Really, how inaccurate is the Jerusalem Bible?

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There is a little bit of a comparison here innvista.com/culture/religion/bible/compare/default.htm
the same page was hosted here tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Scriptures/www.innvista.com/scriptures/compare.htm
but is not now available. If they bring that one back it was nicer, not having all the commercial advertising in it.
This comparison includes Jerusalem '66, New Jerusalem '85, Knox, Kleist & Lilly, Douay-Rheims, and about 100 more.

This page has more information on each version innvista.com/culture/religion/bible/default.htm

I am glad somebody recommended the NEB 1970. I had not paid this one any attention until reading of it in this thread. I went to innvista last night and like the fragments I found there. I think I will try to get one of these.

lookhigher.net/index.html has a page that loads very well with many versions readable online, but they are all protestant Bibles.
 
I have a Jerusalem Bible in Spanish, and is the best Bible that I have. The latinoamerican version is in plain american Spanish and is very easy to understand.
The best New Testament translation to spanish is the Bover - Cantera, and I use that one and compare to the Jerusalem Bible.

In English I use RSV in CD ROM and NAB also on CD ROM. I don’t have a Jerusalem Bible in the English language.

Now, I don’t like NAB because in Galatians 1, 19 it has a footnote saying that the James mentioned in that passage is a brother of the lord, and not the apostle James. That is a very protestant teaching that I have read in other protestant books. I don’t use it anymore. I use the RSV, it is much better.

We as Catholics know that this man is the apostle James brother of Judas. Jesus had no brothers. So saying that this man is not the apostle James on a “Catolic” bible is very dangerous, it raises serious questions about the Virginity of Mary, it could hurt the faith of other brothers that are not strong enough in their faith.

Your brother in Christ Guamani
 
I really don’t know anything about the Jerusalem Bible, except for what I have read about it on here.

I have many of the replies here to the OP. So I’ll add my 2 cents worth also.

Years ago, (as a child) I couldn’t understand my Dads DR Bible, it just didn’t make sense to me. I then saved up my own money from picking cherries, mowing lawns, ect. and bought my very first Bible. Are you ready for this? It was called “The Way” very “Modern” language for the time we lived in. (remember I was a young teen) I loved to read that Bible, so much in fact, it started to fall apart over the years. It now has a nice “resting place” in my Hope Chest. My next Bible was the NIV, that Bible too fell apart over the years from much use.

My first Catholic Bible that I bought didn’t come until I had been married and had my four children. It was the St. Joesph addition. I still have that treasured Bible, even though it is worn out. I also have 2 DR’s and a couple American Standard verisons and many other verisons as well.

What is the Best Bible to have? One that you will Read.

It is true there is no “perfect” Bible, if what we are looking for is a “correct without a doubt” Word for Word from the Hewbrew or Greek Scriptures. And even with all the errors we may find with different “Forms” of the Bible, does any of this take away from the “Message” of the Bible, (no matter which one) has to offer?

Sometimes I think we tend to dig too deeply into “word play” and miss the Big Picture, so to speak of the Message of the Bible, because we are so “tuned in” to picking out this or that word.

For example the DR Bible, if a person runs into a word, they truely have no idea what it means, (even if you don’t have another Bible to compare it to) if you read a few paragraphs before and after the Word, that has you stumped, (of course this may mean reading the whole chapter) you will truely figure out what that “word” ment.

I do not say this to knock anyone who loves to study the different Bibles or who is truely seeking the “Best Bible” to have. For their reading and study. For I too, have several verisons. But I did find over the years, that I dove so hard into the “words” that I was missing the “Big Picture” or maybe the “message” of that Chapter.

Again I don’t know anything about the Jerusalem Bible, other than what I’ve read on here, so I’m sorry I can’t help you with that.
 
“Sometimes I think we tend to dig too deeply into “word play” and miss the Big Picture, so to speak of the Message of the Bible, because we are so “tuned in” to picking out this or that word.”

Agreed!
 
guamani said:
Now, I don’t like NAB because in Galatians 1, 19 it has a footnote saying that the James mentioned in that passage is a brother of the lord, and not the apostle James. That is a very protestant teaching that I have read in other protestant books. I don’t use it anymore. I use the RSV, it is much better.

We as Catholics know that this man is the apostle James brother of Judas. Jesus had no brothers. So saying that this man is not the apostle James on a “Catolic” bible is very dangerous, it raises serious questions about the Virginity of Mary, it could hurt the faith of other brothers that are not strong enough in their faith.

Your brother in Christ Guamani
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Actually both James and Judas were HALF brothers of Jesus by St. Joseph from a previous marrage.
 
guamani said:
I have a Jerusalem Bible in Spanish, and is the best Bible that I have. The latinoamerican version is in plain american Spanish and is very easy to understand.
Click to expand...
Hi, Guamani!

Welcome to the forum!

I too have the JB in Spanish, my first Bible; I love it! The language, concordance and notes are excellent!

