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Which Bible Should You Read? A Short Comparison and Commentary on Modern Bible Translations
This book is a brief analysis showing which is the most accurate, safest English translation of the Sacred Scriptures. Not surprisingly, the traditional Catholic English version of the Sacred Scriptures, the Douay-Rheims Version, the faithful translation of St. Jerome's Latin Vulgate Bible - the official Latin version of the Roman Catholic Church - emerges from this analysis and comparison as the best, safest, most accurate Bible in English of the ten versions compared. Shows that the differences are not mere technical differences of style but that they deliberately change the meanings of the passages significantly as well.
Compares NT passages from the DRB/DRV with passages from the Clementine Edition of St. Jerome's Latin Vulgate Bible and the Greek text that is commonly accepted as authoritative by the Neo-Catholic and Protestant revisionists, and from 6 Protestant versions and 3 "Modernist" New “Catholic” versions.
The "Modernist" (Neo-Catholic) versions
· The New American Bible (NAB)
· The Jerusalem Bible (JB)
· The New Revised Standard Version - Catholic Ed. (NRSVCE)
The Protestant versions:
· The King James Version (KJV or KJB)
· The New King James Version (NKJV)
· The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
· The New International Version (NIV)
· The New American Standard Version (NASV)
· New English Bible (NEB)
“As the Lord has spoken: Behold the days come, saith the Lord, and I will send forth famine into the land: not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord (Amos 8.11, DRV). Since the Revolt of Martin Luther, that Augustinian priest who fell under the sway of the Synagogue of Satan (Apocalypse 2.9; 3.9), many Christians have been deceived and tricked that they should take the Sacred Writ into their hands themselves – thereby were led to despise the authority of God through His ministers: the priests (Is. 61.6; Joel 1.13; 2.17; cf. 1 Sam 8.7) of the Levitical race (Deut. 17.9-12; 21.5; 24.8; cf. Ex 29.9; 40.13). Incurring the wrath of God, the dismembered sheep, following false pastors, were left foraging on poisoned grounds; it is written: For the lips of the priests shall keep knowledge, and they [God’s people] shall seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts (Malachi 2.7)” – Friar Marie-Elias, C.D. of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel
Compares NT passages from the DRB/DRV with passages from the Clementine Edition of St. Jerome's Latin Vulgate Bible and the Greek text that is commonly accepted as authoritative by the Neo-Catholic and Protestant revisionists, and from 6 Protestant versions and 3 "Modernist" New “Catholic” versions.
The "Modernist" (Neo-Catholic) versions
· The New American Bible (NAB)
· The Jerusalem Bible (JB)
· The New Revised Standard Version - Catholic Ed. (NRSVCE)
The Protestant versions:
· The King James Version (KJV or KJB)
· The New King James Version (NKJV)
· The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
· The New International Version (NIV)
· The New American Standard Version (NASV)
· New English Bible (NEB)
“As the Lord has spoken: Behold the days come, saith the Lord, and I will send forth famine into the land: not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord (Amos 8.11, DRV). Since the Revolt of Martin Luther, that Augustinian priest who fell under the sway of the Synagogue of Satan (Apocalypse 2.9; 3.9), many Christians have been deceived and tricked that they should take the Sacred Writ into their hands themselves – thereby were led to despise the authority of God through His ministers: the priests (Is. 61.6; Joel 1.13; 2.17; cf. 1 Sam 8.7) of the Levitical race (Deut. 17.9-12; 21.5; 24.8; cf. Ex 29.9; 40.13). Incurring the wrath of God, the dismembered sheep, following false pastors, were left foraging on poisoned grounds; it is written: For the lips of the priests shall keep knowledge, and they [God’s people] shall seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts (Malachi 2.7)” – Friar Marie-Elias, C.D. of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel
76 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2000
13 people want to read
About the author
Thomas A. Nelson
13 books3 followersThomas A. Nelson is the author of Catholic Prayers and Pious Practices for Lent, two spiritual works. The former, dedicated the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Model in Prayer, was originally published in 2006 through TAN. A compilation of beloved and powerful Catholic prayers, Mr. Nelson's work was designed to assist the faithful in obtaining the graces and favors of God. It was also given the Imprimatur a year later by the Rev. Msgr. David D. Kagan, J.C.L.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 24, 2011
The best modern Scriptural Study available exposing the distortion of the Word of God in the hands of modern Biblical scholars - Protestants and "Novus Ordo" (Vatican II "New Order") 'Catholics' alike - face to face with the texts they themselves consider as authoritative for the revised version their respective sects require (that is, suiting the mentality of their leaders and members). Vindicates the authoritative accuracy of the Holy Catholic Douay-Rheims Version (based upon St. Jerome's Sacred Latin Vulgate Bible - the official translation of the Holy Roman Catholic Church). Shows that the differences are not mere technical differences of style but that they change the meanings of the passages significantly as well.
Compares NT passages from the DRB with passages from the Clementine Edition of St. Jerome’s Latin Vulgate Bible and the original Greek, and from 6 Protestant versions and 3 Novus Ordo “Catholic” versions.
