What to do with a King James Bible

[crazzeto]

Appreciate the advice. I don’t use the KJV in study. It does have many flaws. I prefer the ESV or NAB, but I have many translations.

I have the Catholic Comparative New Testament. I was looking for a good Catholic Study Bible. I like the idea of references to the ECF’s. I may buy the Catechism, as well.

Thanks for your help,
Anna

I’ve heard a lot of good things about the New Jerusalem bible, Mother Angelicia loves it for instance. I’d recommend browsing the in his name website (link I provided earlier) for some idea’s, they have a very large selection of bibles.

 

[Anna_Scott]

I’ve heard a lot of good things about the New Jerusalem bible, Mother Angelicia loves it for instance. I’d recommend browsing the in his name website (link I provided earlier) for some idea’s, they have a very large selection of bibles.

I have looked up passages in the NJB at my local bookstore; and found the commentaries very interesting.

I buy Bible Translations and resources, as I can afford them. I have received a number of Bibles as gifts. My son gave me a gift card for B&N for Christmas (good son-who knows his mother well.) So, I’ll be checking there.

Thanks so much,
Anna

 

[stpetric]

My daughter was given a King James Bible several years ago by a protestant who was trying to convert her.

With all due respect, then, why isn’t it your daughter’s decision what to do with it? Is she so young or immature that she can’t be trusted with it? Or has she simply grown up, moved out, and left it behind for you to deal with?

I just found it and would like to know who I could give it to. It is not the complete Bible and I really have no need to keep it.

As an English-speaking person, though, it’s a milestone in the history of our language, and one of its chief glories. And as you note, it *is *the Word of God, so you could do far worse than to take it off the shelf and read it from time to time!

Steve

 

[stpetric]

I like to use the RSV for quoting, but ya just can’t get a good RSV study Bible these days.

Sure you can! *The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, Revised Standard Version, Expanded Edition *is still in print, and you can easily get it from amazon (or most anywhere else).

Another good, readily available edition is The Ignatius Bible. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the Oxford volume, but it’s got footnotes and the basic study “helps”.

Steve

 

[youngsaint]

My daughter was given a King James Bible several years ago by a protestant who was trying to convert her.

I just found it and would like to know who I could give it to. It is not the complete Bible and I really have no need to keep it.

I would like to give it to some protestant organization, but don’t know who that would be.

It is the word of God although incomplete and I surely can’t just toss it out.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

Every thing I can think of has to do with gasoline and matches

Same thing happened here, I opted to use it as tinder for the fireplace, put my mom gave it away to out nieghbors.

 

[John_oxios]

I’ve been wanting to buy a good Catholic Study Bible. Sounds like the NAB is the best?

Anna

That’s affirmative, the commentary is right in line with doctrine, it also has footnotes referring to old testament and the Old testament to the New. The big green Catechism from Liguori Press,

amazon.com/Catechism-Catholic-Church-Accordance-Promulgated/dp/0879739762/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263342420&sr=1-5

also has an inex of citations Verses in the Bible and how they are used in th catechism

amazon.com/Catechism-Catholic-Church-Accordance-Promulgated/dp/0879739762/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263342106&sr=1-5

Actual price of the book is $14.95, Amazon has it listed for $21.00 ?

ISBN 1- 57455-110-8

God bless,
John

 

[John_oxios]

Sure you can! *The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, Revised Standard Version, Expanded Edition *is still in print, and you can easily get it from amazon (or most anywhere else).

Another good, readily available edition is The Ignatius Bible. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the Oxford volume, but it’s got footnotes and the basic study “helps”.

Steve

The Oxford Annotated RSV is out of print since 72, libraries have it! I don’t do Amozon.com, but if i see one in a used bookstore I might get it!!

 

[stpetric]

The Oxford Annotated RSV is out of print since 72, libraries have it! I don’t do Amozon.com, but if i see one in a used bookstore I might get it!!

Not to be contentious, John, but it’s NOT out of print! I bought one while in seminary in the 1980’s; I was given one when I was ordained in the early 90’s; there was one on the shelf at my local Barnes & Noble just yesterday; and I gave you the link for it on amazon today!

