The New Jerusalem Bible: Study Edition & CTS Bible

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tonyk84 said:
Hi everyone, I have a couple of questions I need help with.

Has anyone used this study bible?

Whats the difference between the standard NJB?

Here is a link to a copy on amazon I found
amazon.co.uk/New-Jerusalem-Bible-Study-Njb/dp/0232520771/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238000419&sr=8-6

Also what is your opinion on the CTS New Catholic Bible?
here is the link ://www.cts-online.org.uk/acatalog/info_SC101.html

Any help/information is very appreciated!

Thanks,

T.
Click to expand...
// from what i can remember it uses the grail psalms and Lord or God is used instead of YHVH…
 
Just confirming what the previous poster said, yes the CTS New Catholic Bible is the original Jerusalem Bible, but with ‘The Grail’ translation of Psalms and ‘Yahweh’ is replaced by ‘The LORD’ throughout the text.

It therefore matches the UK lectionary exactly.

It also has new notes and four maps, a table of all sunday and weekday readings for the church year, and a table of the readings in the LOTH. Also has a brief concordance.

All in all, I highly recommend it for personal use. If you were to buy it, I think getting it from the CTS directly would be your best bet, as its usually out of stock at Amazon:

cts-online.org.uk/acatalog/Our_Products_CTS_New_Catholic_Bible_21.html

Matt

EDIT: heres the full list of features taken directly from the CTS site given above:

New specially commissioned introductions, one for each book, giving the biblical and historical context

New specially commissioned liturgical introductions placing each book of the Bible in the Church’s liturgical year

New footnotes following the latest scholarship

New marginal references helping you get the most out of each passage.

New layout – using clear and modern fonts in easy-to-read single-column format

New text alterations, replacing the word ‘Yahweh’ with ‘the LORD’ as requested by Benedict XVI for all new Bibles

New directories of references for readings used in the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, including the fuller two-year cycle for the Breviary.
 
While the CTS Bible has the advantage of being a new edition that combines the JB and the Grail Psalms in multiple sizes and editions, the one huge disadvantage is that it doesn’t have all the study helps and notes that the standard NJB does. If you are looking for an everyday Bible that you can take to Mass, then go with the CTS version. If you want a study Bible, then go with the standard NJB.
 
Thanks for everyone’s help its really helped my understanding of the CTS Catholic Bible, its very much appreciated 👍

One question which I still need help on is - what is the differance between the standard NJB and the NJB study edition?

Thanks in advance!
 
tonyk84 said:
Thanks for everyone’s help its really helped my understanding of the CTS Catholic Bible, its very much appreciated 👍

One question which I still need help on is - what is the differance between the standard NJB and the NJB study edition?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
I own both copies, the standard one I got here while the study edition I purchased in Rome. The biggest difference is size, with the study edition being smaller, as well as being a paperback. The study edition also has a study guide in the appendix, which works as a Bible dictionary. (The study edition you would have to order from an oversees vendor.)
 
mccorm45 said:
I own both copies, the standard one I got here while the study edition I purchased in Rome. The biggest difference is size, with the study edition being smaller, as well as being a paperback. The study edition also has a study guide in the appendix, which works as a Bible dictionary. (The study edition you would have to order from an oversees vendor.)
Click to expand...
So is it worth while getting the study edition, will it actually help me study and understand the Bible more than the standard NJB version?

Do you know why it is smaller than the standard version?

Thanks for your help 🙂
 
I don’t think the study edition really adds anything that you necessarily need. I would also say that the NJB standard hardcover is of much higher quality than the softcover. Also, the larger NJB standard has more room for personal notes and annotations. Personally, I would go for the NJB standard edition published by Doubleday: amazon.com/New-Jerusalem-Bible-Henry-Wansbrough/dp/0385142641/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238179399&sr=8-2

I also have reviewed a number of different Catholic Bibles, primarily looking at the quality of production, on my blog: catholicbibles.blogspot.com
 
One problem with the NJB editions, especially the notes is that they do not necessarily reflect Catholic teaching. Many of the notes are written from a Liberal viewpoint, and tend to treat the unproven Liberal-critical theories of bible “scholarship” as facts. Be prepared to read that much of the bible was patched together and re-written by shadowy editors and “redactors” and that many of the narratives are legends.

I think this is one reason why the CTS has produced its own study version.
 
Thanks for that,

I have been on your blog and it has helped my alot.

What in your opinion is the best way to study the bible? When you say take notes, what type of notes do you your self take? I want to be able to really understand it the best way I can and not to just read through the pages but to take them in.

Sorry for all the questions,

Your help is really appreciated,

Thanks.
 
tonyk84 said:
Thanks for that,

I have been on your blog and it has helped my alot.