There’s nothing like reading: “…el Dios del Amén…” when Scriptures speak of Jesus!
Now, I don’t like NAB because in Galatians 1, 19 it has a footnote saying that the James mentioned in that passage is a brother of the lord, and not the apostle James. That is a very protestant teaching that I have read in other protestant books. I don’t use it anymore. I use the RSV, it is much better.
Click to expand...
We as Catholics know that this man is the apostle James brother of Judas. Jesus had no brothers. So saying that this man is not the apostle James on a “Catolic” bible is very dangerous, it raises serious questions about the Virginity of Mary, it could hurt the faith of other brothers that are not strong enough in their faith.
Click to expand...
Sadly, even some Catholic clerics and religious are willing to accept non-Catholic theology in order to seem “modern” or “ecumenical.”

As you’ve pointed out, they fail to understand that there are people who are weak in the Faith and become confused and easy prey to those seeking to remove them from the Body of Christ.

Maran atha!

Angel
 
Robertwilliam said:
Actually both James and Judas were HALF brothers of Jesus by St. Joseph from a previous marrage.
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Hi, Robert William!

Can you expand on that?

What is the source?

I remember, as a child, that the depictions of Joseph and Mary were that of an older (30 - 40 yrs old) Joseph and a young (16 or 17 yrs old) Mary; this has changed in the newer movie versions of the birth of Christ…

Maran atha!

Angel
 
Hi Swampboy
I have been reading the Jerusalem since it was given to me by a wonderful priest in 1975 and who later became the dean of the seminary somewhere in New South Wales. I have found it a good teaching bible and it would be one of the top 3 bibles for accuracy. I admit that some of the Psalms are a little different but most are truly beautiful. Rest assured that you will not be led astray by reading and studying it and if you like it, it makes it all the more enjoyable.
 
geofflucey said:
Hi Swampboy
I have been reading the Jerusalem since it was given to me by a wonderful priest in 1975 and who later became the dean of the seminary somewhere in New South Wales. I have found it a good teaching bible and it would be one of the top 3 bibles for accuracy. I admit that some of the Psalms are a little different but most are truly beautiful. Rest assured that you will not be led astray by reading and studying it and if you like it, it makes it all the more enjoyable.
Click to expand...
Hi Geoffluecy,
Thank you for your kind words regarding the Jerusalem Bible. I agree that it is an excellent teaching bible due to its wealth of information and accessibility, and although it is not a literal translation, it is truly a literary masterpiece and a joy to read.
 
Robertwilliam said:
Galations 1:19 " But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother."
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I gues they thought they had it covered, though I prefer the term brethren.

NAB Mark 6:3 footnote

The brother of James . . . Simon: in Semitic usage, the terms “brother,” “sister” are applied not only to children of the same parents, but to nephews, nieces, cousins, half-brothers, and half-sisters; cf Genesis 14:16; 29:15; Lev 10:4.

While one cannot suppose that the meaning of a Greek word should be sought in the first place from Semitic usage, the Septuagint often translates the Hebrew ah by the Greek word adelphos, “brother,” as in the cited passages, a fact that may argue for a similar breadth of meaning in some New Testament passages.

For instance, there is no doubt that in v 17, “brother” is used of Philip, who was actually the half-brother of Herod Antipas. On the other hand, Mark may have understood the terms literally; see also Mark 3:31-32; Matthew 12:46; 13:55-56; Luke 8:19; John 7:3, 5. The question of meaning here would not have arisen but for the faith of the church in Mary’s perpetual virginity.

the last bit in the footnote confuses me though, unless refering to v17 only.
 
Canto said:
I gues they thought they had it covered, though I prefer the term brethren.

NAB Mark 6:3 footnote

The brother of James . . . Simon: in Semitic usage, the terms “brother,” “sister” are applied not only to children of the same parents, but to nephews, nieces, cousins, half-brothers, and half-sisters; cf Genesis 14:16; 29:15; Lev 10:4.

While one cannot suppose that the meaning of a Greek word should be sought in the first place from Semitic usage, the Septuagint often translates the Hebrew ah by the Greek word adelphos, “brother,” as in the cited passages, a fact that may argue for a similar breadth of meaning in some New Testament passages.

For instance, there is no doubt that in v 17, “brother” is used of Philip, who was actually the half-brother of Herod Antipas. On the other hand, Mark may have understood the terms literally; see also Mark 3:31-32; Matthew 12:46; 13:55-56; Luke 8:19; John 7:3, 5. The question of meaning here would not have arisen but for the faith of the church in Mary’s perpetual virginity.

the last bit in the footnote confuses me though, unless refering to v17 only.
Click to expand...
While I totally agree with the post, still the Holy Tradition of the Church states that Joseph was a widower who had children when he was espoused to the Ever Virgin Mary and the Mother of Christ our God. Tradition has it that St. James went with Jesus, Mary and Joseph down to Egypt.:eek:
 
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