OTOH, perhaps you’re right – this is the NEW Oxford Annotated, but it’s the RSV (not the NRSV), it includes the deuterocanonicals (and a few apocryphal non-canonical books as well), and it’s very much in print.

Steve

 

[LTSpike]

However, In Job 11:17 and 2 Peter 1:19, lucifer was translated as day star.

Please study a little Latin and look at what the word ‘lucifer’ means. It was not always simply a proper name for Satan…

 

[Anna_Scott]

Please study a little Latin and look at what the word ‘lucifer’ means. It was not always simply a proper name for Satan…

That was precisely the point of my post.

I pointed out the fact that there was actually a bishop named Lucifer, known as Lucifer of Cagliari. He was born in the early part of the 4th century and died in 371 A.D.

I said, “I doubt he would have been named Lucifer, if Lucifer was known to mean “Satan,” at that point in history.”

The KJV has a very interesting variant in Isaiah 14:12 regarding the word lucifer:

Isaiah 14:12 (King James Version): 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

**This passage in Isaiah 14:12 became a “proof text” for Protestants for the fall of Satan.

However, today, one would have difficulty finding the word lucifer** in an English Bible translation, because the word lucifer is a Latin word.

Most Bible dictionaries no longer connect lucifer with Satan.

The word lucifer quietly vanished from the pages of Scripture; and the connection to Satan quietly vanished from Christian dictionaries.

The Latin word lucifer is actually a “carryover” from the Latin Vulgate, which contains the word in 3 passages, including a passage that refers to Christ (2 Peter: 1:19.)

Isaiah 14:12 (Latin Vulgate): quomodo cecidisti de caelo lucifer qui mane oriebaris corruisti in terram qui vulnerabas gentes.

Job 11:17 (Latin Vulgate): et quasi meridianus fulgor consurget tibi ad vesperam et cum te consumptum putaveris orieris ut lucifer.

2 Peter 1:19 (Latin Vulgate): et habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem cui bene facitis adtendentes quasi lucernae lucenti in caliginoso loco donec dies inlucescat et **lucifer **oriatur in cordibus vestris.

The Douay-Rheims retained the word lucifer in only one of the 3 passages: Isaiah 14:12.

However, In Job 11:17 and 2 Peter 1:19, lucifer was translated as day star.

Isaiah 14:12 (Douay-Rheims): How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, who didst rise in the morning? how art thou fallen to the earth, that didst wound the nations?

Job 11:17 (Douay-Rheims): And brightness like that of the noonday, shall arise to thee at evening: and when thou shalt think thyself consumed, thou shalt rise as the day star.

2 Peter 1:19 (Douay-Rheims): And we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts.

It is interesting to note that there was actually a bishop named Lucifer, known as Lucifer of Cagliari. He was born in the early part of the 4th century and died in 371 A.D. I doubt he would have been named Lucifer, if Lucifer was known to mean “Satan,” at that point in history.

The word** lucifer **is found in the Darby Translation:

Isaiah 14:12 (Darby Translation): 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning! Thou art cut down to the ground, that didst prostrate the nations!

However, the word lucifer is nowhere to be found in the following Bible translations, used primarily by Protestants:

New International Version

New International Version - UK

New American Standard Bible

New Living Translation

English Standard Version

Contemporary English Version

New Century Version

American Standard Version

Young’s Literal Translation

Holman Christian Standard Bible

**It is actually quite amazing how one word could alter the course of Christian beliefs regarding the identity and fall of Satan.

Anna**

Anna

 

[BernadetteM]

With all due respect, then, why isn’t it your daughter’s decision what to do with it? Is she so young or immature that she can’t be trusted with it? Or has she simply grown up, moved out, and left it behind for you to deal with?

As an English-speaking person, though, it’s a milestone in the history of our language, and one of its chief glories. And as you note, it *is *the Word of God, so you could do far worse than to take it off the shelf and read it from time to time!

Steve

She moved to another state and really isn’t interested in this bible. The person who gave it to her offended her faith as a Catholic and she has strong feelings for the Blessed Mother, which I won’t go into, but he also was very disrespectful towards the Lord’s Holy Mother.

