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What Is The Catholic Bible

A Readers Guide To Choosing A Catholic Bible

The Bible | Catholic Central

Based on their covers alone, its easy to see that Catholic Bibles come in a wide variety. However, open each one up, and youre likely to find an even greater number of differences that could change the way you enjoy your Bible altogether.

If youre not quite sure how to choose the best Catholic Bible, here are a few things you should keep in mind.

  • Bible Translation. When the Bible was first written, it was in Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Aramaic. To make it universally understandable, it was translated into English. Because translation can be subjective at times, many different translated versions were created.

The Roman Catholic Bible comes in 19 different English versions. While they all aim to teach essentially the same concepts, minor differences in these translations can make them easier or harder to understand depending on the reader.

For instance, some Bible translations use Shakespearean English. These can be much more difficult for some users to appreciate, especially because of the outdated word usage.

Some Bible translations are approved only for devotional and personal use, which means theyre not used for celebrating the Eucharist. That said, if you want a Bible that translates similarly to the gospel you hear in church, you should choose one that is approved for use in the celebration of mass.

The Catholic Study Bible

Often considered the best Catholic bible, the The Catholic Study Bible Third Edition is a comprehensive personal devotional Bible that also helps enrich readers understanding of the faith. This study bible contains guided meditation texts and informational sidebars that give more meaning to the scripture.

The Catholic Study Bible Third Edition uses the New American Bible Revised Edition Bible translation, making it easier to understand and appreciate the scripture. The Bible also includes 32 pages of full-color maps and images to help supplement prayer and learning.

When it all comes down to it, the The Catholic Study Bible Third Edition is more than just a Bible its a personal devotional and learning tool that aims to bring readers closer to God by encouraging in-depth understanding and appreciation of the scripture.

Why The Bible Is Catholic

On Jan. 26, Catholics celebrated the first-ever Sunday of the Word of God, as designated by Pope Francis. It is thus fitting to recall why Catholics should be deeply grateful for the Bible and remember why its history reflects what Catholics have believed from the first century that the Bible is inseparable from Tradition and the Magisterium, that it is authentically Catholic.

Founding of the Church and Magisterium

Jesus intended to establish a Church and he did. He told Peter, You are Peter , and on this rock I will build my Church . But not only that, Jesus also promised to never abandon it. He told his apostles, I am with you always , and he gave them the authority to bind on heaven and earth and teach what he commanded , promising to guide them into all the truth . That is to say, Jesus gave his apostles the authority to teach and uphold them in truth. The apostles were the first teaching authority of the Church, what we now call Magisterium, which comes from the Latin magister, meaning teacher.

Scripture and Tradition

The apostles first preached the Gospel orally, which means that the oral Tradition predated some of the books of the New Testament by decades. Later some apostles or their disciples chose to write down under divine inspiration the Gospel message they had preached orally and received from Jesus.

First Christians and their successors
Official Canon
The feat of the monks
Protestant Reformation
The Press
Translations
The same Church

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Formal Equivalence Vs Dynamic Equivalence

Once youve found a complete Catholic Bible with all the books from the Old and New Testaments, you have the option of choosing the style of translation that you find most useful. There are two types of translation styles: formal equivalent translation and dynamic equivalent. A formal equivalent translation is a more literal version and reads as close as possible to the original language. While extremely accurate, a word-for-word translation can be more difficult to read. In contrast, a dynamic equivalent translation conveys the overall meaning and message of the original, but is in a more readable version. The choice is based on personal preference.

You also have the option of choosing Bibles that have notes, annotations, maps, timelines, and dictionaries to help enrich your reading experience.

The Importance Of Translation

Personalized Catholic Bible

For many Catholics, finding the right Bible translation can seem a tricky topic to broach. To read Scripture more faithfully, as the Second Vatican Council exhorted the faithful to do, requires an easily readable translation, but also one that accurately translates the original biblical languages. Additionally, Catholic Bibles contain seven books from the Old Testament that are not found in either Protestant Bibles or in the Jewish Scriptures.

Getting Catholics to read the Bible also sometimes remains a challenge. Even though the Second Vatican Council documents vigorously encouraged Catholics to read Scripture regularly, they did not really turn to the Bible in a way that would have enriched them, said Richard J. Clifford, S.J., professor emeritus of Old Testament at Boston Colleges School of Theology and Ministry.

Catholics are generally more lax than other Christians about reading Scripture on a regular basis. If Catholics hope to change this, they shouldnt let the pressure of choosing the right version of the Good Book prevent them from opening one at all. The best Bible is the one you open and read, said Mary Elizabeth Sperry, who serves as associate director for permissions and New American Bible utilizations at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It doesnt matter how good a translation is. If it sits on your shelf closed, its not a helpful Bible.

