Which Bible should I purchase/use?

[jblake]

Which Bible should I purchase/use?

All the recommendations in the world are meaningless, if you don’t use the Bible you buy.

Are you going to use the Bible for the text, or for the context?
Look at the features you want/need:

• cross references
• footnotes
• glosses
• Words of Jesus red lettering
• Words of God red lettered
• Doctrines highlighted
• Doctrines explained
• Book outlines
• Chapter outlines
• Biography of Individuals in the Bible
• Notes about the original language
• Pericopes
• Lesson of the pericope;
• Source manuscripts used for the translation
• Dynamic equivalence or Formal equivalence

The more basic question is whether to use hard copy, or Bible Study software, or both.

For the record, I use Bible Study Software, but I do have, and use at least half a dozen different hard copy Bibles.

xan

jonathon

 

[lanceg]

Which Bible should I purchase/use?

I would like a single Bible for study, spiritual reflection, etc.

Please explain why with your vote.

I would recommend if you have one main bible, you order the New Catholic Bible from the UK.

It is the Jerusalem Bible with the Grail Psalms, and the name “Yahweh” is replaced by “Lord” in the Old Testament.

It also has commentary notes by Henry Wansborough, OSB.

The New Catholic Bible

 

[Jaypeeto4]

As a Catholic, I recommend good Catholic bibles.
Jerusalem Bible, RSV-CE 2nd Catholic Edition, Douay-Rheims with Haydock Bible commentary.

On the other hand, in my pre-Catholic days,
a translation (protestant) that I found very helpful
was the NASB-New American Standard Bible published
by the Lockman Foundation.
I had an NASB “Harper Study Bible” (not to be confused with the Harper-COLLINS Study Bible, which is extremely liberal), though I think the Harper Study Bible is currently using the NRSV text.

Jaypeeto4
+JMJ+

 

[lanceg]

As a Catholic, I recommend good Catholic bibles.
Jerusalem Bible, RSV-CE 2nd Catholic Edition, Douay-Rheims with Haydock Bible commentary.

On the other hand, in my pre-Catholic days,
a translation (protestant) that I found very helpful
was the NASB-New American Standard Bible published
by the Lockman Foundation.
I had an NASB “Harper Study Bible” (not to be confused with the Harper-COLLINS Study Bible, which is extremely liberal), though I think the Harper Study Bible is currently using the NRSV text.

Jaypeeto4
+JMJ+

There are some very good Protestant Bibles, the New American Standard Bible being one of them. I have a used leather copy in good condition. The only problem of course, is that they do not contain the deuterocanon.

The English Standard Version, another popular Protestant edition which is a revision of the 1971 RSV, will be coming out now with an Apocrypha.

 

[Ted_in_Charlott]

The DR clearly, Our Lady is full of Grace, she did not “find favor” or some other Protestent slander

Luke 1:28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

 

[Pastor_Jim]

The choice which Bible version to purchase depends on your purpose. If your purpose is for a more scholarly study of the Bible, use the RSV, NAB, JB etc. If it is more pastoral and devotional, use the more popular versions like the GNB.

Just to clarify, the Good News Bible is not a translation but a paraphrase, and a wildly inaccurate one at that.

 

[allhers]

Which Bible should I purchase/use?

I would like a single Bible for study, spiritual reflection, etc.

Please explain why with your vote.

These are the ones approved of by the Catholic Church:
New American Bible (here is a link on the Vatican web site where you can read it in English, Italian, Latin or Spanish
vatican.va/archive/bible/index.htm
The others that are approved are:
Navarre
RSV
Jerusalem
Douay Rheims
Ignatius
I have the Douay and New American Bible, I have heard that the Ignatius, Jerusalem and Navarre are excellent also.

 

[Jerry-Jet]

The best bible to purchase would be a Confraternity Douay Bible from 1952 with a new translation of the Latin Psalms authorized by Pope Pius XII.