It was stuck away and she left a few things behind as it was a big move from California to Texas.

God Bless

Bernadette

 

[michaelanthony]

What I did with my King James Bible was:

(1) verify the Catholic apologetics references that are given to support Catholic doctrine, and
(2) memorize the book and chapter references (chapter and verse is too much for me) by doctrine so I could show Protestants how their flagship translation amazingly supports Catholic teaching.

I love my KJV for this reason. Same with the Strong’s concordance a fundamentalist gave me. I thank her whenever I see her, and tell her how it helped me even more convincingly support Catholic teachings from Scripture.

 

[wwolverine]

My daughter was given a King James Bible several years ago by a protestant who was trying to convert her.

I just found it and would like to know who I could give it to. It is not the complete Bible and I really have no need to keep it.

I would like to give it to some protestant organization, but don’t know who that would be.

It is the word of God although incomplete and I surely can’t just toss it out.

Thanks for any suggestions.forums.catholic-questions.org/images/smilies/redface.gif

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

Hello Bernadette,

I dont know for sure if KJV reading is bad, after all it does have Our Lords words in them. I myself am using NIV study bible, which was gifted to me by a good friend many years ago. I also went to Pauline bookstores which is a Catholic Book Store, where I happened to find them selling these bibles too with the 7 books missing.

Once when I went to the Church, I happened to hear the book reading from Sirach and hence as it was not in any of the Bibles I had, I started wondering, and your question is the best place where I too can ask for guidance from others,

Thanks and God Bless

 

[BernadetteM]

Hello Bernadette,

I dont know for sure if KJV reading is bad, after all it does have Our Lords words in them. I myself am using NIV study bible, which was gifted to me by a good friend many years ago. I also went to Pauline bookstores which is a Catholic Book Store, where I happened to find them selling these bibles too with the 7 books missing.

Once when I went to the Church, I happened to hear the book reading from Sirach and hence as it was not in any of the Bibles I had, I started wondering, and your question is the best place where I too can ask for guidance from others,

Thanks and God Bless

I don’t find that there is anything really wrong with reading the KJV, yes the language is lovely, but it was the circumstances under which my daughter was given it. The man was very intense and trying convert her. She is a very stubbron girl and although not as involved in the Church as I am, she defends the Church and Mary to the last. She was so angry with this person for condemning the Church and Mary. The Blessed Mother has kept her a Catholic and I am very thankful for that.

God Bless

Bernadette

 

[greggy53]

Every thing I can think of has to do with gasoline and matches

Same thing happened here, I opted to use it as tinder for the fireplace, put my mom gave it away to out nieghbors.

That was my first reaction to the question, but I remembered how much I love the King’s english, and I have a family KJV in my bookcase that was published in 1876. I wouldn’t part with it for the world.

 

[kalt]

I don’t find that there is anything really wrong with reading the KJV, yes the language is lovely, but it was the circumstances under which my daughter was given it. The man was very intense and trying convert her. She is a very stubbron girl and although not as involved in the Church as I am, she defends the Church and Mary to the last. She was so angry with this person for condemning the Church and Mary. The Blessed Mother has kept her a Catholic and I am very thankful for that.

God Bless

Bernadette

It sounds like this particular volume of the KJV doesn’t bring you peace. Get rid of it. I voted for leaving it in a public place with a “free” sign on it. I think that is the best thing to do with it, because it will be completely free to anyone who wants or needs it. If you give it to a “charity”, they will sell it to someone who needs it.

You might be over-thinking this. Just give it away in any way that makes you happy. The goal is to get rid of the thing that makes you unhappy–the book. There’s nothing complicated about it. You don’t have to keep it. You don’t have to have some exalted place to send it. Just give it away. Problem solved.

 

[Padrej]

The Oxford Annotated RSV is out of print since 72, libraries have it! I don’t do Amozon.com, but if i see one in a used bookstore I might get it!!

While it IS true that The Oxford Annotated is now available in NRSV it is being produced for the Orthodox still in the older version of RSV. They do not widely publish this tidbit but new copies can still be purchased as some view (as do I) that the NRSV with its step towards gender inclusive language was going too far.

