All bibles basically say the same thing including the various Protestant bibles on the market afterall they are the word of god and they are all translated from various early editions of the first texts either aramic, hebrew or greek. While the Protestant bibles do not contain the extra books called the “Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books” those can in fact be purchased separately.
Since they all basically say the same thing, it is important to look at the various versions and see which one speaks to you. Different versions have different language styles. For example, the king james and New King James, the language tends to be more poetic and despite being so called “protestant bibles” the language is beautiful. The New Living and Message are more of a paraphase of the scripture which aren’t as literal compared with the NAB or NSV or NRSV, New King James but again for someone who is new to reading their bible, they are great versions. I used to read the New Living before I got into the other versions.
There are countless versions of the bible and I believe God calls us to read his word therefore if God speaks to you through the Nab, then read that. But if God speaks to you through the New Revised Standard edition (the version of the bible that is used by some theological programs), or even the New King James or any other Protestant bible, then read it because God speaks to us through his word which is why as Catholics we need to step up and start getting to know our bibles. You can always purchase a separate book that contains Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books.
Once you select a version, you can always see if there are study bibles available in that version because it will help you develop a greater understanding of God’s wonderful words. I know the NRSV and NKJV are great in terms of having some wonderful study bibles.
You had spoke about the NIV, I have read it and although I don’t personally like the language it uses, I know some people who love it.
To summarise, instead of wondering what bible the church recognizes, I would concentrate on finding a version that speaks to you. There is no point to purchase an NAB bible if when you read it, it doesn’t speak to you.
I hope this helps,
SG
This subject of “approved” versions of the Bible came up in scholarly discussions at the Vatican almost 100 years ago. The position of the magisterium seems to be (as described in The New Jerome [Catholic] Bible Commentary, c. 1992) is that any translation may be studied by Catholics, but Catholics are advised against “translations” that are anti-Catholic in orientation. the NJBC even included the Jewish Publication Society 1985 (the latest) Tanakh (Hebrew Bible).
In the JBS, there are many more frequent notations that the Hebrew text is uncertain, whereas there’s like to be just a whiff or nothing at all about a text that is uncertain.
I was looking over Psalm 16 in the NAB, and verse one says " a
miktam of David."
Then, there’s a footnote that says the meaning is uncertain.
In contrast, The Jewish Study Bible (Oxford U. Press, based on the 1985 JBS) says, yes, miktam is uncertain BUT the Greek septuagint translated that word as stele or pillar. There are said to be about six psalms that are introduced with that word, miktam. My sheer hunch is that these six psalms might have been inscribed on columns around the Jerusalem temple mount (the Temple was built later by Solomon).
I have heard so much about the Septuagint that I went looking for it, since so much of the New Testament quotes it. Well, the one I bought was sold as The Orthodox Study Bible. I have misplaced it in my piles of Bibles, commentaries, and other books, so I can’t read directly what they might have said about miktam. This OSB was developed for prayerful study and has some interesting essays fore and aft about Bible study. It is noteworthy that according to the OSB, the Orthodox Church does not have an agreed upon table of contents, i.e., a canonical list of books in the Bible! The volume, in fact, has a couple MORE books than the Catholic Bible. There is an introductory essay explaining what the Orthodox Church is, and it takes a couple shots at the Roman Catholic Church, to no surprise.
HAH! I moved my foot and literally kicked my copy of The Orthodox Study Bible and racing to Psalm 16, which is 15 in the numbering of the Septuagint, it says “A pillar inscription; by David” See? I had to go through the Jewish Study Bible to point me to The Orthodox Study Bible, to get the meaning of “miktam” which happens to be what I thought it might be. This is so cool.