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Which Cross Is Debossed On The Navy Blue And Red Bonded Leather Bible Covers

The Constantine cross. After seeing a vision of a cross in the sky in 312, Constantine the Great converted to Christianity, signed the Edict of Milan legalizing the faith, and sent his mother, St. Helena, to Jerusalem to look for Christ’s tomb. Over a century prior to this in 135, Emperor Hadrian built two pagan temples over what the early Christians knew to be the places where Jesus died and had been laid to rest . Providentially, Emperor Hadrian constructed the pagan temples in order to stop the early Jewish Christians from making pilgrimage to the sacred sites, which had become a tradition as early as the end of the first century. With the help of the bishop of Caesarea, Eusebius, and the bishop of Jerusalem, Macarius, three crosses were found near a tomb, leading the Romans to believe they had found Calvary. According to Church tradition, in 326, in order to discern which of the three crosses found was the true cross of Christ, St. Helena and Bishop Macarius witnessed a healing miracle when a terminally ill person touched all three crosses but was healed when they touched the last cross. Not long afterwards, with the blessing of Emperor Constantine, St. Helena removed the pagan temples and built a church over Calvary. As a way to honor the place where Christ died and to transform the image of the cross from one of shame to glory and honor, St. Helena had a large gold cross that contained large jewels constructed on top of the church.

Liturgical Use And Endorsements

Many Catholic commentators, authors, and scholars use the RSV2CE, including Scott Hahn, Curtis Mitch, Steve Ray, and Jimmy Akin.

Although the revised lectionary based on the New American Bible is the only English-language lectionary that may be used at Latin Rite Catholic mass in the United States, the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition has been approved for liturgical use in Ordinariate Catholic parishes for former Anglicans around the world. To that end, Ignatius Press has published a lectionary based on the RSV-2CE, approved for use by the Episcopal Conference of the Antilles and by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for use in the personal ordinariates. The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in the United Kingdom has adopted the RSV-2CE as “the sole lectionary authorized for use” in its liturgies, and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales agreed in November 2015 to ask approval to use it in a new lectionary for England and Wales.

While copies of the RSV-2CE Bible are readily available from the publisher and via well-known commercial online retailers, the lectionary books for use at mass are not currently being sold except by sources within the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter.

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Find A Good Catholic Bible

Yes, there is a difference between Catholic and non-Catholic bibles. A Catholic Bible will have all of the books in it that the early Church determined were inspired by God and belonged in the bible. After the split in the Church, those who we no longer Catholic removed some of the books from the Bible.

How can you be sure you have or purchase a Catholic Bible? Make sure the Bible is approved by the Apostolic See . A Bibles Introduction section may tell you more about the edition of that particular Bible.

In the first few pages, it should have the words Imprimatur and will likely also have the words Nihil Obstat, each followed by a name. This means that the Bible has been determined by the Bishop named to be free from doctrinal or moral error and approved for publication.

The Catholic Journaling Bibleis the NAB-RE version. It has wide margins so you can write your notes or draw right in your Bible.

Archaeological And Historical Research

Why Does the Catholic Bible Have More Books? | Made For Glory

Biblical archaeology is the archaeology that relates to and sheds light upon the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Greek Scriptures . It is used to help determine the lifestyle and practices of people living in biblical times. There are a wide range of interpretations in the field of biblical archaeology. One broad division includes biblical maximalism which generally takes the view that most of the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible is based on history although it is presented through the religious viewpoint of its time. It is considered to be the opposite of biblical minimalism which considers the Bible to be a purely post-exilic composition. Even among those scholars who adhere to biblical minimalism, the Bible is a historical document containing first-hand information on the Hellenistic and Roman eras, and there is universal scholarly consensus that the events of the 6th century BCE Babylonian captivity have a basis in history.

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Which Bible Translation Should Catholics Use Its Not The One You Think

St. Jerome, whose feast day is Sept. 30, is a giant in the intellectual history of the church. He is best known for translating the Bible from its original Hebrew and Greek into Latin, and his translation, called the Vulgate, remained the most commonly used version of scripture for over 1,100 years.

Today, though, the Vulgate is no longer in common use in the English-speaking world, dozens of translations have vied for readers in its stead.

English-speaking Catholics in the 21st century have an embarrassment of riches from which to choose. There are mainstream translations like the New King James Version, the New International Version and the Good News Bible.

There are also more specialized versions: Last year, Bishop Robert Barrons ministry published its Word on Fire edition of the New Testament, replete with full-color images, historical explanations and reflections. Other Bibles are designed with specificsometimes very specificinterests in mind, like The Holy Bible: Stock Car Racingedition, which intersperses Scripture with unrelated pictures of race cars.