To the question of the KJV the Nelson company now produces a NKJV in an Orthodox version which contains all the books you need. I actually prefer the New King James Version as it takes the Thee and Thou out and takes into consideration the manuscripts not available at the time of translating the 1611. For me as a pastor the switch over was more by a hate crime law passed in Delaware and Pennsylvania that slipped through in some pork legislation. The law basically states if you are going to preach against homosexuality you MUST directly quote the Bible. The KJV does not use the word “homosexual” the NKJV does. This law was aimed at the King James only crowd who were most vocal in their preaching against the homosexual lifestyle.

 

[Blessed_Hope]

Wow…can I ask what it is about the King James Bible you all dont like?? And I am not trying to argue…I just dont quite understand. In some of the posts…it seemed like you flat out dont want that book in your house…almost like I wouldnt want pornography in mine. I use a King James Bible…always have…always will. I am a born again Bible believing Christian who has accepted Christ as my personal Saviour. I can back up why I know Im saved through the Word of God. And Im not saying anyone else who has posted here isnt saved…that’s not it at all…Im just saying that I DO stand by the King James Bible…It is the Authorized Word of God. And I do attend a Bible believing church. So, yes, Im a protestant…and I am amused at how I feel like you look at us like we are aliens or something. I dont look upon catholics like that. In fact…a VERY large number of my friends ARE catholic…just sayin…
have a blessed day!

 

[crazzeto]

Wow…can I ask what it is about the King James Bible you all dont like??

Some people don’t like the old school language, what can I say these day’s people just aren’t used to it. Personally I’m happy with the laguage, thus since I like having a Impramatur on my faith text I have a Douay-Rheims bible (1609 & Haydock which I’m not sure if the Haydock is 1609 yet or a updated version). There are some who complain about some passages such has “highly favored” rather than “full of grace”. Ultimatly I think both passages say about the same thing, but I do tend to agree that “full of grace” is better.

And I am not trying to argue…I just dont quite understand. In some of the posts…it seemed like you flat out dont want that book in your house…almost like I wouldnt want pornography in mine.

I never got that strong of a reaction out of the OP, maybe another poster is the person you’re referring to? If someone does have that strong a reaction, then I woud suspect that they don’t like it because of that lack of an Impramatur. I’d say it might be an over reaction, but that’s just me

I use a King James Bible…always have…always will. I am a born again Bible believing Christian who has accepted Christ as my personal Saviour. I can back up why I know Im saved through the Word of God. And Im not saying anyone else who has posted here isnt saved…that’s not it at all…Im just saying that I DO stand by the King James Bible…It is the Authorized Word of God.

OK, now you your self are going over board. Who authorized the KJV as the word of God? I can point to the Impramatur and tell you exactly who authorized my bible as the Word of God faithfully translated from approved source documents. The KJV lacks this kind of “authorization”. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad translation, even if it uses the wrong version of the OT. Mainly what I’m getting at here, is that you’re really putting the KJV up upon a pedestal where it doesn’t necessarly belong.

And I do attend a Bible believing church. So, yes, Im a protestant…and I am amused at how I feel like you look at us like we are aliens or something. I dont look upon catholics like that. In fact…a VERY large number of my friends ARE catholic…just sayin…
have a blessed day!

What a conincidence, I attend a bible believing church too…

 

[agrange]

I am a Roman Catholic. Some may not want to agree with me.
While I would never advise a fellow Catholic to use the KJV as their primary Bible, I do think the King James is a wonderful book and a classic of English Literature. There is a richness in the language and simplicity of in the translation of ideas that is lost in many other translations. While there are some inaccuracies and very archaic language, I have found that reading key passages in the Elizabethan style has helped me to focus on a particular concept or prayer. I know that some language in it can be unclear to some modern readers, however many passages are clear, concise and easily understandable without the additional verbiage so common I in many modern translations.
I had 12 years of catholic education which included Catholic Bible studies so I am well grounded in my faith. I see no threat to it from occasionally enjoying the beauty contained in passages from the KJV. I dare say there are some passages I prefer outright over any others.