How Do I Convince My Wife Not To Read a Protestant Bible?

[SD_CatholicMan]

My wife’s friend gave her an NIV study bible. I’ve been telling her that it’s not a Catholic bible and that if she wants to study the Bible based on our faith, she should study one of the approved Catholic versions.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there any information from USCCB that would help me convince her it’s not good to read a Protestant version?

Thanks!

 

[Tietjen]

My wife’s friend gave her an NIV study bible. I’ve been telling her that it’s not a Catholic bible and that if she wants to study the Bible based on our faith, she should study one of the approved Catholic versions.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there any information from USCCB that would help me convince her it’s not good to read a Protestant version?

Thanks!

Aside from missing the 7 books in the OT, I don’t believe that Protestant Bibles are bad. Of course you did say it was a study Bible so the commentary won’t be very good. Is your wife Catholic? Is this her first Bible and/or does she have any Catholic study Bibles? If not, perhaps if you gave her one she may put aside the NIV.

 

[Athanasiy]

Reading the Holy Scripture can be compared with the little boy who stands on the shore of the ocean and wants to comprehend the ocean.
He can just pick up the part of that ocean with his palms , very small part of the ocean.
Holy Scripture is the ocean !

The greatest Bible scholars ,during all times , who were studiyng the Bible all their life , still couldn’t comprehend it totally , having many questions about Biblical misteries and secrets.

What to say about us, even with our education and intelligence ?

What we can know ourselves without the Church explanatory commentaries on the Scripture texts ?

In my opinion the other renovated theological traditions just borrowed from the Catholic Church all the main Biblical truths , but the Catholic Church in its explorations in theology has experience , has the Divine authority and stamp.
Therefore it is very important to study the Catholic Bible.

 

[dmelosi]

My wife’s friend gave her an NIV study bible. I’ve been telling her that it’s not a Catholic bible and that if she wants to study the Bible based on our faith, she should study one of the approved Catholic versions.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there any information from USCCB that would help me convince her it’s not good to read a Protestant version?

Thanks!

Ask her if she wants to use the Old Testament that Jesus used or the one that the persecuters of Jesus used.

 

[Pwrlftr]

Ask her if she wants to use the Old Testament that Jesus used or the one that the persecuters of Jesus used.

There is no way to prove that Jesus or the apostles thought any of the deuterocanonicals were inspired.

I am sure you disagree so I am interested in hearing what you have to say.

 

[dmelosi]

There is no way to prove that Jesus or the apostles thought any of the deuterocanonicals were inspired.

I am sure you disagree so I am interested in hearing what you have to say.

I apologize, just have a minute, catching a flight from Dallas to St Louis…I will be back on this afternoon and will reply with my sources.

 

[MH84]

My wife’s friend gave her an NIV study bible. I’ve been telling her that it’s not a Catholic bible and that if she wants to study the Bible based on our faith, she should study one of the approved Catholic versions.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there any information from USCCB that would help me convince her it’s not good to read a Protestant version?

Thanks!

I disagree with you only to an extent based on what youve said. I think its okay to read a select *few * of the “non-Catholic” translations. Only this year have I been listening to and reading parts of the New Testament from the King James bible. I find it to be a literal and beautiful translation. However, I keep in mind that I may find some of the translation to not be fully “Catholic”.

Actually, someone on this forum has started a thread which is talking about this new scriptural website launched by the Vatican congregation:

ROME, DEC. 10, 2007 (Zenit.org).- A Web site launched by the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy allows researchers to access Bible verses with exegesis from doctors of the Church or cross reference liturgical texts with commentaries from Church Fathers.
The site at www.bibliaclerus.org offers six categories in nine languages. It also gives the option of downloading the site’s content.

The nine translations of the Bible, including Hebrew and Greek, can be read side-by-side, as can the Eastern and Latin Codes of Canon Law.

quoted from this thread

While I was listening to KJB translation of Matthew on audio, I was reading the RSV from this website, and I was surprised at how similar the texts are.

SD_CatholicMan, you definately have the right intention with your wife, esp. since I read on this forum that the NIV is not neccessarily a good translation for Catholic readers. However, I can’t see really any major problem with some select “Protestant” translations like the KJB and the non-Catholic version of the RSV. But be wary of any footnotes of any Bible, including Catholic bibles such as the NAB.