Amid such a multitude of choices, what is the best Bible translation for Catholics?

Bible: New American Bible Revised Edition

For Bible readers on the go, the New American Bible, Revised Edition Kindle Edition is a great pick. This comprehensive Catholic Bible is presented the same way as the physical version, with the exception that it includes certain features that make it much easier to navigate.

The New American Bible, Revised Edition comes with navigation aids that allow readers to access specific Bible verses in seconds. Essentially, though, this electronic Bible preserves much of the interface and layout of the original Bible version.

This makes it a familiar yet convenient alternative for readers who want to have a Catholic Bible in their trusty electronic devices.

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Difference Between Catholic Bible And King James Bible

Personalized Catholic Bible with San Damiano Cross Cover ...

Categorized under Editor Pick,Language,Religion | Difference Between Catholic Bible and King James Bible

Catholic Bible vs. King James Bible

There has been a lot of confusion surrounding the Holy Bible that both Roman Catholic s and Protestants use, because of the varied versions that have been printed and distributed throughout the world today. It may be because of the never ending dispute between Catholics and Protestants on what should be and shouldnt be included in the Christian Bible that lights the continuity of the said argument.

The Catholic Bible is actually the generic term for the Christian Bible. By nature, it includes the so-called Old and New Testaments. It includes the 5th century Latin Vulgate, which is primarily St. Jeromes work.

Conversely, the King James Bible version is just one of the many versions of the Holy Book circulated throughout. Some of the other versions made or edited by Roman Catholics include: The Latin Vulgate itself, the Douay-Rheims Version, The Jerusalem Bible and the New American Bible, amongst many others.

Overall, no matter what Bible version you are reading, more or less the message remains the same. Even if the phrasing and wordings are somewhat altered, almost all Bible versions, including the KJV, tells of the same message about God. All in all:

1. The Catholic Bible is a more generic term for the Holy Bible.

2. The KJV is just one of the many other versions of the Holy Bible.

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Every Catholic Should Know The Bible

Even though the Church is the primary interpreter of the Bible, every Catholic should make the Bible a part of his or her life. Even for those who cannot read, whether because they are too young or are in a country where literacy is uncommon, the Church proclaims the Bible at every Mass. The Church says that Catholics should read the Bible frequently. Catholics know this is vitally important because, in the words of St. Jerome,

Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.

Catholics can see in the Bible Gods love letter to human beings, and his love letter to each person. Catholics should always be grateful for the Bible. this wonderful way not only to know about God, but also to form a deeper relationship with God.

Image: By James Chan https://pixabay.com/en/bible-rosary-prayer-pray-holy-706658/, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41861793

The Catholic Vs Christian View On Salvation

Christianity

Christians believe that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone . Ephesians 2:8-9, as well as the entire book of Galatians, make the case that salvation is apart from works. A person is justified by faith alone . Of course, true faith produces good works . But works are a fruit of faith, and not the or a meritorious basis of salvation.

Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Catholicism

Catholics believe that salvation is multifaceted, and comes through baptism, faith, good works and remaining in a state of grace . Justification is not a forensic declaration made based on faith, but the culmination and progression of the above elements.

Canon 9 If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified let him be damned.

Praying to the Saints

Christianity

Prayer is an act of worship. We are only to worship God. Christians believe that we should pray to God, as instructed by Jesus . Christians dont see any biblical warrant for praying to the deceased , and many see this practice as dangerously close to necromancy, which is prohibited by the Scriptures.

Catholicism

Catholics, on the other hand, believe that there is great value to praying to the deceased Christians that deceased Christians are in a position to intercede with God on behalf of the living.

Idol worship

Catholicism

Christianity

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Catholics And The Bible

Catholics are often accused of arguing in a vicious circle, proving the Bible by the Church, and the Church by the Bible. We must be careful to avoid this by explaining that we put the Church before the Bible because the Church existed first and wrote and compiled the Bible. The authority of the Bible depends on that of the Church. Then we use the Bible to prove the Church we use it not as an inspired volume, but merely as a historical document. From the Gospels as historical documents we learn that Christ founded a Church, but the authority of the Gospels as inspired writings rests on the word of the Church.

We can define the Bible as a collection of writings, which the Church of God has solemnly recognized as inspired . What is the non-Catholics definition? Paul says, indeed: All Scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice, that the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work . But he gives no list of Scriptures nor any method for discerning which they are.

The Scriptures themselves assert that they are incomplete and send us to the Church. Many other signs also did Jesus . . . which are not written. . Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest ? . . . . How can I, unless some man show me .

But are her children even allowed access to this treasure? Are Catholics allowed to read the Bible? Lets look.

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