Is this Bible any good?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Melodeonist
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Hi Melodeonist,

Many like this version of the Bible. It’s fine. 🙂
 
Perhaps you should consider one that has commentary embedded. I think Ignatius Press has some good study bibles
 
It’s a different version, or different translation, if you will.

It is described as having questions and answers to common Catholic questions about the Catholic faith.

I think your choice of a Bible should be based on what you may find more easier and more comfortable to read for you.

When I have bought a Bible, I have looked at it in person so that I could look through it to read it to see if I was comfortable with the translation to see if I could understand it.

We have a Catholic bookstore in my area, so I was able to do this. I don’t know if you have a store in your area where you can do this, though. I realize that not everyone does.

I am personally more comfortable with more modern translations of the Bible. That is just me, personally.

I think that the more formal translations like the Douay-Rheims are very beautiful, but I personally like a Bible that is easier for me to understand, so I have a few different Bibles on hand at home.

I am editing my post to add that I was also given what was called a “Catholic Study Bible” as a gift. It comes with permanent notes already printed in it, and it also comes with maps in it, too. It’s a great Bible, and I always found it to be really helpful. It explains Biblical history, and translations, too. You might also find a Bible like this helpful, too.
 
Melodeonist said:
I am looking at this Bible on Amazon. Is it any good?
amazon.com/Holy-Bible-Douay-Rheims-Version/dp/1930278241/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421713247&sr=1-2&keywords=Douay+Rheims
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  • I like the DR translation due to its closeness to the Latin Vulgate. I prefer to use this when reading for myself or even when quoting online… IMHO one gets a better feel for what the inspired writings contain.
  • I use the RSV-CE for teaching or when in an RCIA class setting. (along with my old KJV for the fact that it is a concordance and does reference the apocryphal text - just doesn’t include them; thus, I have a cross reference to the between the more common protestant version along with what I consider to be a better translation in RSV-CE). It is a bit easier to read and yet (imho) seems to hold truer to the DR than many other translations.
  • I use the NAB-CE when studying to proclaim the word as a lector because this is the translation used by the USCCB for Mass. I will however go back to my DR to get a better understanding of the context. I find the two don’t always agree; however, I always defer to the NAB when reading at Mass per the Pastor and the Bishop.
 
Melodeonist said:
I am looking at this Bible on Amazon. Is it any good?
amazon.com/Holy-Bible-Douay-Rheims-Version/dp/1930278241/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421713247&sr=1-2&keywords=Douay+Rheims
Click to expand...
It’s great as a reference if you want a closer rendition to what the Vulgate said, but I only use it for that because I have a hard time reading the antiquated form of speech. For my daily reading, I use NRSV-CE (online, mostly when doing apologetics), NAB (for the daily readings), and the Little Rock Study Bible (which I think is also NAB, for my evening Scripture studies).

Basically, any Bible you will actually read is a good one. Get one that will be enjoyable and foster good reading habits.
 
  1. Douay-Rheims-Challoner isn’t Old English, or Middle English, or even Early Modern English (like Shakespeare, the KJV, and the original Douay-Rheims). It’s Modern English, which in rural areas in the 1800’s still used different pronouns for singular and plural forms of the second person.
  2. The main point of using this format, and of using the old -eth and -est verb endings for certain tenses, was to make sure that people understood what was going on. Today’s Modern English Bibles do not indicate when the Lord is addressing one “you” or twelve.
  3. Of course, it’s true that Victorian taste liked a Bible to sound formal and poetic, so that’s the other reason for the format.
  4. Douay-Rheims-Challoner Bibles (usually) use the old Catholic book names, as well as the old chapter and verse numbering system. This makes it “interesting” if somebody gives you a chapter and verse citation for Ps. 45, because you’d have to remember to look it up under Psalm 44. (And the verse number would be one or two off, too.) OTOH, if you are reading an old book that is quoting Ps. 44 and you’re using a new-style Bible, it’s also going to be interesting. You still see some Church documents, etc. that will quote (Ps. 44:5/45:4), and that’s why they give both citations.
  5. Douay-Rheims-Challoner is a translation of the Vulgate, so it sometimes follows the Septuagint and sometimes the older Masoretic Hebrew version of the Bible. The interpretation of some verses is not the same as in most modern Bibles. It does make a lot of Catholic things clearer, but you have to be careful quoting it to people who don’t use a Septuagint or Vulgate-influenced Bible. Personally, I find it very useful and go back and forth to it all the time, but I’m not everybody.
  6. Basically, it’s good to have a Bible you like to read. If you can’t go physically to a bookstore, use Amazon’s Read Inside feature if you can, or check out publisher webpages to see whether you think you’ll like it. If you’re not sure what you like in a Bible yet, buy a nice cheap paperback Bible instead of an expensive bound one.
(Although this time of year, you should be able to get even hardback Bibles on clearance at physical bookstores. Just make sure they’re Catholic, and you’ll be ready to roll. Stores that sell remainder books often have lots of hardcover Bibles, too.)
 
Melodeonist said:
I am looking at this Bible on Amazon. Is it any good?
amazon.com/Holy-Bible-Douay-Rheims-Version/dp/1930278241/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421713247&sr=1-2&keywords=Douay+Rheims
Click to expand...
Both Bible translations are fine. The Douay-Rheims is what you might call “the Catholic King James Bible” so to speak; it was the standard till I think the 60s or 70s. You can read it online here.

ewtn.com/library/SCRIPTUR/DOURHEIN.HTM

The NABRE is the Official Catholic Bible as of today though. You can find it on the USCCB website usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm

And on the Vatican website too. Its a very accurate and readable translation.
 
Since the OP is going to begin RCIA next year, when he turns 18, I recommend the New Catholic Answer Bible fro it’s apologetics alongside the text.
Only because he is new to Catholicism, and the notes maybe helpful.
I personally like the NRSV Catholic Edition for ease of everyday reading though.
But we give the other to students.
 
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