And Yet More Bibles, Again

[FaithT]

Ok,some of you know that I recently bought an ESV Study Bible for Christmas. Now I’m wondering if I should get a Catholic Study Bible at some point as well. (Gift card)
If so, what do you suggest? I’d be concentrating my study on Genesis mostly, but really would like something that’s teaches the entire Bible, but with good footnotes or essays on the OT.
Most of the Catholic Study Bibles are individual books. If I buy one, I’d want an entire Bible.
Is The Catholic Study Bible NABRE second edition or third edition by Donald Senior helpful? Any other recommendations?

 

[Sword of the Lord]

If you got the RSV-2CE and the Orthodox Study Bible you'd never need anything else in my opinion. Unless you fancy a DRB and/or KJV w/Apocrypha just to have.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Most of the Catholic Study Bibles are individual books. If I buy one, I’d want an entire Bible.

The reason the RSVCE study Bible is being released by book is that it is a work in progress. Which is to say it's fresh. That's a good thing generally. I agree that I'd like something in one volume BUT if I had to choose between waiting a few years for them to complete everything OR having parts now I'd go with parts now.

The Navarre Bible might be a consideration. It seems particularly good at tying in the Fathers though it is otherwise I guess less a study Bible in the classic sense.

 

[FaithT]

The reason the RSVCE study Bible is being released by book is that it is a work in progress. Which is to say it's fresh. That's a good thing generally. I agree that I'd like something in one volume BUT if I had to choose between waiting a few years for them to complete everything OR having parts now I'd go with parts now.

The Navarre Bible might be a consideration. It seems particularly good at tying in the Fathers though it is otherwise I guess less a study Bible in the classic sense.

So the Catholic Study Bible NABRE isn‘t good?

 

[chevyontheriver]

So the Catholic Study Bible NABRE not good?

I have no experience with it.

Years ago I had a NAB (1970) and it had the guts of a study Bible, with extensive cross-referencing and extensive (but not all that good) notes. I have moved on so I have not followed the NABRE. It is probably the closest to what is used for mass readings, but I think there are still some differences.

My pet project for when I win the lottery as a new text of the Bible, close to the RSV and ESV and suitable for reading at mass. Of course the USCCB has to approve the latter. It would be broadly ecumenical, quite literal, and in keeping with traditional understandings when there was any doubt. But since I don't waste my money on the lottery, I guess I'm not going to win the lottery.

 

[FaithT]

I have no experience with it.

Years ago I had a NAB (1970) and it had the guts of a study Bible, with extensive cross-referencing and extensive (but not all that good) notes. I have moved on so I have not followed the NABRE. It is probably the closest to what is used for mass readings, but I think there are still some differences.

My pet project for when I win the lottery as a new text of the Bible, close to the RSV and ESV and suitable for reading at mass. Of course the USCCB has to approve the latter. It would be broadly ecumenical, quite literal, and in keeping with traditional understandings when there was any doubt. But since I don't waste my money on the lottery, I guess I'm not going to win the lottery.

When I use a Catholic Bible it’s usually the NAB.

 

[chevyontheriver]

When I use a Catholic Bible it’s usually the NAB.

And that was the one I started on. Then the Jerusalem Bible (readers edition), then the NIV, then the RSVCE, and now the ESVCE. In retrospect the NAB was OK in the 1970's but it's not the best choice today. RSVCE is a bit dated. RSVCE2 has updated language but still 1950's scholarship. NABRE went all inclusive language, while I like something that doesn't presume to supply inclusive words not in the original. For now, for me, ESVCE is workable.

 

[FaithT]

This is what Amazon has to say about it.

<<<<<<.This landmark resource, now available in the NABRE translation, contains all the authoritative study notes, expanded essays, and informational sidebars for which it is known and trusted. The heart of this volume remains its extensive Reading Guide that leads the reader through the Scriptures, book by book. References and background information are clearly laid out in the margins of the text, guiding the reader to a fuller understanding of the Bible.

Other outstanding features include: a 15-page glossary of special terms, complete Sunday and weekday lectionary readings for the liturgical years of the Church. 32 beautiful pages of full-color Oxford Bible Maps come with a place-name index for easy reference.