If she is looking to do indepth study, a Catholic bible would probably be best, but there is nothing wrong with having other translations on hand as well. My :twocents: nothing more

 

[Newbie2]

Nothing wrong with reading a Protestant Bible version, it’s just incomplete.

:newidea: Let her read the whole thing, then see if she’s interested in reading what wasn’t included.

(And I don’t mean “Let” as in “allow” )

 

[Sir_Knight]

There is no way to prove that Jesus or the apostles thought any of the deuterocanonicals were inspired.

The fact that Jesus and the apostles referenced the deuterocanonicals would be a pretty good indication that they thought that they were inspired.

The fact that they were accepted by the Jews who accepted Jesus and were rejected by the Jesus that rejected Jesus is also something not to take lightly. Are we to believe that those that rejected Jesus were more properly guided in what the true scriptures were than those who accepted Jesus? Not unless we believe the Holy Spirit to have a split personality.

 

[Fidelis]

This is what I would do. I would say:

"Honey, it’s nice to have alternative translations of the Bible for comparison purposes, and I’m sure this one has lots of helpful features, but since we’re Catholics I think it’s important that we use a Catholic Bible as our primary Bible. That’s why I’m giving you this nice, new Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition. hands her the Bible] The RSV-CE is actually a revision of the King James Bible, and is widely respected as one of the most accurate and beautiful translations available.

“If you’ll notice, it doesn’t have much commentary or study notes. That’s why I’ve also bought you these Catholic commentaries, which use the RSV-CE translation hands her a set of Catholic Gospel commentaries/study guides published by Ignatius Press]. They are publishing them one at a time right now, but they are almost done with the New Testament. When they publish it as a single volume, I’ll get you one. In the meantime, maybe we can start studying one of the Gospels together?”

amazon.com/Ignatius-Bible-Revised-Standard-Catholic/dp/0898708338

amazon.com/Gospel-John-Ignatius-Catholic-Standard/dp/0898708206/ref=pd_sim_b_img_5

**Bible Translations: All Created Equal? Protestant Bias of the NIV; Study of the Word “Tradition” **
catholic-convert.com/Default.aspx?tabid=83#AbouttheBible

To answer your second question, the Vatican II document, Dei Verbum, Section 25, says the following:

It devolves on sacred bishops “who have the apostolic teaching” to give the faithful entrusted to them suitable instruction in the right use of the divine books, especially the New Testament and above all the Gospels. This can be done through translations of the sacred texts, which are to be provided with the necessary and really adequate explanations so that the children of the Church may safely and profitably become conversant with the Sacred Scriptures and be penetrated with their spirit.

 

[hjkoelzer]

I am not sure exactly why you would object to your wife reading a “non catholic” bible. I would think you would eb happy if she read the bible.

 

[Verita]

Hey, as long as she’s not reading The Message “bible”, it’s not that bad. NIV isn’t an extremely horrible translation. I still use mine sometimes.

 

[SD_CatholicMan]

Of course I am happy that she wants to read the Bible!

She is Catholic and for the first time really wanting to pick up the Bible and read it. My concern is since we are Catholic, and have kids in the home, I’d like her to start with a Catholic translation. I will buy her a new Catholic study Bible for Christmas.

Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut…this board is just awesome!

 

[Fidelis]

I am not sure exactly why you would object to your wife reading a “non Catholic” Bible. I would think you would be happy if she read the bible.

There are several advantages of a Catholic reading a “Catholic Bible” over a Bible produced by Protestants.

1. There are seven books missing from Protestant Bibles.
2. All Bible translations (including Catholic ones) reflect the bias of the translator. No Bible is perfect, and it is ideal to have more than one translation to cross-reference from. But if a Catholic is going to have just one primary Bible, it makes sense that it is a Catholic one.
3. The OP mentioned that the Bible his wife received was a Study Bible, which means lots of notes and commentary. Usually, the commentary found in Protestant Bibles reveals, understandably, a non-Catholic point of view. At the least, it fails to include the Catholic viewpoint derived from 2000 years of Church teaching and reflection on the Scriptures. At worst, the commentary can be positively anti-Catholic, as in the so-called MacArthur Study Bible. And by anti-Catholic, I mean that it goes out of it’s way to pooh-pooh the Catholic viewpoint on certain passages of Scripture.
4. Finally, look at it this way, hjkoelzer: As a self-described Baptist, if you were going to give a fellow Baptist a gift Bible, would you give them a Catholic Study Bible? My guess is that you would not. So why should you expect a Catholic to do any different?

