Douay Rheims Bible vs 1769 King James Version Bible

Gyasi

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Hello my Catholic brother and sisters :wave:,

Today I come to you with a question. Which version of the Bible do you think I should read? The Douay Rheims or the KJV? The only version of the Bible that I have at my house is the KJV (simply because that's all my mother has ever owned) but recently someone recommended that I read the Douay Rheims Bible as it is a Catholic Bible and free from Protestant "bias". (If there is any)

Now I want to know what you think I should do. I know that in the end the version of the bible you read does not *necessarily* matter but what would you prefer? I've got $275 saved up so far (allowance and birthday money) that I'm going to use to buy a new computer (this one is old.. and HD is dying) and maybe buy a few books. Do you think I should read the Douay Rheims instead of the KJV, and if so then why? I also want to pick up the RCC Catechism book too. Are there any specific versions of that I should look out for?

Thanks. :cool:
 

JacktheCatholic

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The Douay Rheims is a little outdated IMO but is definately a good one to own.

The KJV may not be approved as a Catholic bible to read.

For daily reading the New American Bible is easier to read IMO. But I also enjoy the one from Ignatius.

I own the KJV and NKJV but would not recommend either to a Catholic for daily reading.

So, Douay Rheims.
 
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Gyasi

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I know that but I can't always bring the net with me in a convenient form. (Yeah I know there's laptops and smart phones and such but these aren't always convenient to just pull out everywhere. Now, maybe a smartphone is but those are just too expensive for my tastes, and I don't really need one)

Rochir said:
LOLCat!!! Definitely!

This is a serious thread :yellowcard:
 
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AMDG

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Have a KJV (and use it too--but only within limits). Prefer the Douay-Rheimes--Haydock commentary--for the fact that it does have a Catholic bent toward Catholic doctrine (especially the Marian doctrine), it is complete (having the 7+ Deuterocanonical books like Catholic Bibles should but unlike the KJV does), but it still is poetic (the Douay-Rheimes and the KJV were translated about the same time--with the Douay-Rheimes actually being just a year or so older than the KJV.) My only complaint with the Douay-Rheimes with the Haydock commentary is the Roman numerals of the books. (And that's just me and Roman numerals :D) Both the KJV and the Duoay are word-for-word translations which is supposed to make them excellent as study Bibles. The Duoay-Rheimes used to be the Bible used in liturgy, but other Bibles that are easier to understand are now used.

Have a 1964 Jerusalem and love it for it's fantastic footnotes although. Having been translated from the original languages by a committee, it is very accurate, very Catholic, but for me the language seems just a bit "stilted". It's considered to be a meaning-for-meaning translation rather than a word-for-word translation. I think it's out of print now and been replaced with the New Jerusalem. Don't like the New Jerusalem because it has "politically correct" language. Both Jerusalem Bibles are in modern English although the original 1964 Jerusalem was actually translated into French first and then English.

Also have many New American Bibles. They are used in the liturgy in the United States. It is a word-for-word translation and very Catholic. (In fact, I think the Bishops hold the copyright.) Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be corresponding commentaries for the NAB.

Have heard that the Ignatius Bible is a great Catholic Bible, but don't have it (as yet ;)) It is a word-for-word translation, has modern English (but is really faithful to Catholic teaching for example: Mary is referred to as "full of Grace" in Luke 1:28 instead of "highly favored").

You know, that Dr. Scot Hahn (noted Catholic theologian) has said that one should pick a Bible that he/she would read. Just note that Catholic Bibles have those 7+ extra Deuterocanonical books that Protestant Bibles leave out.
 
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Gyasi

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Have a KJV (and use it too--but only within limits). Prefer the Douay-Rheimes--Haydock commentary--for the fact that it does have a Catholic bent toward Catholic doctrine (especially the Marian doctrine), it is complete (having the 7+ Deuterocanonical books like Catholic Bibles should but unlike the KJV does), but it still is poetic (the Douay-Rheimes and the KJV were translated about the same time--with the Douay-Rheimes actually being just a year or so older than the KJV.) My only complaint with the Douay-Rheimes with the Haydock commentary is the Roman numerals of the books. (And that's just me and Roman numerals :D) Both the KJV and the Duoay are word-for-word translations which is supposed to make them excellent as study Bibles. The Duoay-Rheimes used to be the Bible used in liturgy, but other Bibles that are easier to understand are now used.

