Which Bible?

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mdrummer5

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Sorry, I already posted this but apparently in the wrong thread…

So I’m considering a conversion to Catholicism with the understanding that it can be a very arduous process. Wanting to get into study I started looking at bibles, and more bibles… and even more…

So my question is pretty basic. What would be a good first bible for someone who is looking to convert?

I grew up as a child studying Judaism. So while I’m not completely ignorant to Christianity (grandparents were Southern Baptists) I know very little.
 
Many will have their own opinions, I like the Douay-Rheims Bible Challoner Revision or the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. If you read a lot on eReaders like the Nook then you are more limited for a good formated copy (google books offers plenty of good versions of the Bible, but they often have format issues). For a good formated eBible I use the Catholic Public Domain Version available from B&N, but for a hard copy I would (and have) gone for the others I mentioned.

Steve
 
mdrummer5 said:
Sorry, I already posted this but apparently in the wrong thread…

So I’m considering a conversion to Catholicism with the understanding that it can be a very arduous process. Wanting to get into study I started looking at bibles, and more bibles… and even more…

So my question is pretty basic. What would be a good first bible for someone who is looking to convert?

I grew up as a child studying Judaism. So while I’m not completely ignorant to Christianity (grandparents were Southern Baptists) I know very little.
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I can’t be 100% sure on this but I think it depends on what country you’re in. I think different bishops’ conferences approve different bibles for their territory. In England & Wales we can use Jerusalem, Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem, New Revised Standard Version, and Good News. (As an aside only the first two can be used to produce lectionaries, and our current lectionary uses the Jerusalem Bible; the Good News can only be used in Children’s Masses.)

If you’re in US, like most posters in these fora, then I can’t help as I don’t know what versions are permitted there; I’ll leave those who know that answer to respond.
 
Thank you both. Matthew I am in the US but your effort is still appreciated.

I’m planning on hitting up a local christian book store tomorrow and wanted to at least have some idea as to what I was looking for.
 
In book stores you will most often find the Jerusalem and New American Bible. Both are approved by the US Bishops, but some people find the NAB to have issues with inclusive language. In the end though, it is just important to get one approved by the bishops, which it will state on the first few pages. There are of course a host of non-approved Bibles more fitting for Protestants such as the King James Version, NIV, etc. there could be, and has been many debates on choosing a Bible, but for this conversation, if you are interested in the Catholic Church then it is best to stay with one approved by the church.

Steve
 
I would suggest that if you have used the KJV bible as a protestant, then you may be more comfortable with the Douay Rheims. I know the DR is my favorite but my wife likes the Ignatius Bible (RSV).

My personal opinion is to stay away from the New American Bible. There are some bad translations. Could mislead folks.

Cheers
 
mdrummer5 said:
Thank you both. Matthew I am in the US but your effort is still appreciated.

I’m planning on hitting up a local christian book store tomorrow and wanted to at least have some idea as to what I was looking for.
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Obviously I don’t know what your local christian book store has in stock. I live in a large city which has a “christian book store” and what it stocks is definitely protestant. You may find difficulty in obtaining a Catholic Bible. Many Protestant ecclesial communities omit certain books from the Bible, which are found in Catholic Bibles. If you can I’d go to a Catholic book store. I don’t know about the US but here most Catholic churches have religious items and books on sale after Mass on Sundays so if you’re not near to a Catholic book store that’s on option. Another option could be the Internet although I know some people won’t purchase things over the Net.
 
What about your thread makes it wrong for the Sacred Scripture forum?. Sacred Scripture makes sense to me, since we are talking about the Bible.

You did get responses in the other thread: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=523495

And like the first poster here said you’ll find all sorts of preferences for this question. Everyone has their fav’s.
 
mdrummer5 said:
Sorry, I already posted this but apparently in the wrong thread…

So I’m considering a conversion to Catholicism with the understanding that it can be a very arduous process. Wanting to get into study I started looking at bibles, and more bibles… and even more…

So my question is pretty basic. What would be a good first bible for someone who is looking to convert?

I grew up as a child studying Judaism. So while I’m not completely ignorant to Christianity (grandparents were Southern Baptists) I know very little.
Click to expand...
I’d recommend the New American Bible or the New Revised Standard Version. These are the English translations used most frequently, especially in the liturgy.
 
mdrummer5

Welcome to CAF! I will be praying for you and wish you the best in your conversion. It can be hard but Christ takes you as you are.

