Textual differences between Catholic and Protestant Bibles

[rpp]

Most of us, both Protestant and Catholic are well aware that Protestants do not consider the deuterocanonical, also known as apocryphal, books inspired scripture while Catholics do. Most other also probably know that Ester and Daniel are slightly different between the Protestant and Catholic canon of scripture, the Catholics versions being a bit longer.

Here is a quick summary of the above.

Deuterocanonical /Apocryphal books
Complete Books
* Tobit
* Judith
* Wisdom
* Sirach, also called Ben Sira or Ecclesiasticus
* Baruch, including the Letter of Jeremiah
* 1 Maccabees
* 2 Maccabees

Additional Sections in Common books
* Additions to Esther (Esther 10:4-16:24)
* Additions to Daniel:
o Song of the Three cast into the firey furnace (Daniel 3:24-90)
o Story of Susanna (Daniel 13)
o The Idol Bel and the Dragon (Daniel 14)

Putting these differences aside, what other differences between Protestant and Catholic Scripture are there? (Translations aside.) What are the actual textual differences are there between the two Bibles when one looks at the source (Vulgate versus what the Protestants use as source documents.)

I ask this because I vaugley recall that the Lord’s Prayer and some other verses in the Gospels are subtly different. What is the origin of these differences?

As a follow up, what makes one preferable to the other? Are these difference really significant, when we look at Theology as a whole, in the economy of Salvation, either Protestant or Catholic?

I would like to keep this a fairly straightforward and civil discussion. I call upon everyone to be civil and remember that we are all called to love our neighbor. That, I know, is in both Bibles!

 

[estesbob]

Most of us, both Protestant and Catholic are well aware that Protestants do not consider the deuterocanonical, also known as apocryphal, books inspired scripture while Catholics do. Most other also probably know that Ester and Daniel are slightly different between the Protestant and Catholic canon of scripture, the Catholics versions being a bit longer.

Here is a quick summary of the above.

Deuterocanonical /Apocryphal books
Complete Books

• Tobit
• Judith
• Wisdom
• Sirach, also called Ben Sira or Ecclesiasticus
• Baruch, including the Letter of Jeremiah
• 1 Maccabees
• 2 Maccabees

Additional Sections in Common books

• Additions to Esther (Esther 10:4-16:24)
• Additions to Daniel:
  o Song of the Three cast into the firey furnace (Daniel 3:24-90)
  o Story of Susanna (Daniel 13)
  o The Idol Bel and the Dragon (Daniel 14)

Putting these differences aside, what other differences between Protestant and Catholic Scripture are there? (Translations aside.) What are the actual textual differences are there between the two Bibles when one looks at the source (Vulgate versus what the Protestants use as source documents.)

I ask this because I vaugley recall that the Lord’s Prayer and some other verses in the Gospels are subtly different. What is the origin of these differences?

As a follow up, what makes one preferable to the other? Are these difference really significant, when we look at Theology as a whole, in the economy of Salvation, either Protestant or Catholic?

I would like to keep this a fairly straightforward and civil discussion. I call upon everyone to be civil and remember that we are all called to love our neighbor. That, I know, is in both Bibles!

One of the biggies is the numbering of the ten commandments with Catholics claiming the Protestant have combined the last two and Protestants claiming Catholics have combined the first two(or is it visa versa?)

 

[MarcoPolo]

Maybe someone can confirm this: doesn’t the KJV add the Didache’s “For Thine is the Kingdom…” doxology into Scripture?

 

[nice2000]

Most of us, both Protestant and Catholic are well aware that Protestants do not consider the deuterocanonical, also known as apocryphal, books inspired scripture while Catholics do. Most other also probably know that Ester and Daniel are slightly different between the Protestant and Catholic canon of scripture, the Catholics versions being a bit longer.

Here is a quick summary of the above.

Deuterocanonical /Apocryphal books
Complete Books
* Tobit
* Judith
* Wisdom
* Sirach, also called Ben Sira or Ecclesiasticus
* Baruch, including the Letter of Jeremiah
* 1 Maccabees
* 2 Maccabees

Additional Sections in Common books
* Additions to Esther (Esther 10:4-16:24)
* Additions to Daniel:
o Song of the Three cast into the firey furnace (Daniel 3:24-90)
o Story of Susanna (Daniel 13)
o The Idol Bel and the Dragon (Daniel 14)

Putting these differences aside, what other differences between Protestant and Catholic Scripture are there? (Translations aside.) What are the actual textual differences are there between the two Bibles when one looks at the source (Vulgate versus what the Protestants use as source documents.)

I ask this because I vaugley recall that the Lord’s Prayer and some other verses in the Gospels are subtly different. What is the origin of these differences?

As a follow up, what makes one preferable to the other? Are these difference really significant, when we look at Theology as a whole, in the economy of Salvation, either Protestant or Catholic?

I would like to keep this a fairly straightforward and civil discussion. I call upon everyone to be civil and remember that we are all called to love our neighbor. That, I know, is in both Bibles!

I can’t remember exactly. I don’t have my Catholic bible with me here…but isn’t there a book called “St. Jude” in the Catholic bible, but not listed in the Protestant bible?

I keep a Protestant bible on my desk…

P.S. Make a note to myself to purchase a Catholic bible for work.
(the Catholic bible I have at home is too humongous to carry around.)

 

[estesbob]

I can’t remember exactly. I don’t have my Catholic bible with me here…but isn’t there a book called “St. Jude” in the Catholic bible, but not listed in the Protestant bible?

I keep a Protestant bible on my desk…

P.S. Make a note to myself to purchase a Catholic bible for work.
(the Catholic bible I have at home is too humongous to carry around.)