Have a 1964 Jerusalem and love it for it's fantastic footnotes although. Having been translated from the original languages by a committee, it is very accurate, very Catholic, but for me the language seems just a bit "stilted". It's considered to be a meaning-for-meaning translation rather than a word-for-word translation. I think it's out of print now and been replaced with the New Jerusalem. Don't like the New Jerusalem because it has "politically correct" language. Both Jerusalem Bibles are in modern English although the original 1964 Jerusalem was actually translated into French first and then English.

Also have many New American Bibles. They are used in the liturgy in the United States. It is a word-for-word translation and very Catholic. (In fact, I think the Bishops hold the copyright.) Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be corresponding commentaries for the NAB.

Have heard that the Ignatius Bible is a great Catholic Bible, but don't have it (as yet ;)) It is a word-for-word translation, has modern English (but is really faithful to Catholic teaching for example: Mary is referred to as "full of Grace" in Luke 1:28 instead of "highly favored").

You know, that Dr. Scot Hahn (noted Catholic theologian) has said that one should pick a Bible that he/she would read. Just note that Catholic Bibles have those 7+ extra Deuterocanonical books that Protestant Bibles leave out.

Very good post, thanks for that.

I really don't mind the old-fashion-ness of the KJV or the Douay Rheims (I actually prefer it and don't typically have any trouble understanding the Bible). I also don't like the fact that the KJV leaves out the Deuterocanonical books as I really would be interested in reading them. I really wouldn't want to trade poetic styling for modernized text even if it's easier to understand. I find joy in trying to decipher the archaic poetry of older Bibles :)

I wonder why though that some KJV onlyists would claim that the DRVB is corrupt because it's based on the Vulgate whereas the KJV is based on the Textus Receptus. They also claim it to be corrupt because of Alexandrian influence. How did this come to be? :mmh:
 
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xTx

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Hello my Catholic brother and sisters :wave:,

Today I come to you with a question. Which version of the Bible do you think I should read? The Douay Rheims or the KJV? The only version of the Bible that I have at my house is the KJV (simply because that's all my mother has ever owned) but recently someone recommended that I read the Douay Rheims Bible as it is a Catholic Bible and free from Protestant "bias". (If there is any)

Now I want to know what you think I should do. I know that in the end the version of the bible you read does not *necessarily* matter but what would you prefer? I've got $275 saved up so far (allowance and birthday money) that I'm going to use to buy a new computer (this one is old.. and HD is dying) and maybe buy a few books. Do you think I should read the Douay Rheims instead of the KJV, and if so then why? I also want to pick up the RCC Catechism book too. Are there any specific versions of that I should look out for?

Thanks. :cool:

Hi, the first thing out of my Catholic instructor's mouth on my first day at a Catholic class is 'Does your bible have the Imprimatur on it?' ;)
 
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ebia

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Very good post, thanks for that.

I really don't mind the old-fashion-ness of the KJV or the Douay Rheims (I actually prefer it and don't typically have any trouble understanding the Bible). I also don't like the fact that the KJV leaves out the Deuterocanonical books as I really would be interested in reading them. I really wouldn't want to trade poetic styling for modernized text even if it's easier to understand. I find joy in trying to decipher the archaic poetry of older Bibles :)
So long as you don't think that stately, "high", language is somehow more "biblical" - it's an artifact of the priorities of English translators of the time, not generally true to the style of the Greek and Hebrew.

I wonder why though that some KJV onlyists would claim that the DRVB is corrupt because it's based on the Vulgate whereas the KJV is based on the Textus Receptus. They also claim it to be corrupt because of Alexandrian influence. How did this come to be? :mmh:
People like to find reasons to ignore what other people have to say.
 
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ebia

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Have a 1964 Jerusalem and love it for it's fantastic footnotes although. Having been translated from the original languages by a committee, it is very accurate, very Catholic, but for me the language seems just a bit "stilted".
I think that's a N.American perspective. The language of the Jerusalem and New Jerusalem is very British - they are the most English of the modern English translations. The older of the two is also the official Mass translation for much of the English speaking world. And famous for using Tolkien as an advisor on literary style.
 
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Secundulus

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I am a little biased, but having read both, I see little difference between D-R and KJV.

Also, when the D-R was updated in the early 19th century, the KJV was one of the references used.

The only objectionable thing to a KJV might be the marginal notes if your particular version has them. These could be either good or bad depending on who wrote them.
 
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