What's the best Catholic Study Bible?

[amantero]

A dear Protestant friend gave me the Zondervan NIV study bible, through which I have a new-found love of Sacred Scripture. However, I’m Catholic, and I’d like to move forward with a good, solid Catholic study bible (I know about Ignatius, but I want a more traditional format, not broken up into books). Many thanks, and God’s blessings to you all. – Angela

 

[tobinatorstark]

A dear Protestant friend gave me the Zondervan NIV study bible, through which I have a new-found love of Sacred Scripture. However, I’m Catholic, and I’d like to move forward with a good, solid Catholic study bible (I know about Ignatius, but I want a more traditional format, not broken up into books). Many thanks, and God’s blessings to you all. – Angela

Sounds like the Douay-Rheims Haydock Bible Commentary is up your alley. It’s not really a study Bible, but the commentary itself is more than a study Bible itself. The Douay-Rheims the most traditional of all English Catholic Bibles. Also a book called the Textual Concordance of the Holy Scriptures is good, but there really isn’t much out there on the traditional scene as far as Study Bibles. You best bet would be an Ignatius Study Bible (sad to say)

 

[CatsAndDogs]

…

Well, I was GONNA suggest the Navarre Bible, but as it’s broken up into 20’ish individual books, that may not fit what you want.

Although, it has THE MOST INCREDIBLE line-by-line (veritably) commentary, and really great very orthodox (Roman Catholic) prefaces for each book in the bible.

But, it’s rather expensive for collect the entire bible.

So, that’s all I’ve got for 'ya.

:shamrock2:

 

[Shin]

I prefer the Jerusalem Bible (original), the Knox Bible, and the Douay.

The Navarre series is great commentary wise, though the text is rather sterile and lacking of Catholic language being from the RSV.

Thomas David Williams ‘A Textual Concordance of the Holy Scriptures’ is a good companion to your Bible.

There’re a lot of other Bibles people mention out there, however the above are ones that use Catholic language and are very spiritually helpful that way because of it. Their commentary is overall above average of what you get lately, some so-called ‘Catholic’ Bibles have sterile secular language and awful commentary. Secular and Protestant translations I really can’t recommend for anyone not forced to use them for apologetics or as a secondary Bible for comparison and textual analysis.

A Bible’s first and most important purpose is to be studied for your spiritual improvement and not something you want to have to worry all the time about a revisionist with an agenda tinkering in all the footnotes to confuse you.

I must say I really love the Knox Bible’s flowing translation, it’s very easy to read and rich and beautiful, though it also has a few awkward moments because it is rather unique in style.

The Jerusalem Bible is slightly less flowing and very good when you prefer that more literal translation.

One can’t do with just one, a person having the Jerusalem, Navarre, Knox, and Douay will have some pleasant choices of what to read.

Hmm there’re some good old Confraternity Bibles out there somewhere too.

 

[Robbinson]

I like the Navarre Bible (and prefer the RSV translation to the DR or NAB). In addition to the individual volumes (which are a great investment), there is an abridged (the Bible isn’t abridged, the commentary is ) version of the Torah (first 5 books) and the NT (so 2 volumes) with commentary, but if you want commentary for all the other books, you need the individual series.

As a Protestant (swiming the Tiber), I will say that the Protestants have done a much better job with study bibles, with numerous choices and some very detailed reference bibles with commentary. There is woefully little to choose from in Catholic bibles.

In terms of every day use, I use the RSV-CE (Ignatius press) and added my own tabs and liberal use of a highlighter and pencil

A really powerful tool is Logos Bible Software (while protestant based, there is a growing number of catholic resources that can be used with the software).

Blessings,

Brian