You can also acess it here nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/

 

[nice2000]

You can also acess it here nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/

Thanks estesbob

 

[MarcoPolo]

I can’t remember exactly. I don’t have my Catholic bible with me here…but isn’t there a book called “St. Jude” in the Catholic bible, but not listed in the Protestant bible?

I believe all Protestant Bibles have Jude. LINK.

 

[YADA]

Maybe someone can confirm this: doesn’t the KJV add the Didache’s “For Thine is the Kingdom…” doxology into Scripture?

Yes, mostprotestant translations carry the doxology …

Now thos is going from memory …

There are two biblical manuscripts that date to the 400’s there abouts … one has the doxology as a margin note. Which could be evidence of
1] an error in the translation
2] or the copiests private addition or
3] the copiests thought that it was an error but it was not

Now we can conjecture - why would they think it was an error when it might not have been??? Well the doxology was used in liturgical settings - the Didiche is a liturgical guide like the scaramentary and the catechism rolled into one small book - for instruction of catechumens and neophytes …

The other copy of the bible contains the doxology … it is slightly newer [in time] than the other. Or should I say the other is considered to be older ?..

And of course I believe that the oldest extant copies of the Didiche also date to the 400’s …

I don’t recall all the particulars but this is what I can remember of a lecture on history of the extant bibles …

 

[BRB]

I believe all Protestant Bibles have Jude. LINK.

Yes … same Jude text is in both Bibles.

However, an interesting point for Protestants [and Catholics] to ponder:

Jude quotes from a forbidden apocryphal book. But, then same occurs in some of Paul’s letters.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Jude is in the Protestant Bibles. Speaking as a former Protestant .

One important difference between the two Bibles is that Protestants tend to translate Gabriel’s greeting to Mary, “Greetings, you who are highly favored,” rather than, “Greetings, full of grace.” Which strips out an important passage suggesting her immaculate conception.

 

[nice2000]

Thanks MarcoPolo, BRB and Lief for clarifying the St. Jude thangy.

Another question,

The Catholic bible has more books in it then the Protestant bible?

I heard this a while back. I never took the time to research it myself though.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Thanks MarcoPolo, BRB and Lief for clarifying the St. Jude thangy.

Another question,

The Catholic bible has more books in it then the Protestant bible?

I heard this a while back. I never took the time to research it myself though.

Yes, the Catholic Bible has 73 books and the Protestant has 66 books. Which is interesting from a numerological perspective . 7 is the number of perfection or completeness, 3 the number of the Trinity, and 6 the number of man, of incompleteness, and even of the Beast.

The OP covered the differences in books between the two Bibles.

 

[rpp]

Thanks MarcoPolo, BRB and Lief for clarifying the St. Jude thangy.

Another question,

The Catholic bible has more books in it then the Protestant bible?

I heard this a while back. I never took the time to research it myself though.

Please note the Original Post. Those books are listed.

 

[rpp]

So is that the only difference, the epilogue of the Lord’s prayer?

I suppose I should not be surprised. Scriptural texts have been remarkably well preserved.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

So is that the only difference, the epilogue of the Lord’s prayer?

I suppose I should not be surprised. Scriptural texts have been remarkably well preserved.

I mentioned earlier the important difference about Gabriel’s greeting to Mary. In Catholic Bibles, it’s likely to say “Hail, full of grace,” a statement referring to her Immaculate Conception. In Protestant Bibles, it’s translated, “Hail, you who are highly favored.”

 

[rpp]

I mentioned earlier the important difference about Gabriel’s greeting to Mary. In Catholic Bibles, it’s likely to say “Hail, full of grace,” a statement referring to her Immaculate Conception. In Protestant Bibles, it’s translated, “Hail, you who are highly favored.”

Isn’t that also how the NAB CE translates it?

 

[Brendan]

Isn’t that also how the NAB CE translates it?

It’s called the NAB ( New American Bible); it’s a CE Catholic Edition by defintion,

Yes, it is translated as such in the NAB editions, but not in the NAB Liturgical text. It reads “Hail, Full of Grace” there.

The RSV CE has Luke 1:28 as “Hail, Full of Grace”

 

[Deidre]

There’s a textual difference in Matthew 5 where Jesus is talking about divorce.

In the Catholic Bible Matthew 5:32 Jesus says "But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

In the Protestant Bible (NIV) Matthew 5:32 the translation is "But I tell you, anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adultress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman becomes an adultress.

So the way I understand it from my Protestant friends, based on the Protestant translation of Matthew 5:32, if one partner commits adultery, it gives the other partner the right to divorce and remarry in their church.

From what I understand in the Catholic Church, adultery after marriage is not necessarily grounds for an annulment and remarriage. The translation of (unless the marriage is unlawful) would refer to a situation or circumstance leading up to the time of the marriage (not after) that would render the marriage unlawful.

Anyway, I think this might be the type of textual difference you’re looking for?

 

[Robbinson]

Ok - for us Protestants who are curious - can you recommend a good Catholic Bible translation?

I have many translations of the Protestant Bible in my home (KJV, NKJV, NIV) (of these I prefer the NIV). I have a Navarre Bible New Testatment (but not the Old Testatment) ( that is a Catholic translation).

Thanks in advance.

 

[tobinatorstark]

Ok - for us Protestants who are curious - can you recommend a good Catholic Bible translation?

I have many translations of the Protestant Bible in my home (KJV, NKJV, NIV) (of these I prefer the NIV). I have a Navarre Bible New Testatment (but not the Old Testatment) ( that is a Catholic translation).

Thanks in advance.

since you prefer the NIV for Protestant I would recommend the NAB or the Jerusalem Bible as far as Catholic Bibles are concerned. I personally read the Douay-Rheims but if you aren’t an advanced reader I wouldn’t recommend it