To answer your question I would recommend these two bibles which I have included links for:

Douay-Rheims Bible
baroniuspress.com/book.php?wid=56&bid=1

Revised Standard Version Bible
amazon.com/Holy-Bible-Standard-Burgundy-Catholic/dp/0898708346/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293602643&sr=8-1

When looking for a bible make sure it includes the catholic books of which the protestants do not have. There are varying translations but when they are catholic, the translations go down in number. I prefer the literal translations as opposed to paraphrased translations so I own these two. The Douay Rheims is harder to read but its translated from the Latin Vulgate…the first bible to be translated into Latin (common tongue at the time). Since you are just starting I would HIGHLY recommend the RSV bible from Ignatius Press. You can also just get the New Testmanet only version which is black but whatever you want you choose.

Start with the New Testament and read the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

You need anything just PM me!
 
Douay-Rheims is the best; not as elegant as the King James (which I grew up with, as a Lutheran), but much more faithful to the Vulgate. (I’ve heard that the King James is closer to the Septuagint, but I really don’t know that that’s true.)

The New American version changes the wording of all the basic phrases from the King James that we (ex)-Protestants grew up with and came to love, is full of errors, and really is best ignored. It’s just horridly ugly. You will hear plenty of it in the Novus Ordo, if that’s what you are going to go to. I would recommend looking into one of the more Traditional Liturgies instead of the Novus Ordo - Byzantine, Anglican Use, or Tridentine (Latin) - since the Novus Ordo watered down a lot of the beauty of the services in an effort to be more relevant and accessible to the modern world, but they’re all equally Catholic (or equally permitted by the Church) and all part of the Christian heritage. I’m an Eastern-rite (Byzantine) Catholic; we have one parish in Columbus Ohio with a very large Jewish segment of the congregation (some Catholic, some that just visit regularly).

RSV is good too, if the Douay-Rheims’ old language (New Testament was translated 1585) is too difficult for you.

Welcome!
 
Thanks again all… Elizabeth to answer your question, if I understand Sacred Scriptures is a sub forum to another that I don’t think is the best place for someone new with questions to be lol… but all help is appreciated regardless 🙂

Very excited to get to the book store… have to get through work today first though 😦
 
You can use safely the New American Bible (this is the official version of the readings of the Catholic Church). as book.

On the internet the Douay-Rheims drbo.org/ provides good search possibilities. Especially from Jewish background the KJV version from blueletterbible.org/ is a good study Bible too.

The truth is that in the good old times the translators wanted to tell us what is in the original text, the interpretation for the taste of the translator is a new disease.
 
Thanks again all!!!

I spoke with the lady who I’m meeting with next week and she (as someone mentioned earlier) indicated that they will give me one with some other materials to read throuhg. Thanks again! 🙂
 
mdrummer5 said:
Sorry, I already posted this but apparently in the wrong thread…

So I’m considering a conversion to Catholicism with the understanding that it can be a very arduous process. Wanting to get into study I started looking at bibles, and more bibles… and even more…

So my question is pretty basic. What would be a good first bible for someone who is looking to convert?

I grew up as a child studying Judaism. So while I’m not completely ignorant to Christianity (grandparents were Southern Baptists) I know very little.
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I like the Douay Rheims (Challoner) or the Douay Rheims Haydock for the New Testament because it has extensive Catholic commentary.
 
Vince1022 said:
I’d recommend the New American Bible or the New Revised Standard Version. These are the English translations used most frequently, especially in the liturgy.
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The NRSV is not approved for Liturgy. Canada had to revise its NRSV-based Lectionary to remove most of the inclusive language and to correct some of the translation.
 
Robert_Burns said:
I like the Douay Rheims (Challoner) or the Douay Rheims Haydock for the New Testament because it has extensive Catholic commentary.
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Love the Haydock! Wish it were a bit less expensive…

(At the risk of getting this thread off-topic, which I don’t want to do, Challoner also made the best translation imho of the Imitation of Christ - Baronius Press has it still in print!)
 
The Douay Rheims with Challenor notes has excellent footnotes which explain the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Avoid the New American Bible, its footnotes put a lot of scripture in doubt.
 
Phemie said:
The NRSV is not approved for Liturgy. Canada had to revise its NRSV-based Lectionary to remove most of the inclusive language and to correct some of the translation.
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But Canada does use the NRSV, basically, for liturgy, right? Or do they use a different translation?

Just like the U.S. uses the NAB translation, though modified.
 
Cecilianus said:
I’m an Eastern-rite (Byzantine) Catholic; we have one parish in Columbus Ohio with a very large Jewish segment of the congregation (some Catholic, some that just visit regularly).

RSV is good too, if the Douay-Rheims’ old language (New Testament was translated 1585) is too difficult for you.

Welcome!
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Not to hijack this thredad but, Jewish congregation? Why would Jews br part of a Byzantine Catholic parish? Also back on topic, to get a traditional commentary on scripture go Douay Rheims. It is most faithful to the Vulgate of St. Jerome, aside from that try the Knox version (Baronius press is publishing it soon) its more modern but still retains all the tradition of the Douay.
 
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