ours, thus leading them to believe that we have a “different” Bible.
I believe that the council of Trent forbade Catholics from possessing any bible not authorized by the Church. Protestant versions of the Bible would fall under that category.
You make a good point here, but I would also suggest that in such a conversation it is not always a bad thing to demonstrate that their bible “says something different than ours.” Far from “losing credibility”, such exposure should prompt a desire to dig deeper into scripture, possibly looking at the original languages etc and can be quite profitable from an apologetic standpoint.
The people with the lack of credibility are the Protestants and it is they who have a “different” Bible. The reason to use an authorized edition is to be able to give correct translations and interpretations.
I don’t disagree, but you have to meet them where they are or you will get nowhere with them. If you come into the discussion with a attitude that “your Bible isn’t good enough”, you lack credibility (not your Bible). Generally speaking, in dealing with Protestants, you’ll be discussing the New Testament. Aside from a very few problematic translations, the Protestant New Testament is exactly the same as any Catholic New Testament and is perfectly adequate for general reading. For me, after we’re talking on the same page, it is helpful to show how the same passage is translated in a Catholic Bible and to offer another way of looking at things.
Then you have authorized versions, so what’s the argument?
Yes, I would highly encourage using a Catholic Bible. Some of the wording in the protestant Bibles were translated in a way that teaches against Catholic truth. Many also have study notes that do not teach Biblical truths. A lot of these notes are different with each study Bible and are confusing to protestants let alone teach Catholic truths.Apart from those 7 books, is there such a difference? Many of my catholic friends use the KJV which is supposed to be a protestant version… so do you HAVE to use a catholic version of the scriptures? And in the end, what difference does it make?