What in your opinion is the best way to study the bible? When you say take notes, what type of notes do you your self take? I want to be able to really understand it the best way I can and not to just read through the pages but to take them in.

Sorry for all the questions,

Your help is really appreciated,

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I have thought about this a lot, so I appreciate the question. I am also sure that some others will have various opinions. But, here is what I think:
  1. Get a good Bible (with all the Catholic Books) that you enjoy reading from. There are a number of study Bibles out there that have lots of articles and annotations, but before deciding on the worth of those study aids it is essential that the Bible you are going to by is one that a) you will enjoy reading from and b) will last a long time. (Avoid paperback and bonded leather!) This is something you are going to use a lot, so make sure it can be a part of your Bible study for years to come!
  2. If you are going to do Bible study, I think you want to stick to the RSV, NRSV, or even possibly the NAB. They are all modern translations, approved by the Church for personal study, and can be used in conversations with other Christians. Are any of these three perfect? No! But there is no perfect translation out there. Each of them has positive and negative features. Spend some time reading from them and decide which one you like the most.
  3. What ever Bible you decide to go with, make sure it has the following components: 1) Cross-references; 2) Biblical Maps; 3) Bible Dictionary/glossary of terms. I ordered these three on purpose, since I think the first two are most necessary. Cross-references are essential in refering back to the Old Testament when quoted in the New Testament. If you are going to study St. Paul, then you need to have cross-references. (Actually, that goes for the whole NT!) Bible Maps are also very helpful, so that you know where some event is going on. This is not only helpful in the narrative parts of the New Testament, but also in the Old Testament as well. For example, if a prophet speaks an oracle against Edom, it is good to know where Edom is located. An appendix that includes a Bible dictionary/glossary of terms is also helpful, since you many be able to look up names or places when the come up in the text. (Also, a concordance is nice to have, but not necessary.)
  4. Don’t worry so much a buying a study Bible with loads of annotations. If you go that route, that is great, but know that the notes aren’t infallible. I prefer to purchase commentaries, both Catholic and Protestant, that can be refered to when reading a particular book or passage of the Bible. There are many commentaries out there which have varying quality, but new ones are being produced each year that can help shed more light on the text. If you have a particular book you are going to study, I would be more than happy to recommend a commentary. Just send me a message or comment on my blog.
  5. Decide if you want to write in your Bible before you begin. Many people, both Catholic and Protestant, do this, while others like to keep a notebook for their own personal study notes. If you decide to write in your Bible, make sure to have a plan of annotation, so that when you refer to your notes later on you will know what you were highlighting or noting.
The notes that I take typically can take on many forms, like perhaps an insight I have on Christ which I found in the OT. I will then make a note of that in the text itself or perhaps my notebook. Also, if I am reading Paul, I might make a notation about something he said earlier in a particular letter that correlates to a particular text that I am currently reading. Also, there may be a particular word that has been translated one way, but could have multiple options in the Greek or Hebrew. I will make sure to note that in the text as well.

There is no one way to do Bible study. However, the best thing to do is really get into the text and try to learn as much as you can about it. You can do this on your own, but also commentaries, audio Bible studies (like at St. Joseph Communications), and other study tools can help in the process.
 
mccorm45 said:
I have thought about this a lot, so I appreciate the question. I am also sure that some others will have various opinions. But, here is what I think:
  1. Get a good Bible (with all the Catholic Books) that you enjoy reading from. There are a number of study Bibles out there that have lots of articles and annotations, but before deciding on the worth of those study aids it is essential that the Bible you are going to by is one that a) you will enjoy reading from and b) will last a long time. (Avoid paperback and bonded leather!) This is something you are going to use a lot, so make sure it can be a part of your Bible study for years to come!
  2. If you are going to do Bible study, I think you want to stick to the RSV, NRSV, or even possibly the NAB. They are all modern translations, approved by the Church for personal study, and can be used in conversations with other Christians. Are any of these three perfect? No! But there is no perfect translation out there. Each of them has positive and negative features. Spend some time reading from them and decide which one you like the most.
  3. What ever Bible you decide to go with, make sure it has the following components: 1) Cross-references; 2) Biblical Maps; 3) Bible Dictionary/glossary of terms. I ordered these three on purpose, since I think the first two are most necessary. Cross-references are essential in refering back to the Old Testament when quoted in the New Testament. If you are going to study St. Paul, then you need to have cross-references. (Actually, that goes for the whole NT!) Bible Maps are also very helpful, so that you know where some event is going on. This is not only helpful in the narrative parts of the New Testament, but also in the Old Testament as well. For example, if a prophet speaks an oracle against Edom, it is good to know where Edom is located. An appendix that includes a Bible dictionary/glossary of terms is also helpful, since you many be able to look up names or places when the come up in the text. (Also, a concordance is nice to have, but not necessary.)
  4. Don’t worry so much a buying a study Bible with loads of annotations. If you go that route, that is great, but know that the notes aren’t infallible. I prefer to purchase commentaries, both Catholic and Protestant, that can be refered to when reading a particular book or passage of the Bible. There are many commentaries out there which have varying quality, but new ones are being produced each year that can help shed more light on the text. If you have a particular book you are going to study, I would be more than happy to recommend a commentary. Just send me a message or comment on my blog.
  5. Decide if you want to write in your Bible before you begin. Many people, both Catholic and Protestant, do this, while others like to keep a notebook for their own personal study notes. If you decide to write in your Bible, make sure to have a plan of annotation, so that when you refer to your notes later on you will know what you were highlighting or noting.
The notes that I take typically can take on many forms, like perhaps an insight I have on Christ which I found in the OT. I will then make a note of that in the text itself or perhaps my notebook. Also, if I am reading Paul, I might make a notation about something he said earlier in a particular letter that correlates to a particular text that I am currently reading. Also, there may be a particular word that has been translated one way, but could have multiple options in the Greek or Hebrew. I will make sure to note that in the text as well.