The Novus Ordo “Catholic” versions
* The New American Bible (NAB)
* The Jerusalem Bible (JB)
* The New Revised Standard Version – Catholic Ed. (NRSVCE)
The Protestant versions:
* The King James Version (KJV or KJB)
* The New King James Version (NKJV)
* The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
* The New International Version (NIV)
* The New American Standard Version (NASV)
* New English Bible (NEB)
TAN Books out-of-print. E-book edition, comes in excellent PDF format.
$5 @ webstore.com/~StJosephTreasury
Compares NT passages from the DRB with passages from the Clementine Edition of St. Jerome’s Latin Vulgate Bible and the original Greek, and from 6 Protestant versions and 3 Novus Ordo “Catholic” versions.
The Novus Ordo “Catholic” versions
* The New American Bible (NAB)
* The Jerusalem Bible (JB)
* The New Revised Standard Version – Catholic Ed. (NRSVCE)
The Protestant versions:
* The King James Version (KJV or KJB)
* The New King James Version (NKJV)
* The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
* The New International Version (NIV)
* The New American Standard Version (NASV)
* New English Bible (NEB)
TAN Books out-of-print. E-book edition, comes in excellent PDF format.
$5 @ webstore.com/~StJosephTreasury
April 14, 2021
Booklet is an apologia for Douay-Rheims onlyism. Makes valid criticisms of modern translations and argues many cases undermine the text and their implied doctrines. I don't agree with all its conclusions but the criticisms are definetly worth considering. One qualm I have is in assuming there was one Vulgate before the Clementine Vulgate was promulgated and translated into English. Even Alcuin, in the 7th-8th century, noted that every abbey had a distinct Vulgate before he presumed to update the prose of his own copy. Jerome's original was lost some time ago and copyists left their distinct imprints on all extant manuscripts. The Douay-Rheims translators didn't even use the Clementine edition since they published their translation prior to its promulgation. To balance out Mr. Nelson, Jimmy Akin writes a rebuttal presumably in response to this booklet that also makes some fair counterpoints, called "Uncomfortable Facts about the Douay-Rheims." Albeit, his review isn't perfect either.
There is wisdom in this booklet, specifically to be wary of the biases and limitations of modern translators. Despite the Douay-Rheims being a translation of a translation and the limitations in manuscripts available to the original translators, it is a fine bible and still one of the best available to Catholics today. I just don't assume other English translations are necessarily inferior or not worth reading.
There is wisdom in this booklet, specifically to be wary of the biases and limitations of modern translators. Despite the Douay-Rheims being a translation of a translation and the limitations in manuscripts available to the original translators, it is a fine bible and still one of the best available to Catholics today. I just don't assume other English translations are necessarily inferior or not worth reading.
August 11, 2013
I've always thought that modern translations of the Bible lacked literary style and beauty, but never fathomed that so many foundational verses were either translated poorly(which in turn undermines Catholic teachings) or even left out entirely. Now I want to dig a little deeper and see what Bishop Challoner's revisions actually altered in the original Douay-Rheims translation.
September 25, 2024
A PASSIONATE DEFENSE OF THE DOUAY-RHEIMS VERSION AS THE BEST CATHOLIC BIBLE IN ENGLISH
Author Thomas A. Nelson wrote in the Introduction to this 2001 booklet, "The present little book is an unabashed apologia for the traditional Catholic Bible in English, called the Douay-Rheims... explaining to readers why the Douay-Rheims is the most accurate and most reliable version of the Bible in English. This version of Sacred Scripture was first published in the New Testament at Rheims in Northern France in 1582 ... and at Douay in ... Northwestern France in 1609-1610 in its entirety." (Pg. xv)
He adds, "From the first edition ... until 1941, there was no other English Catholic Bible in use, and even until approximately 1960 the readings from the pulpit in most Catholic churches in the U.S. continued to be from the Douay-Rheims because there existed a popular, large-print lectionary... that was in common use in most Catholic parishes in this country... Thus, the ONLY Catholic version of the Bible in use in the English-speaking world for 330 years ... was the Douay-Rheims... There was a hiatus of its availability for about 10 years, until 1971, when the Douay-Rheims was first issued by TAN." (Pg. xvii)
He argues, "if this version is not accurate, then all the many millions of Catholics who used it since 1910... have been deceived in their study of Scripture. They have not, in effect, had an accurate version of God's Holy Word. The Holy Ghost, in other words, had let them down, had failed them in their Scripture study; they have been, to a fairly large degree, deluded by a 'bad' Bible.'" (Pg. xvii-xviii)
He adds, "The above is a correct line of reasoning if we compare the Douay-Rheims version with the three modern Catholic Bibles currently in use, namely, The New American Bible... The Catholic Revised Standard Version... and The Jerusalem Bible... if the Douay-Rheims is accurate, then these new Catholic versions contain many inaccurate passages and should not be used... In this little tract we shall study in depth 11 famous passages..." (Pg. xviii)
He points out that St. Jerome (who produced the Vulgate, upon which the Douay-Rheims is based) "had access to ancient Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the 2nd and 3rd centuries which have since perished and are no longer available to scholars today." (Pg. 2)
He adds, "The reason that the Douay-Rheims Bible is so important is that it is the only English Bible that is a faithful, word-for-word translation of the Latin Vulgate of St. Jerome. This absolute fidelity to the Vulgate has always been its claim... The obvious conclusion ... is that the Douay-Rheims is therefore the best and safest translation of the Holy Bible into English.!" (Pg. 4-5)
He asserts that the modern translators "have bypassed St. Jerome's Vulgate version ... in favor of translating transcriptions of texts in the original languages... the modern translators seem to have read the original language versions of the Bible, decided in their own minds what the meaning is, and translated THAT meaning into English, rather than what the Bible actually says." (Pg. 10-11)
He concludes, "It is not the Douay-Rheims that is hard. It is the Holy Bible that is hard!... If it is not hard, it is NOT the Bible!... and no modern translator is going to make it easier for you by translating God's meaning out of it and his own into it! He is only thereby going to make it impossible for you to understand the Bible because he is keeping it from you!" (Pg. 93, 95-96)
Catholic traditionalists who love the Douay-Rheims will be very pleased with this unwavering defense of it… while those accepting contemporary biblical scholarship will most likely roll their eyes and shake their heads.