 

[Pastor_Jim]

The DR clearly, Our Lady is full of Grace, she did not “find favor” or some other Protestent slander

John 1:14 says that it is Jesus who is full of grace, not Mary.

Luke 1:28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Actually, it says

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

“Thou that art highly favored”, not “full of grace”.

They both come from the same root word, but have two very different meanings.

 

[Stephen_C]

My Favorite is the Douay-Rheims Bible. But any Catholic Bible (approved) that is easiest for you to read is a good choice.

 

[mccorm45]

My Favorite is the Douay-Rheims Bible. But any Catholic Bible (approved) that is easiest for you to read is a good choice.

Well stated!

I must say, that I find it somewhat annoying that some people will push their favorite Bible version while ripping any other one. As Stephen_C put it, read any approved Catholic Bible. There is no perfect english translation out there, each of them have their good points and not-so-good points. I think it is important that we trust our local Bishops who grant imprimaturs for the various Catholic Bibles. If you prefer to read the Douay-Rheims or the New Revised Standard Version it really makes no substantial difference…each will help you to come closer to the Lord and to live out your Baptism.

 

[Mattjolley]

Well stated!

I must say, that I find it somewhat annoying that some people will push their favorite Bible version while ripping any other one. As Stephen_C put it, read any approved Catholic Bible. There is no perfect english translation out there, each of them have their good points and not-so-good points. I think it is important that we trust our local Bishops who grant imprimaturs for the various Catholic Bibles. If you prefer to read the Douay-Rheims or the New Revised Standard Version it really makes no substantial difference…each will help you to come closer to the Lord and to live out your Baptism.

Hear Hear!

Yes, I read the D-R, but that doesnt mean that I won’t read the RSV-CE or JB from time to time! It’s all about which you are in the mood for! I must admit I did buy the NRSV, because before I came back to the church I was ignorant of Bible versions and had an NRSV which I read, so having a catholic version is handy, even if I don’t really read it (I’m not a fan of Inclusive language!)

Matt

 

[mccorm45]

Matt,

Well said! I actually use the NRSV from time to time…If they actually were a little more careful in the way the implemented the inclusive language, I think it would be an outstanding translation. I decided to spend the first half of this year reading from it, and while I enjoyed a number of the renderings, particularly in the OT, I could not get over some glaring problems like the Son of Man renderings in the OT and Hebrews and some stuff in Titus. Yet, overall it is a really good Bible for Prayer and Study. The one thing I do appreciate is the fact that the NRSV includes notes in all of its Bibles that indicates where they have used inclusive language. At least they are not hiding from the issue.

So, I have recently gone back to a 1990 edition of the NAB I found used. It just sits well with me. I do like the RSV-CE 2nd edition, but I just don’t think there is an edition out there that has all the additional features and helps that I want in an everyday Bible.

 

[bilop]

I say Douay-Rheims.

As the most literal transaltion of St. Jerome’s Vulgate it is the closest thing us poor non-Latinists can get to the Bible that the Church has used for most of its history. Completely Catholic and free from any theological error (per the Council of Trent); what more can you ask for!

God Bless

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

Well stated!

I must say, that I find it somewhat annoying that some people will push their favorite Bible version while ripping any other one. As Stephen_C put it, read any approved Catholic Bible. There is no perfect english translation out there, each of them have their good points and not-so-good points. I think it is important that we trust our local Bishops who grant imprimaturs for the various Catholic Bibles. If you prefer to read the Douay-Rheims or the New Revised Standard Version it really makes no substantial difference…each will help you to come closer to the Lord and to live out your Baptism.

[Well said and again if an imprimatur is granted then be assured it is a fine translation to use…again once one finds one with the imprimataur then find one that reads well, and meets ones needs… good luck all and keep reading your Bibles… whichever edition you find for you] blessings!

 

[Axion]

Imprimatur is no guarantee of a good translation. All the imprimatur states is that the book is not considered to contravene Catholic Teaching. And even this is by no means guaranteed nowadays, since a bishop can generally be found to imprimatur almost anything.