There is no one way to do Bible study. However, the best thing to do is really get into the text and try to learn as much as you can about it. You can do this on your own, but also commentaries, audio Bible studies (like at St. Joseph Communications), and other study tools can help in the process.
Click to expand...
// cool tips and web blog dude…😃

// you like the nrsv:ce correct?
 
mccorm45 said:
I have thought about this a lot, so I appreciate the question. I am also sure that some others will have various opinions. But, here is what I think:
  1. Get a good Bible (with all the Catholic Books) that you enjoy reading from. There are a number of study Bibles out there that have lots of articles and annotations, but before deciding on the worth of those study aids it is essential that the Bible you are going to by is one that a) you will enjoy reading from and b) will last a long time. (Avoid paperback and bonded leather!) This is something you are going to use a lot, so make sure it can be a part of your Bible study for years to come!
  2. If you are going to do Bible study, I think you want to stick to the RSV, NRSV, or even possibly the NAB. They are all modern translations, approved by the Church for personal study, and can be used in conversations with other Christians. Are any of these three perfect? No! But there is no perfect translation out there. Each of them has positive and negative features. Spend some time reading from them and decide which one you like the most.
  3. What ever Bible you decide to go with, make sure it has the following components: 1) Cross-references; 2) Biblical Maps; 3) Bible Dictionary/glossary of terms. I ordered these three on purpose, since I think the first two are most necessary. Cross-references are essential in refering back to the Old Testament when quoted in the New Testament. If you are going to study St. Paul, then you need to have cross-references. (Actually, that goes for the whole NT!) Bible Maps are also very helpful, so that you know where some event is going on. This is not only helpful in the narrative parts of the New Testament, but also in the Old Testament as well. For example, if a prophet speaks an oracle against Edom, it is good to know where Edom is located. An appendix that includes a Bible dictionary/glossary of terms is also helpful, since you many be able to look up names or places when the come up in the text. (Also, a concordance is nice to have, but not necessary.)
  4. Don’t worry so much a buying a study Bible with loads of annotations. If you go that route, that is great, but know that the notes aren’t infallible. I prefer to purchase commentaries, both Catholic and Protestant, that can be refered to when reading a particular book or passage of the Bible. There are many commentaries out there which have varying quality, but new ones are being produced each year that can help shed more light on the text. If you have a particular book you are going to study, I would be more than happy to recommend a commentary. Just send me a message or comment on my blog.
  5. Decide if you want to write in your Bible before you begin. Many people, both Catholic and Protestant, do this, while others like to keep a notebook for their own personal study notes. If you decide to write in your Bible, make sure to have a plan of annotation, so that when you refer to your notes later on you will know what you were highlighting or noting.
The notes that I take typically can take on many forms, like perhaps an insight I have on Christ which I found in the OT. I will then make a note of that in the text itself or perhaps my notebook. Also, if I am reading Paul, I might make a notation about something he said earlier in a particular letter that correlates to a particular text that I am currently reading. Also, there may be a particular word that has been translated one way, but could have multiple options in the Greek or Hebrew. I will make sure to note that in the text as well.

There is no one way to do Bible study. However, the best thing to do is really get into the text and try to learn as much as you can about it. You can do this on your own, but also commentaries, audio Bible studies (like at St. Joseph Communications), and other study tools can help in the process.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tips mate, they are really helpful 👍

Your Blog is really cool, i will be using it and will contact for help if that is ok?

cheers,

Tony.
 