Printed on smooth, durable paper and bound with the highest quality materials, the Catholic Study Bible is an incredible value. It is available in three attractive and affordable bindings: black bonded leather, hardcover, and paperback.

The New American Bible Revised Edition:

The New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) brings to culmination the work of nearly 100 scholars, including translators, editors, and a subcommittee of Catholic bishops who provided extensive review of the biblical text over a period of many years. The NABRE is the first major amendment to the New American Bible translation since 1991. It features:

*The first update of the Old Testament since 1970, taking into account recent archaeological and textual discoveries.
*Complete revision of the Psalter.>>>>>>>

 

[FaithT]

I’ve got an Ignatius RSV Study Bible, NT, but I’ve never even read it, I don’t think. I don’t like how it’s only half of the Bible. Don’t know what I was thinking when I purchased it years ago.

 

[FaithT]

This is what Amazon has to say about it.

<<<<<<.This landmark resource, now available in the NABRE translation, contains all the authoritative study notes, expanded essays, and informational sidebars for which it is known and trusted. The heart of this volume remains its extensive Reading Guide that leads the reader through the Scriptures, book by book. References and background information are clearly laid out in the margins of the text, guiding the reader to a fuller understanding of the Bible.

Other outstanding features include: a 15-page glossary of special terms, complete Sunday and weekday lectionary readings for the liturgical years of the Church. 32 beautiful pages of full-color Oxford Bible Maps come with a place-name index for easy reference.

Printed on smooth, durable paper and bound with the highest quality materials, the Catholic Study Bible is an incredible value. It is available in three attractive and affordable bindings: black bonded leather, hardcover, and paperback.

The New American Bible Revised Edition:

The New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) brings to culmination the work of nearly 100 scholars, including translators, editors, and a subcommittee of Catholic bishops who provided extensive review of the biblical text over a period of many years. The NABRE is the first major amendment to the New American Bible translation since 1991. It features:

*The first update of the Old Testament since 1970, taking into account recent archaeological and textual discoveries.
*Complete revision of the Psalter.>>>>>>>

I ordered this, third edition, which has been updated .

 

[fide]

The top three for me are NABRE, RSVCE, and a protestant Bible, the New American Standard Bible. It is extremely helpful to me, in Scripture studies, to consult a Greek-English Interlinear, as on-line at Scripture4all. With a good interlinear, you can begin to see how different translations will choose different English words for the same Greek, which alter the way the word is heard by the reader.

Especially problematic is when the same Greek word is translated differently by editors/translators in the same Bible in the same book of the Bible, even in the same chapter of the same book! - when this happens, and it is not infrequent, we would miss the Author's intention in choosing that same Greek word in two nearby places in the text, in the same context. With an interlinear, we can discover some crucially important subtexts of very important passages. An example: when the resurrected Jesus interrogated Peter in Jn 21:

John 21:15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love (Greek agapaō) me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love (Greek phileō) you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
21:16 A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love (agapaō) me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love (phileō) you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love (phileō) me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love (phileō) me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love (phileō) you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

Some Bibles point this out in notes, others do not. But this issue of how - in what way - does Peter love Jesus: that is important. Many times word repetitions are used in Scripture, significantly. And sometimes this is passed over for editorial reasons, good or not so good. I find my "top three" are all imperfect in this matter, at different places in Scripture.

The old Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible, with George Haydock Commentary (free with the free e-Sword app) is excellent in some passages - Haydock included some truly beautiful understandings of Catholic Faith in his comments - for example his explanation of the Trinity in his exegesis of the "Prologue" in John - 1:1-18.

A closing comment I'd make is, let your goal not be to "learn about" the Bible, but to hear and believe the living Word of God. That is, to believe the Word, so as to believe in Him, so as to live and remain in Him.

 

[RileyG]

If you got the RSV-2CE and the Orthodox Study Bible you'd never need anything else in my opinion. Unless you fancy a DRB and/or KJV w/Apocrypha just to have.

I agree. The DR is a bit difficult to read, but a treasure. I also like the OSB.