Is My Bible Okay?

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I just bought a new Bible today…the NRSV-apocrypha. It has all of the books that a Catholic Bible should have, but it also has more. Is this okay? I am a Protestant wanting to learn more about the Catholic faith, and I want to make sure I am reading a translation that will aid, not harm, me. Thank you!

:blessyou:
 
wantingtoknow said:
I just bought a new Bible today…the NRSV-apocrypha. It has all of the books that a Catholic Bible should have, but it also has more. Is this okay? I am a Protestant wanting to learn more about the Catholic faith, and I want to make sure I am reading a translation that will aid, not harm, me. Thank you!

:blessyou:
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for curiosity, what more does it have?

who is the publisher? if it is a Catholic edition there will be on the copyright page a cross and the name of the bishop who approved it (the study notes and reference materials have to be approved even if the scriptural translation is already approved). It is not my favorite translation but it is used in liturgy in Canada and other places. It will read a lot like the NIV so if you like that bible you will like your NRSV.
 
If it has more than what the Catholic Bible has, then I do not feel that it is appropriate. It could very much lead you in the wrong direction completely! The New American Bible is the Catholic Bible used in the United States. It also is approved. usccb.org/nab/bible/index.shtml However, I recommend the Douay-Rheims Bible because it is the most literal translation. drbo.org/

God bless and feel free to ask questions in the Fora as you pursue the Truth!
 
DeepeningFaith said:
If it has more than what the Catholic Bible has, then I do not feel that it is appropriate. It could very much lead you in the wrong direction completely! The New American Bible is the Catholic Bible used in the United States. It also is approved. usccb.org/nab/bible/index.shtml However, I recommend the Douay-Rheims Bible because it is the most literal translation. drbo.org/

God bless and feel free to ask questions in the Fora as you pursue the Truth!
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:amen:
 
Congratulations on your purchase!

The Bible is absolutely fine. The NRSV was translated with Catholic and Protestant participation; and also included an Eastern Orthodox and a Jewish translator. It is well established as a standard translation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes from it extensively. It used for liturgy in Canada. It is a standard text in many Catholic colleges and seminaries.

Your volume probably includes a statement of the books that are in various canons (Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox). If not, you can find a complete listing here. You can print out the table and paste it in your Bible. The extra books from the Eastern Orthodox canon are two extra books of Edras (and these are in an appendix to the Latin Vulgate), Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, 3 Maccabees, and 4 Maccabees. In most NRSV editions, these are all together, and you can easily mark them in your Bible.

The Catholic books of the NRSV do have the imprimatur – in fact two: both of the US and Canadian Bishops’ Conferences. If you need confirmation, you can find it at the USCCB web site here.

Some people like the NRSV and some people do not, but reading it will not “harm” you (any more than reading the Deuterocanonicals will harm Protestants). It will expose you to the common books held sacred by Jews, Protestants, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox. Keep in mind which canon each book belongs to.

And don’t forget to pray for the unification of the Western and Eastern churches.
 
I wouldn’t worry about the “extra” books. Consider them “edifying if not canonical.” If you feel so inclined, read them as you would books by Archbishop Sheen or C.S. Lewis.

The translation itself is okay. I understand the main difference (aside from imprimatur) between Catholic and Protestant editions is in certain footnotes regarding Jesus’ “brothers.”
 
Thank you all so much for the information. Perhaps I will highlight the titles of the “extra” books so I may remember which they are.

I think that I will keep this Bible (after all, I paid for it, I may as well use it) until I find the need to purchase another (I’m thinking college, when one is required- one year from now).

My ignorance, I suppose! 😃 I have learned now, though!

Thanks!

👍
 
SonCatcher said:
I understand the main difference (aside from imprimatur) between Catholic and Protestant editions is in certain footnotes regarding Jesus’ “brothers.”
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Ah, you are thinking of the RSV – it is true that a few changes were made in the NT from the RSV1 to the RSV-CE (and most of the Catholic changes were adopted for all in the RSV2.)

In the NRSV, each book is identical – the only difference is the ordering of books, and that in Daniel and Esther, the text interpolates the additions from the Greek Septuagint (in ecumenical editions, those Greek additions appear in the Apocyrpha/Deuterocanonical section).
 
The best English translation to read is the Douay-Rheims, but it is not necessary.

Reading the Holy Bible alone can be dangerous. Joseph de Maistre wrote “Read without notes, Holy Writ is poison”.

If you scroll down this page, there is a link to the Douay-Rheims Bible homepage where you can search out verses, a Douay-Rheims PDF, the complete Haydock scripture commentary (for both the Old and New Testament) and most of The Great Commentary by Cornelius a Lapide.

purechristianperfection.blogspot.com/
 
I have both the NRSVA and the NAB Saint Joseph Edition. I prefer the latter. 🙂
 
The RSV-CE(Catholic edition) doesn’t have the ‘inclusive language’ of the NRSV which is why I prefer the former. I think any educated person realizes that ‘all men’ or ‘man’ refers to both men and women. I’m insulted by people who think I’m too stupid to know this just because I’m a woman.

The two bibles I use are the NAB and RSV, Catholic editions of both.

There’s a new RSV study bible that just came out. I’ve heard it’s really good. It’s by the publishers who previously put out the study guides to the individual books. Does anyone know which one this is?
 
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