Need help finding a Bible

[mommyof4]

I am looking for a new Bible, and I would like to find one that is a Catholic edition (of course), has commentaries, references to OT readings to connect the NT to the Old, and lots of margin room for notes. Any suggestions?

On a side note, I remember reading somewhere on one of these threads that you can purchase special pencils for writing in Bibles? They don’t bleed, or tear the fine paper. Anyone know what I’m referring to? I think puzzleannie mentioned them.

 

[Crumpy]

I haven’t been shopping lately, so perhaps others can offer some more direct help.

I really think every Catholic should have a copy of Pope Benedict’s book, Jesus of Nazareth. It just brings you up and close to Jesus in the way that I’ve never seen a book do. He says Catholics should re-acquaint themselves with Jesus, over and over again. That’s a good description of this book. Don’t skim it, it’s not “fast food.”

I think it’s an ideal starting point for someone studying scripture at any level. It’s very self-contained, so that you don’t have to flip anyplace else. on the other hand, it’s a bit technical, but the Pope is such a good teacher.

That book is just the first of two on the same subject; he was supposedly working on the second companion book this summer. I can’t wait until that comes out.

Last, I have a copy of the protestant New International Version bible called “The Knowing Jesus Bible” and it is filled with all those cross-references you want, plus a lot of commentaries about meeting Jesus in the Old and New Testaments. This is a bible that gives you not just footnotes, but smaller essays about the accompanying scripture.

For example, it gives a commentary on Psalm 2 as a Messianic psalm, that is, about Jesus. The note that this psalm is a coronation hymn for a king. This helps me a lot, to appreciate the depth of the psalm, in this instance.

Again, not a Catholic book, but Matthew Henry’s Commentary is a good inspirational commentary, not a technical, critical one. It’s not exhaustive by any means, but it’s quite interesting.

 

[lak611]

Here’s a great online commentary. It is the Haydock Commentary. The Old Testament is 75% complete, and the New Testament is complete. It is keyed to the Douay-Rheims Bible, but it is useful to use with any translation. It is a very orthodox Catholic commentary.

 

[Sabda]

As far as pens go I have found gel pens to work really well. They don’t bleed. I go though and bracket the verse/passage. I have often found that highlighting the words themselves is very distracting when I’m trying to read. If I just bracket the passage it doesn’t take away from being able to read it.

I just went to Wal-Mart and picked up a 12 pack of Rose Art gel pens, similar to these. They came in 12 different colors which I like because I can use a different color for each different subject I’m studying. For example I use red for the Eucharist, blue for Baptism, and purple for Confession.

 

[teddyruxpin]

Hi there,

Honestly, I wouldn’t be flippant about using Protestant bibles because they quite often have extensive footnotes/crossreferences etc. if those resources are what you’re after. The reason I wouldn’t is because Protestants (a former myself) have very different ideas about interpretation and terminology that will lead to very different cross-referencing at times. This erroneous interpretation, when buttressed by a cross-reference to say, something in the OT, would lead you to believe (incorrectly) that this wasn’t a Protestant interpretation or slant on something critically different from Catholicism (for example Protestants understand the ‘millenium’ and much of eschatology very differently, as well as critical aspects of salvation such as the place of works & faith, what ‘justification’ is, etc).

I’ve really liked my Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition) aka RSV-CE which came recommended from a very solid priest friend of mine. There’s others that are no doubt good too, but the NIV is certainly not one of them. So, a good Bible translation, in conjunction with a Catechism, ***and the *Companion **to the Catechism, a New Jerome Biblical Commentary (may be for you, I love mine!) ought to take you far! The New Jerome is fun to own, you catch where a lot of priests get (some of) their homily material I’ve found

 

[teddyruxpin]

Here’s a great online commentary. It is the Haydock Commentary. The Old Testament is 75% complete, and the New Testament is complete. It is keyed to the Douay-Rheims Bible, but it is useful to use with any translation. It is a very orthodox Catholic commentary.

And yes, Haydock commentaries as well are good (or any commentary with Imprimatur will be doctrinally sound for that matter).

Please let me/us know what you end up getting!!! I’m really curious and always on the lookout!

 

[puzzleannie]

I On a side note, I remember reading somewhere on one of these threads that you can purchase special pencils for writing in Bibles? They don’t bleed, or tear the fine paper. Anyone know what I’m referring to? I think puzzleannie mentioned them.

Christian bookstores have them, the come in packets of several colors and sharpen like regular map pencils.
stabilo boss dry highlighter
www.stabilo.com

 

[Joel_Tunnah]

I am looking for a new Bible, and I would like to find one that is a Catholic edition (of course), has commentaries, references to OT readings to connect the NT to the Old, and lots of margin room for notes. Any suggestions?

Ignatius Study Bible series by Scott Hahn (NT only), or the “Haydock” edition of the Douay-Rheims.

 

[Ramalama]

I have several volumes of the Navarre Bible and think it’s wonderful. Note I didn’t say “all” the volumes – this thing is expensive. The other downside is, it’s really tough taking seven volumes to bible study!

 

[Beachcomber]

Here’s a great online commentary. It is the Haydock Commentary. The Old Testament is 75% complete, and the New Testament is complete. It is keyed to the Douay-Rheims Bible, but it is useful to use with any translation. It is a very orthodox Catholic commentary.

Thank you for mentioning this. I was looking around for a commentary along those lines.

 

[mccorm45]

Two suggestions in regards to Catholic Study Bible’s with wide margins:

1. The Catholic Study Bible (1990 version) by Oxford Press- If you can find a used copy online, it may be well worth it. In particular, the leather cover version leaves a lot of room for personal notes. It comes with the standard NAB notes, as well as the always solid Oxford Maps. Another bonus with the '90 version is that the dreadful 1991 Psalms are not included.
2. New Jerusalem Bible- If you get the regular hardbound edition, it has a decent amount of space for personal notation. It also has the best cross-referencing system for any Catholic Bible. I also find the NJB notes to be far more thorough, with fewer head-scratchers than the NAB ones.

 

[bauerice]

You can find the Jerusalem Bible (1966) that contains great study notes on e-bay. It’s the maroon hardback. There are usually 4 or 5 at any given time. If the bidding gets to high, don’t worry more are added everyday.

 

[banjo]

Another vote for the Jerusalem Bible and the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible. One I have not seen mentioned is the Navarre Bible. Copious commentary from the theology department of University of Navarre with papal statements, comments of the Saints, etc.
It is a little pricey though.

 

[banjo]

Another vote for the Jerusalem Bible and the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible. One I have not seen mentioned is the Navarre Bible. Copious commentary from the theology department of University of Navarre with papal statements, comments of the Saints, etc.
It is a little pricey though.

Whooops! Sorry Ramalama, I didn’t spot your post.

 

[Manfred]

Here’s a great online commentary. It is the Haydock Commentary. The Old Testament is 75% complete, and the New Testament is complete. It is keyed to the Douay-Rheims Bible, but it is useful to use with any translation. It is a very orthodox Catholic commentary.

Way to go, Laura!

Not an easy coomentary to read in some places, but solid it is!

 

[Cranch]

I strongly suggest anyone considering the Jerusalem Bible read this article first, especially the review of the Old Testament by Gleason Archer at the end.