Mattjolley said:
Just confirming what the previous poster said, yes the CTS New Catholic Bible is the original Jerusalem Bible, but with ‘The Grail’ translation of Psalms and ‘Yahweh’ is replaced by ‘The LORD’ throughout the text.

It therefore matches the UK lectionary exactly.

It also has new notes and four maps, a table of all sunday and weekday readings for the church year, and a table of the readings in the LOTH. Also has a brief concordance.

All in all, I highly recommend it for personal use. If you were to buy it, I think getting it from the CTS directly would be your best bet, as its usually out of stock at Amazon:

cts-online.org.uk/acatalog/Our_Products_CTS_New_Catholic_Bible_21.html

Matt

EDIT: heres the full list of features taken directly from the CTS site given above:

New specially commissioned introductions, one for each book, giving the biblical and historical context

New specially commissioned liturgical introductions placing each book of the Bible in the Church’s liturgical year

New footnotes following the latest scholarship

New marginal references helping you get the most out of each passage.

New layout – using clear and modern fonts in easy-to-read single-column format

New text alterations, replacing the word ‘Yahweh’ with ‘the LORD’ as requested by Benedict XVI for all new Bibles

New directories of references for readings used in the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, including the fuller two-year cycle for the Breviary.
Click to expand...
Matt:

I know one of the Bibles Tony is looking at is definitely the New Jerusalem Bible (I looked on my stateside Amazon.com account). It’s a fine Bible, but I personally prefer the original Jerusalem Bible. I know the original Study Edition is getting difficult to find, but I think it’s worth the hassle and price (I ended up paying $60 for mine (about £41.90) - I understand the CTS Bible is based on that, so, except for the one negative comment I saw on the amazon.com site, I’d have to recommend it sight unseen.

Another set I’ve also found to be useful are the Ignatius Catholic Study Bibles. They’re based on the RSV - 2nd Catholic Edition, which Ignatius Press has published as a one volume reader. Commentary is provided by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. I have almost all of them, and I buy them whenever I have enough money to buy 2 or 3 of these small books at a time. Check Amazon.com, Ignatius Press and The Catholic Company. and, I have the RSV- 2nd Catholic Edition one volume reader - It’s easy to read, & I’ve had Greek scholars tell me that it’s very close to the original NT Greek, & it’s also fairly inexpensive (Mine was $30 - £20.95)

I also have the St. Joseph’s New American Edition, an Orthodox Bible (they translate the OT from the Septuagent) and an NIV Archeological Bible.

Matt & Tony, If you have two or three good Catholic Translations available, it’s easier to compare renderings and to see how the translators see the passages. You also often get situations where one version will cover another one’s weaknesses. The basic RSV - 2nd Catholic Edition really could use a good set of notes and X-refs - The Original JB has GREAT Notes and X-Refs!

Pick one for daily reading and/or Lectio Divina, but don’t rely on it for Study - Get at least one each of a Formal Equivalence Translation and a Dynamic Equivalence Translation, and add as you feel the need.

Your Brother and Servant in Christ, Michael
 
Is there any chance that CTS in the future will publish a Jerusalem bible with the new Revised Grail Psalms that have recently been approved by the USCCB?

How good would the New Jerusalem Bible be if it included the revised Grail Psalms and got rid of all of its inclusivbe language?
 
Jehuty_X said:
// cool tips and web blog dude…😃

// you like the nrsv:ce correct?
Click to expand...
I have been using the NRSV more because I like the textual notes that let you know various textual options, as well as clearing up any inclusive language issues. I also think it reads really well. There are also multiple editions out there, with more being published each year. There are also a lot of support material out there for Bible study that support the NRSV, which is a big plus for me. (Things like Bible dictionaries, interlinears, word studies, etc…) Is it perfect? No, but neither is any translation.

Thanks for stopping by the blog! 🙂
 
mccorm45 said:
I have been using the NRSV more because I like the textual notes that let you know various textual options, as well as clearing up any inclusive language issues. I also think it reads really well. There are also multiple editions out there, with more being published each year. There are also a lot of support material out there for Bible study that support the NRSV, which is a big plus for me. (Things like Bible dictionaries, interlinears, word studies, etc…) Is it perfect? No, but neither is any translation.
Click to expand...
// true…no translation is perfect (though i do wish they were), but the inclusive language is uncalled for and it tampers with the text…
mccorm45 said:
Thanks for stopping by the blog! 🙂
Click to expand...
// your welcome! i do enjoy reading your blog… 😃
 
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