 

[Newbie2]

Of course I am happy that she wants to read the Bible!

She is Catholic and for the first time really wanting to pick up the Bible and read it. My concern is since we are Catholic, and have kids in the home, I’d like her to start with a Catholic translation. I will buy her a new Catholic study Bible for Christmas.

Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut…this board is just awesome!

The other (sneaky, I’ll admit) way is to pick up a Catholic parallel translation bible with the Deuterocanonicals. Sorry, I can’t recommend a specific one offhand, but I know there’s at least a NT translation parallel version, which, admittedly, isn’t the answer.

But if she likes one of the other versions in the NT, you can probably pick up that complete Catholic version.

 

[Joel_Tunnah]

The RSV is a “protestant” bible.

Meanwhile, a “Catholic bible” - the NAB - has more anti-Christian notes and commentaries in it than any bible I’ve ever seen.

It’s not as black and white as you’re making it seem.

 

[Newbie2]

The RSV is a “protestant” bible.

Meanwhile, a “Catholic bible” - the NAB - has more anti-Christian notes and commentaries in it than any bible I’ve ever seen.

.

Such as?

 

[inthecloud]

I heard some protestant bibles do not translate the word episkopos as bishop. Also the do not translate the world catholic to universal. And they often, at least the older RSV, Gideon that I have in my Bible collection translate batalogeo as “vain repetitions” in a take on the Rosary or the EOC Jesus Prayer.
And if is a study guide like the Scofield, Mc Arthur and others the footnotes can be a real treaty in fundamentalist theology.
When I compare Study Catholic to Protestant Study Bibles in Spanish the differences are often huge in that points.
Buy your wife a good Catholic study Bible.

 

[hjkoelzer]

I have to be honest with you now. I actually read the KJV. Also the ASV, NIV, and amplified version. I do not read the Catholic version at all even though I went to Catholic church untill I was 32 or so. I also went to seminary for over 5 years. Through the grace of God and the help of the Holy Spirit I have since found the truth of all things and I am sorry to say it’s not the all holy and one true catholic church. As for your wife reading the bible, just be happy she does. She may actually give her life to Christ, be saved and discover the truth of all things.

God Bless you.

 

[Joel_Tunnah]

Such as?

There are dozens of threads, and hundreds of posts, in this forum on the problems with the NAB. Do a search.

But just to point out a few:

From the intro to Matthew:
“In large measure the material of these discourses came to Matthew from his tradition, but his work in modifying and adding to what he had received is abundantly evident.”

“The ancient tradition that the author was the disciple and apostle of Jesus named Matthew (see Matthew 10:3) is untenable…”

“The unknown author, whom we shall continue to call Matthew for the sake of convenience, drew not only upon the Gospel according to Mark but upon a large body of material (principally, sayings of Jesus) not found in Mark that corresponds, sometimes exactly, to material found also in the Gospel according to Luke. This material, called “Q” (probably from the first letter of the German word Quelle, meaning “source”), represents traditions, written and oral, used by both Matthew and Luke.”

“The post-A.D. 70 date is confirmed within the text by Matthew 22:7, which refers to the destruction of Jerusalem.”

Psalm 1:1
Happy those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked…

The only mention of Christ in the intro to the psalms:
“Many of the royal psalms were given a messianic interpretation by Christians.”

From the intro to Mark:
“In Mark, Jesus is portrayed as immensely popular with the people in Galilee during his ministry.”

“Petrine influence should not, however, be exaggerated. The evangelist has put together various oral and possibly written sources–miracle stories, parables, sayings, stories of controversies, and the passion–so as to speak of the crucified Messiah for Mark’s own day.”

From the intro to John:
“Other difficulties for any theory of eyewitness authorship of the gospel in its present form are presented by its highly developed theology…”

“Although tradition identified this person as John, the son of Zebedee, most modern scholars find that the evidence does not support this.”

How, you ask, are these “anti-Christian”? In the sense that they attempt to undermine belief in the truth of the gospels, and prophecies, and the witness of the early church fathers, they are indeed anti-Christian.