The goods of NABRE!

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Byzman

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This thread is a topic I hope to discuss with others about the goods of the new NABRE. Alot of posts on other threads appear to be more critical than what I hope to discuss. I just recently purchased the NABRE and at first glance it appears much better than the NAB. I know of the controversial translations(e.g. Isaiah 7:14, Genesis 3:15), but what I am looking for is a discussion on where you think the NABRE did a better job this time around translating…and even where you noticed new changes not in other bibles. It would also be nice to even bring up the footnotes and references of the NABRE.

So I will start with a translation that I think, and probably no one disagree with me, is a much better translation in the NABRE from the NAB is Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man…”
This is a much more traditional rendering instead of the NAB of, “Happy those…”
 
Psalm 1 was the first thing I noticed. I just got it over the weekend. I did get the soft leather like from St Benedict Press.
 
my only interest in the issue is whether or not the new translation is going to replace the current version used at Mass, which determines whether or not I have to buy new bibles for CCD etc. Father says no, so that is a huge savings. I am not a bible expert and reading various complaints and arguments about the translation is not going to make me one, so this is one more area I will just rely on the Church to make the decision for me.
 
While I have not yet picked one up, I keep thinking about it. I own one NAB, which I frankly never use, as I don’t care for the translation, or the layout the one I own has. It’s from Fireside, and while a beautiful Bible, the notes literally engulf most pages, making it very annoying to read.

I like the look\layout of the St. Benedict Press version, as the notes are at the bottom of each page, rather than off to the sides and such. I’m still unsure however as to whether or not I need to pick up yet another Bible translation, as my daily reading is done either from the RSV-CE, or the DR. I WANT to like the NABRE, but after my experience with the NAB, I’m reluctant still. Maybe this thread can help to give me some positives as to why it is a better translation for a Catholic to read, than either the RSV-CE, or the DR. 🙂
 
puzzleannie said:
I am not a bible expert and reading various complaints and arguments about the translation is not going to make me one, so this is one more area I will just rely on the Church to make the decision for me.
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👍👍

I haven’t heard anything at all about this in my parish. Are the new translations only in the US or global?
 
rotlex said:
While I have not yet picked one up, I keep thinking about it. I own one NAB, which I frankly never use, as I don’t care for the translation, or the layout the one I own has. It’s from Fireside, and while a beautiful Bible, the notes literally engulf most pages, making it very annoying to read.

I like the look\layout of the St. Benedict Press version, as the notes are at the bottom of each page, rather than off to the sides and such. I’m still unsure however as to whether or not I need to pick up yet another Bible translation, as my daily reading is done either from the RSV-CE, or the DR. I WANT to like the NABRE, but after my experience with the NAB, I’m reluctant still. Maybe this thread can help to give me some positives as to why it is a better translation for a Catholic to read, than either the RSV-CE, or the DR. 🙂
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I, too, only read the RSV-(2)CE, along with the Orthodox Study Bible. I, also, was unsure about getting the NABRE because I have the NAB that I really never use either. But I bought the St. Benedict Press one with the Pentecost cover and I think this alone is a better update than other NAB’s. Now I also believe the pages(including font style) are nicer than other older NAB’s. I still decided to buy the NABRE because I think the NABRE has potential to have more positives than negatives that are found in the NAB. I am hoping to discuss this in this thread.
 
What does the NAB-RE do with Luke 1:28?

"And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
 
Barbkw said:
What does the NAB-RE do with Luke 1:28?

"And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
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The NABRE uses the same New Testament as the NAB, the revision was made to the Old Testament and the Psalms.
 
Psalm 23 was a good change:👍

'The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures he makes me lie down;
to still waters he leads me;
he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths
for the sake of his name.
Even though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff comfort me.

You set a table before me
in front of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Indeed, goodness and mercy
will pursue me all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for endless days.’
 
CalCatholic said:
Psalm 23 was a good change:👍

'The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures he makes me lie down;
to still waters he leads me;
he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths
for the sake of his name.
Even though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff comfort me.

You set a table before me
in front of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Indeed, goodness and mercy
will pursue me all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for endless days.’
Click to expand...
“Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.” Psalm 23:4 NAB

Yes…the NABRE is much better than this from the NAB…and the “Endless days” of the NABRE at the end of the Psalm 23 is much improved from the NAB.
 
What about the change of name from “Sirach” to “Ben Sira”…does anyone like this change?
 
I found this that has some side-by-side passages:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_American_Bible_Revised_Edition

I say it is a mixed bag, mostly good. I like the more formal and literal phrasing, although I wish they would have extended that to gender pronouns of people. However, I like the fact that they held the line on masculine pronouns for God. That is far more important.
 
Byzman said:
What about the change of name from “Sirach” to “Ben Sira”…does anyone like this change?
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It wouldn’t be the first time Sirach was changed. In the Douay-Rheims and up until the NAB it’s called Ecclesiasticus, even in the Jerusalem Bible.

I haven’t picked up one of these yet and have just been following the CatholicBibles.Blogspot.com blog and the NABRE Facebook page, and I did a “search inside this book” on Amazon for some things.

They kept “The LORD begot me” in Proverbs 8:22, which I like. It would be nice to know their justification for that translation given the fact that they made a change to Isaiah 7:14 for the sake of literal accuracy, and argued for this change, rather than to view the passage through tradition.

the use of “Oracle of the LORD” in Jeremiah is something that will probably have to grow on the reader. It’s very awkward in English.

The increase in study notes is nice and the changes to the psalms are appreciated.

I’m more or less indifferent at this point and would probably choose it for other reasons such as the availability of a nice binding, imagery, maps, concordance, schedule of readings, etc.
 
I like the fact that the NABRE retained the title ‘Son of man’ in Ezekiel, many modern translations want to eliminate that and use replacements such as ‘mortal’ instead.
 
CalCatholic said:
I like the fact that the NABRE retained the title ‘Son of man’ in Ezekiel, many modern translations want to eliminate that and use replacements such as ‘mortal’ instead.
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They also kept it in the all-important Daniel 7, which some translations like the NRSV and CEB have altered do to inclusive language issues.
 
I can’t affoard to purchase a copy. But, it is interresting to see how translations change over time.
 
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