Looking for an Easy to Read Bible

  • Thread starter Thread starter qmvsimp
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Q

qmvsimp

Guest
I’m looking for a good easy-to-read, modern language Catholic Bible. I love the NIV, but they don’t have the Deuterocanonicals. The New American Bible is not a very easy read. What can you recommend for me?
 
qmvsimp said:
I’m looking for a good easy-to-read, modern language Catholic Bible. I love the NIV, but they don’t have the Deuterocanonicals. The New American Bible is not a very easy read. What can you recommend for me?
Click to expand...
Hi,

I love my Jerusalem Bible also the Christian Community Bible is easy to read with pretty good foot notes. This is just my humble opinion.
good Luck in picking out your bible.

JeanneH
 
I recommend the New Jerusalem Bible. It is more literal than the Jerusalem Bible and is more widely available.

I am reading it now and do not miss my NAB or RSV-CE Bibles.

Good luck.

Get the Study edition with the Transfiguration on the cover. Amazon has it for a good price. The notes and chapter intros are second to none.
 
The Catholic Youth Bible: New Revised Standard Version : Catholic Edition

Believe it or not, this is a great study bible and an easy read, even for adults because it pulls in every day events for us to link with the Bible.
 
It really depends on how easy you want it.

Good News Bible (Catholic Edition) is a simply worded translation, and the Catholic Living Bible is an easy to read paraphrase. Just remember that easy to read translations dumb down the text, so you should read the easy to read translation alongside a more literal translation, like the RSV, so that you’re not missing anything.
 
Thanks to all for your help. I have purchased two versions:

The New Jerusalem Bible and the Revised Standard Version - Second Catholic Edition.

Many thanks to all for your help.
 
qmvsimp said:
Thanks to all for your help. I have purchased two versions:

The New Jerusalem Bible and the Revised Standard Version - Second Catholic Edition.
Click to expand...
Many thanks to all for your help.That and the Douay Rheims Bible are my two favorites.
 
credo said:
I recommend the New Jerusalem Bible. It is more literal than the Jerusalem Bible and is more widely available.
Click to expand...
I second that. 👍

It has been my primary bible for almost 2 decades. It is easy to read and has copius footnotes and other references that makes understnding what you read come alive.
 
You should try the Ignatius Study Bibles done by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. The RSV is second to none and the handy footnotes are good for people who have difficulty understanding the language. I favor the RSV because its in keeping with the common heritage of the DR and the KJV, but the language isn’t quite so archaic, and it’s translated from the most accurate original texts.

Don’t dumb down the Bible. You lose a lot that way. Just get better explanation.
 
qmvsimp said:
I’m looking for a good easy-to-read, modern language Catholic Bible. I love the NIV, but they don’t have the Deuterocanonicals. The New American Bible is not a very easy read. What can you recommend for me?
Click to expand...
Another vote for Good News Bible: Catholic Edition, but you really should get several bibles because the best one(the only one I know of that says “full of Grace”) is also the hardest to read(and one of the most expensive/rarest). This is the Douay Rheims version, which is a direct and faithful translation of St Jerome’s Vulgate, written in 390AD a lot more closer to the time period than any modern translation(a substantial advantage really). Get that first, then get the Good News Bible:Catholic Edition, but read the Douay first and foremost and only go to the GNB if you don’t understand something and need it explained further.
 
colliric,

The RSV-CE I have also says “Hail full of grace”.

Mine is this one.

BTW, it’s not the same as the one that’s online.
 
Sabda said:
colliric,

The RSV-CE I have also says “Hail full of grace”.

Mine is this one.

BTW, it’s not the same as the one that’s online.
Click to expand...
yeah I wasn’t sure about it, I get a little confused with the “protestant version”.

I think the RSV, whilst a good translation, is not the way a catholic translation bible should be done. I don’t think I could use it per say because it’s an edit of the original protestant version… I’d prefer a completely catholic translation to use as my number 1 bible. I think the same about the GNB too.
 
colliric said:
yeah I wasn’t sure about it, I get a little confused with the “protestant version”.

I think the RSV, whilst a good translation, is not the way a catholic translation bible should be done. I don’t think I could use it per say because it’s an edit of the original protestant version… I’d prefer a completely catholic translation to use as my number 1 bible. I think the same about the GNB too.
Click to expand...
Just out of curiosity - why? As long as it is free from doctrinal errors and biased translations, why not? Given the awkward language of the NAB and sometimes even of the NJB, what is the problem with an adaptation of a protestant translation? The main criterion for a Bible translation should be accuracy, right? Not who translated it?
 
Nazianzen said:
Just out of curiosity - why? As long as it is free from doctrinal errors and biased translations, why not? Given the awkward language of the NAB and sometimes even of the NJB, what is the problem with an adaptation of a protestant translation? The main criterion for a Bible translation should be accuracy, right? Not who translated it?
Click to expand...
There is no real major problem with it except that it inevitably isn’t 100% pro-Catholic… and therefore it might not be entirly accurate(The psalm numbers are the protestant numbering). I like my Vulgate based DR bible translation because I can be assured it is 100% catholic in it’s very accurate translation.

After all the Vulgate is still the official bible of the Latin rite, so why not just get the best word for word translation of that, which I think is the Douay.
 
colliric said:
Get that first, then get the Good News Bible:Catholic Edition, but read the Douay first and foremost and only go to the GNB if you don’t understand something and need it explained further.
Click to expand...
From personal experience: The GNB is a deliberate mistranslation of scripture that one should not waste time and money on. I would instead recommend the CCB.
 
In my opinion any bible that in 2Corinthians verse 10 does not have Paul forgiving the incestuous Corinthian “In the Person of Christ” is Doctrinally in error!
 
colliric said:
There is no real major problem with it except that it inevitably isn’t 100% pro-Catholic… and therefore it might not be entirly accurate(The psalm numbers are the protestant numbering). I like my Vulgate based DR bible translation because I can be assured it is 100% catholic in it’s very accurate translation.

After all the Vulgate is still the official bible of the Latin rite, so why not just get the best word for word translation of that, which I think is the Douay.
Click to expand...
I dislike the numbering of the Psalms in the D-R, and I dislike using the Latin names of the Old Testament prophets. Also, the Psalms just sound awkward in the D-R. Otherwise, I do like the D-R, but the RSV-CE is better.
 
lak611: I agree with most of what you say about the RSV Old Testament except that in some instances that prophesy of Jesus the RSV uses ambiguous renderings.

And I also believe that the RSV is doctrinally less precise in 2 Corinthians verse 10. Paul did forgive “In the Person of Christ”–not in the Presence of Christ.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top