Red Letter Bible

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Qwikness

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A lot have Bibles have Jesus’ words highlighted in red.
Why don’t they have God’s words highlighted in the Old Testament?
 
Thanks for finding the article, but it doesn’t really answer what the OP was asking. Could it be because according to Catholic understanding some of the words spoken by God in the Old Testament were paraphrased by the writers? Maybe God’s words being red lettered in the New Testament emphasises more the Wisdom/commands/teachings of Messianic era.

Btw does anyone know if the words spoken by God to His Son when He was baptised are “red lettered” in those bibles?
 
MH84 said:
Btw does anyone know if the words spoken by God to His Son when He was baptised are “red lettered” in those bibles?
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Matthew 3:17 does not have the words of the Father in red. I also looked up John 12:28 (where the Father also speaks), and there are no red letters for His words there either. I haven’t checked any other verses, but it appears that only the words of the Son are “red lettered”.
 
Qwikness said:
A lot have Bibles have Jesus’ words highlighted in red.
Why don’t they have God’s words highlighted in the Old Testament?
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What difference does it make? Who cares about the colour of the print??
 
What difference does it make? Who cares about the colour of the print??
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it’s helpful in finding specific verses. i use the color difference to skim for particular challenges posed by the apostles or the pharisees, or to look for answers to questions like “did jesus ever say [insert doctrine here], or was that paul?” 👍
 
thistle said:
What difference does it make? Who cares about the colour of the print??
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Because I want to know. God said a lot in the Old Testament. It would be interesting and valuable to have a Bible that showed all of the words of God, not just focusing on God the Son.
 
Qwikness said:
Because I want to know. God said a lot in the Old Testament. It would be interesting and valuable to have a Bible that showed all of the words of God, not just focusing on God the Son.
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If enough people were interested, the publishers would probably print one.
 
thistle said:
What difference does it make? Who cares about the colour of the print??
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In the great scheme of things, maybe not much. But it may make quotes easier for readers to find. The same is true of dividing the Bible into verses so we can refer to them by Book, Chapter and Verse.

The Bible is most studied book in the world and a lot of reader aids have been developed including including maps, concordances, explanatory footnotes, and synopses of the books. Periodically new translations are made. If any or all of these things make Bible reading and study easier that seems like a good thing.
 
Qwikness said:
A lot have Bibles have Jesus’ words highlighted in red.
Why don’t they have God’s words highlighted in the Old Testament?
Click to expand...
What a good question. Got me to thinking and doing a little study to satsify myself about it. Perhaps it is because a lot of the time in the OT, God Himself isn’t a direct participant but has the prophets speak for Him? However, in the Book of Job, He is a major player and directs a long speech towards Job without the intermediary of a prophet. That could be highlighted in red.
 
I certainly enjoy red letter but didn’t even miss it until I saw this thread.😛
 
Brian_C said:
I certainly enjoy red letter but didn’t even miss it until I saw this thread.😛
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Half of my Bibles are “red letter” and the other half are not. I really do not care either way. BTW, I even have Protestant Bibles that are not “red letter” so it is not just a Catholic thing.
 
Beachcomber said:
What a good question. Got me to thinking and doing a little study to satsify myself about it. Perhaps it is because a lot of the time in the OT, God Himself isn’t a direct participant but has the prophets speak for Him? However, in the Book of Job, He is a major player and directs a long speech towards Job without the intermediary of a prophet. That could be highlighted in red.
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Or, how about this verse?
Joh 12:28 “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
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This is from the NASB, but all other translations are similar. God the Father speaks here.
 
Would you be scandelised if I suggested Jesus may not have said every word attributed him in scripture?
 
Groan. No, but I’d laugh if you insinuated that was the reasoning behind a lack of red-letters.
 
Qwikness said:
Because I want to know. God said a lot in the Old Testament. It would be interesting and valuable to have a Bible that showed all of the words of God, not just focusing on God the Son.
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Wouldn’t the whole Bible be in red then? 😉

Jeremy
 
Exactly the problem.
What is the reasoning behind the red-letters, when the brains trust are telling us that the gospels are theologised history, and not everything attributed to Jesus’ lips was actually said?
Then the very premise of the red-letters becomes a pointless exercise. And can actually mis-lead people into fundamentalist thinking.
On top of this, the entirety of scripture is the word of God.

Just my opinion of course, you are free to have yours.
 
From what I understand, the first use of red lettering to highlight Jesus’ words in the Gospels and in Revelation was simply to bring attention to them… we should listen when our Lord speaks, right?- or so that was the theory.

I also understand the red-letter phenomena was a Protestant invention, and if you look through the various translations at your local Christian bookstore, you’ll find more Protestant translations with the red typeset than Catholic ones.

Personally, I tend to like the red-letter text, but I realize that all scripture is of equal importance, as it is all inspired by God (not just the Gospels - see 2 Tim 3.16).

Perhaps the red text might lend itself to a subconscious emphasis? Dunno for sure. All I know is I’m trying hard to read more from the NAB these days, as that’s what we get in Mass.
 
I don’t even think an argument against the Red letter is a part of the qwestion, although I can understand that position. The fact is the red letter bibles exist and that cannot be changed. It doesn’t affect me negatively in anyway, so I don’t have a problem with it.
Just wondering, Why God the Father is ignored. In the New Testament he spoke at the Baptism and Transfiguration. No emphasis on that all, seems weird to me.
 
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