As far as translations go, I dislike the NAB mainly because of the notes, which undermine, or are in contravention of much Catholic teaching - following protestant Liberal-critical theories to suggest most of the bible is untrustworthy, or written by frauds. very rarely do the notes actually use the bible verses to back up Catholic teaching, more to the contrary. The JB reads better, but is plagued with the same sort of problems with the notes. Both also mistranslate “Full of Grace” as “favoured”. Use these for the bible text, but the notes are not helpful.

For devotional use, why not the Christian Community Bible? This has genuinely devotional Catholic notes, which expound the text for instruction and life guidance rather than simply to criticize it. Much used in the developing world it is also inexpensive.

Non-catholic bibles. RSV is favourite. NIV is clear text with traditional phrasing. The study bible has evangelical notes which are useful so long as yiou are aware of the strong bias to Sola Fide interpretation. Good News is awful for serious study, since it paraphrases verses into what the translaters THINK they mean, (or should mean). Clear but unreliable.

 

[Jerry-Jet]

I’ve never heard anyone detail how any English translation of the New Testament is superior to the Confraternity Version of the New Testament.

 

[terryobrien80]

Which Bible should I purchase/use?

I would like a single Bible for study, spiritual reflection, etc.

Please explain why with your vote.

I would say the RSV-CE, but it never hurts to have several. I have an RSV-CE, an NAB, and a Duoay-Rheims

Hey, who voted for the NKJV? LOL

 

[Isa_Almisry]

Douay Rheims, if you want the Vulgate (still Rome’s official Bible?).

The Orthodox Study Bible, if you want the Sepuagint, which is what the Church used.

Oxford Study Bible with Apocrypha/Deuterocanonicals (older editiion), if you want to go with the Protestants taking Jerome to his logical conclusion and adopt the Jewish version.

 

[Traditional_Ang]

Which Bible should I purchase/use?

I would like a single Bible for study, spiritual reflection, etc.

Please explain why with your vote.

Epistemes:

I’ve been told by several who know that it is best to have 4 Translations - 2 Formal Equivalence and 2 Dynamic Equivalence. I have the Ignatius Bible (RSV - 2nd Catholic Edition), Ignatius Bible Study Guides, Original Jerusalem Bible Study Edition (you can still find them used from Amazon.com), New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Orthodox Study Bible, New International Version (Archaeological Edition and a small Leather bound gift ed.) and a Greek-English Interlinear New Testament with the New American Standard and New International Version in the columns. For the rest, I rely on the Internet.

I may be overdoing it, but I learned from my dad who even had a J.B. Phillip’s New Testament when the things were as rare as hens’ teeth (among about 20 other translations Interlinears and Parallel Bibles).

I can tell you NOT to get anything based on the NRSV. The NSRV is the ONLY translation of the Scripture to be declared permanently anathema by one of the major Orthodox Churches and by the Ecumenical Patriarch.

I’ve found the best overall Translation to be the Ignatius Bible (RSV 2nd Catholic Ed.), the second best to be the Jerusalem Bible Study Edition (you’ll have to get a used book from Amazon or some used book service), and the New Jerusalem Bible is a pretty translation. Fr. Beau at my parish likes the New American Bible as a Study Bible, but I’ve found it to be a pretty rough reading book. These are all Catholic Bibles, which means they are complete Bibles and have all the books accepted by the Catholic Church.

The new Orthodox Bible uses the New King James Version for the NT and translates the Septuagent (Greek Canon) for the OT. It might be a good 3rd Bible.

I would really get more than one Translation, because you will find that the saying about translators is invariably proven true. And, the only way to get at what the original authors are trying to tell us, unless we speak the original languages, is to have a couple of different translations to look at at.

I strongly suggest The Ignatius Bible and finding an original Jerusalem Bible Study Edition. you won’t be disappointed.

Your Brother in Christ, Michael