Is there a specific Bible that Catholics should use?

[Michie]

Question: I have made a pledge to purchase a Bible. I want to not only read it but study it intently. Should I purchase a Catholic Bible or the standard classic King James Bible? Is the King James Bible nondenominational? What are the key differences?

— Name withheld, Los Angeles

Answer: The King James Version of the Bible was never a “standard” for the Catholic Church. It was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611 for the Church of England, by sponsorship of King James VI. The books of the current King James Version include 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. The original King James included the books of the ancient and Catholic Old Testament: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees. By 1769, however, the King James Version had dropped these seven Old Testament books and conformed itself to the shorter Protestant canon (or list) of Old Testament. Hence, for Catholics, the King James Bible is incomplete, lacking these books that were in the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament). These had been read by Christians since the apostolic era and for more than 1,500 years until Martin Luther eliminated them.

It is impossible to deny the lofty beauty of the King James Bible. It is an English masterpiece worthy of Shakespeare. It was written in an intentionally majestic style to emphasize the sacredness of the biblical text. And while it can certainly edify, there are times when it can be more difficult to understand. For example, when Pilate handed Jesus over, the King James renders it: “Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away” (Jn 19:16). Gorgeous English to be sure, but the phrase “he him therefore unto them” can vex the inexperienced reader or speaker of the text. Or, for another example, in the resurrection appearance of the first Easter evening: “And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?” (Lk 24:40-41). Again beautiful, but “while yet they believed not for joy and wondered” is complex.

For Catholics, the “standard” translation was once the Douay Rheims Bible. It is actually an older English translation than the King James. The Douay Rheims was published in 1582. Its language is in an older style but less lofty. As such, it is more understandable to modern readers. It also has the Old Testament books that are missing in the King James. For more traditional Catholics, the Douay Rheims is favored due to its time-tested quality and its use in scriptural translations of the old missal.

For Catholics in general today, the most commonly used translations are the Revised New American Bible (RNAB), the Revised Standard Version (Catholic edition) (RSVCE), and the Jerusalem Bible (JB). The RNAB emphasizes readability and, because it is used for the lectionary at Mass, it is recognizable. The RSVCE is more accurate in its translation and more scholarly. The JB is also very readable and has good footnotes and cross-links. Further, all of these newer translations take advantage of the most recent Biblical discoveries. Many ancient manuscripts have been discovered since the 16th century that have helped to clarify textual puzzles in the ancient Hebrew and Greek manuscripts.

Since you want to both read and study the Bible, the RSVCE is probably best. There are also good study Bibles, such as the Didache Bible or the Ignatian Study Bible. Father Mike Schmitz also has a good podcast called “The Bible in a Year.”

Charity vs. tolerance

Continued below.

Is there a specific Bible that Catholics should use?

Should I purchase a Catholic Bible or the classic King James Bible? Is the King James Bible nondenominational? What's the difference?

www.oursundayvisitor.com

 

[Erose]

The Douay Rheims you can buy today is not the one published in the 16th century. That one would be very much harder to read than the KJV you can get today. By the way the KJV you can get today is a revision of the 1611 version, and was revised mid-18th century. The DRV was revised by Bishop Challoner also in the mid-18th century. But the original DR and KJV no one no longer publishes these, because they would be extremely difficult for the average reader to read.

Also, it is the NAB-RE, and not the RNAB. I don't know why people don't just do a little research before looking like they don't know what they are talking about.

 

[Michie]

Msgr. Charles Pope does not know what he is talking about?

 

[Erose]

On this yes.

Here is an example of the DR Bible: Jn 3:16 For fo God loued the vvorld, that he gave his only-begotten fonne: that euery one that beleeueth in him, perifh not, but may haue life euerlafting.

DR-C version is written: For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son: that whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting.

So there is a huge difference between the DR and the DR-Challoner Version. And the Challoner Version does not go back to the 16th century, but to the 18th.

 

[Michie]

Hmmm.

 

[Lady Bug]

I loved the King James in terms of prose but since I wanted a Catholic Bible, I now use Douay Rheims mostly, unless I absolutely have to "cheat" and look in another translation, which, in my case, would be the RSVCE.

 

[Reader Antonius]

It's a good answer, but an incomplete one. Of all the current English Bibles of recent decades, the RSV-CE (and, better yet, the RSV-2CE) were probably the best in terms of beauty, accuracy, tradition, etc. The NAB wasn't a terrible translation all-around, but it had many infelicitous renderings, and, worst of all, the notes were the worst sort of higher Biblical criticism; some of which directly contradicted Catholic doctrine. The NABRE is a better version, but the notes need to be completely redone even there. The DRB, for all its savor of history, isn't really a good translation. First, it's a translation of a translation, and most DRBs aren't even original. They are the Challoner revisions, which borrowed much from the KJV. Moreover, the Clementine Vulgate on which the DRB is based has significant problems in terms of manuscripts. Many of these have only recently begun to be addressed with the Nova Vulgata promulgated by Pope St. John Paul the Great.

Thankfully however, the Bishops of India – Land of St. Thomas – have managed to get Crossway to agree to a Catholic Edition of the English Standard Version. This is a monumental change in the Biblical Anglosphere! The ESV is a revision of the RSV 1971, which was a revision, ultimately, of the Authorized Version via the Tyndale tradition. Yet, more than a revision, it made excellent use of new manuscript discoveries like the DSS, the Greek correlations in NT manuscripts, and sought to provide both beautiful renderings with accurate and essentially literal translations. The goals of the Evangelicals who made the ESV in many ways reflected what the Vatican wanted with Liturgiam Authenticam in terms of Biblical translations. With the ESV-CE, the Indian Church reviewed the ESV, made certain alterations to conform it with Catholic doctrine, and gave it to the entire English Catholic world. It is already the basis of the Lectionary in India, and will likely soon be in England, Wales, Scotland, and Australia. Even the Anglican Ordinariate is seriously considering it.

More could be said, but at the present time, the best all around translation in English of the Catholic Bible is the ESV-CE. Although, if you are looking for something specific, you might need another version. And, of course as Ven. Pope Pius XII taught, the original languages such as we have them are superior to all translations.

Here's a link to the ESV-CE main website:

Catholic Bibles | Online Bible Store | ESV Bible – Catholic Edition

The new ESV-CE Bible translation will make Bible reading more understandable and accessible yet retain the accuracy and reliability necessary for faithful Catholics when reading Sacred Scripture. The new translation includes changes to nearly 60,000 words from the Revised Standard Version (RSV)...

www.catholicbible.org

 

[WarriorAngel]

SO I did find and buy a Douay Rheims for my son.
I was so excited because when I read it... I finally found the correct verses I grew up knowing.

The Bibles today, IMHO, have changed scriptures so much it leads error in and in fact can even lead minds astray.