Author Thomas A. Nelson wrote in the Introduction to this 2001 booklet, "The present little book is an unabashed apologia for the traditional Catholic Bible in English, called the Douay-Rheims... explaining to readers why the Douay-Rheims is the most accurate and most reliable version of the Bible in English. This version of Sacred Scripture was first published in the New Testament at Rheims in Northern France in 1582 ... and at Douay in ... Northwestern France in 1609-1610 in its entirety." (Pg. xv)
He adds, "From the first edition ... until 1941, there was no other English Catholic Bible in use, and even until approximately 1960 the readings from the pulpit in most Catholic churches in the U.S. continued to be from the Douay-Rheims because there existed a popular, large-print lectionary... that was in common use in most Catholic parishes in this country... Thus, the ONLY Catholic version of the Bible in use in the English-speaking world for 330 years ... was the Douay-Rheims... There was a hiatus of its availability for about 10 years, until 1971, when the Douay-Rheims was first issued by TAN." (Pg. xvii)
He argues, "if this version is not accurate, then all the many millions of Catholics who used it since 1910... have been deceived in their study of Scripture. They have not, in effect, had an accurate version of God's Holy Word. The Holy Ghost, in other words, had let them down, had failed them in their Scripture study; they have been, to a fairly large degree, deluded by a 'bad' Bible.'" (Pg. xvii-xviii)
He adds, "The above is a correct line of reasoning if we compare the Douay-Rheims version with the three modern Catholic Bibles currently in use, namely, The New American Bible... The Catholic Revised Standard Version... and The Jerusalem Bible... if the Douay-Rheims is accurate, then these new Catholic versions contain many inaccurate passages and should not be used... In this little tract we shall study in depth 11 famous passages..." (Pg. xviii)
He points out that St. Jerome (who produced the Vulgate, upon which the Douay-Rheims is based) "had access to ancient Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the 2nd and 3rd centuries which have since perished and are no longer available to scholars today." (Pg. 2)
He adds, "The reason that the Douay-Rheims Bible is so important is that it is the only English Bible that is a faithful, word-for-word translation of the Latin Vulgate of St. Jerome. This absolute fidelity to the Vulgate has always been its claim... The obvious conclusion ... is that the Douay-Rheims is therefore the best and safest translation of the Holy Bible into English.!" (Pg. 4-5)
He asserts that the modern translators "have bypassed St. Jerome's Vulgate version ... in favor of translating transcriptions of texts in the original languages... the modern translators seem to have read the original language versions of the Bible, decided in their own minds what the meaning is, and translated THAT meaning into English, rather than what the Bible actually says." (Pg. 10-11)
He concludes, "It is not the Douay-Rheims that is hard. It is the Holy Bible that is hard!... If it is not hard, it is NOT the Bible!... and no modern translator is going to make it easier for you by translating God's meaning out of it and his own into it! He is only thereby going to make it impossible for you to understand the Bible because he is keeping it from you!" (Pg. 93, 95-96)
Catholic traditionalists who love the Douay-Rheims will be very pleased with this unwavering defense of it… while those accepting contemporary biblical scholarship will most likely roll their eyes and shake their heads.
September 30, 2021
Excellent review of the various modern "Catholic" bibles and why real Catholics should avoid these versions like the plague. The author compares three modern Catholic versions, plus six popular Protestant translations, with the Douay-Rheims Bible and against the Latin Vulgate and Greek manuscripts. The only English bible which accurately translates the original languages is the Douay-Rheims. In fact, the author pointed out in the case of Matthew 16:26, that "these modern translators have a preconceived set of ideas (or even an agenda) and they are translating their ideas into the bibles they are producing", in direct contradiction to the original manuscripts.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews