The New American Bible, Revised Edition: Catholic Reader's Edition

by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Reflecting the work of nearly 100 scholars and extensively reviewed and approved by the USCCB, the NABRE takes into account the best current scholarship as well as the new discovery of ancient manuscripts that improve our knowledge and understanding of the Biblical text.

With it's extensive notes, commentary, and cross-references, the NABRE will promote a deeper love and understanding of Scripture in the home, parish and school. In addition to its wealth of study material, each Saint Benedict Press NABRE features a 3 year liturgical cycle of Sunday readings, a 2 year liturgical cycle of daily Mass readings, a listing of Popes, and a manual of favorite Catholic prayers.

Genres: Religion, Reference, Catholic, Nonfiction, Theology, Spirituality, Faith

1552 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and United States Catholic Conference (USCC), it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic hierarchy (i.e., diocesan, coadjutor, and auxiliary bishops and the ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter) in the United States and the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the bishops in the six dioceses form their own episcopal conference, the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference (Spanish, Conferencia Episcopal Puertorriqueña). The bishops in U.S. insular areas in the Pacific Ocean – the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Territory of American Samoa, and the Territory of Guam – are members of the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific (Latin, Conferentia Episcopalis Pacifici).

The USCCB adopted its current name in July 2001. The organization is a registered corporation based in Washington, D.C. As with all bishops' conferences, certain decisions and acts of the USCCB must receive the recognitio, or approval of the Roman dicasteries, which are subject to the immediate and absolute authority of the Pope.

Reviews

[7jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

(the NAB Bible, Revised Edition - NABRE)

I think this is the best Catholic Bible I've read so far. There is no maps, but at the start and end are the things I mention below. This one has particularly good notes for each book (as well as introduction before each book or book group), which explain particular things, note where things have been moved around, something has been added, and what writer's own opinions might show through.

The text has been revised, so notes are certainly updated, and I think this is perhaps the best Catholic option to have. The language flows well without being too easy-going. This will certainly remain among my favorite Bibles, for sure :)

This Bible also has:
Start:
Presentation and family history pages
Prayers & Devotions Of The Catholic Faith
"Dogmatic Constitution On Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, 18 November 1965"
Measures & Weights In The Bible

End:
"The New 3-Year Cycle Of Reading For Sunday Mass" (from 2011 to 2040)
"Readings For The Major Feasts Of The Year"
"Weekday Lectionary"

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main reason I decided to track my progress on Goodreads was so that I could write a little bit about the translation at the end. Before I got this bible, I'd been reading New Revised Standard Version for a number of years. Both translations have the scholarly muscle behind them, but I found this one more reader friendly than NRSV. The phrasing of difficult passages is a little easier to wade through, and I found it quite refreshing.

If those tricky passages still give you trouble, this edition has footnotes on its footnotes. Everything you could possibly want a note for, including literal translation, notes on customs of the time the different books were written, and theological tidbits all find their way into the notes. Plus, it is a good, solid hardcover, so it'll take a lot of moving around.

I would recommend this edition to anyone who is looking for a good study bible that isn't too ponderous textually. Also, if you happen to need a new bible, my philosophy is to get a different translation every time for comparative purposes. Sometimes God speaks to different people better through different translations, and having a plurality of textual interpretation at your disposal is always beneficial to study.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had always wanted to read the Bible in a year and I finally did it! Truly an incredible experience.

[Chris]

I am following my brother's Daily Bible's plan to read the entire Bible within a year. Although I've grown up with it my entire life, I have never read it cover to cover, and it's time.

It took me six months (because I'm a chronic reader-ahead-er) and I've now finished the Bible. I'm not rating it because it's a) THE BIBLE and b) a holy book to many and so not my place to "rate." It was definitely enlightening to read and finally see everything that's in there.

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could say I have read this all-the-way-through more than twice. Of course, I've heard the parts which are read during Sunday and weekday Masses and in Divine Liturgy, but other (numerous) attempts to read Scripture front-to-back have been stymied. This time I'm planning to read beginning with Genesis in the morning and from the New Testament before bed.

[Martha Anne Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celebrating my first cover-to-cover reading of the Bible, with notes. Quite an experience. Took me a little over a year of daily readings (approximately 30 minutes). This "Good Book" also makes a "good read."

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A monumental day for me. The Word of God is truly Living. Throughout my journey with Scripture thus far, there have been so many seasons where the Word becomes alive in my own life. ♾️/10 would recommend ;)

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are no words to sufficiently describe how wonderful this Book is.

[Jeanne Alfveby Crea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!! Best book ever. I did the Bible in a Year every day in 2022 with Fr. Mike Schmitz and Jeff Cavins. It was fantastic. I would love to go through the Bible in a Year again.

[Canyon Cormier · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really good if you want a super accurate translation. also has the deuterocanonical books, which is super nice. My go-to translation. It can be difficult if you don't understand the context, so if you can find one with good commentary, you have yourself an amazing bible.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read the WHOLE Bible!
It is easy to see the hypocrisy in our own families, in the faith of our upbringing, in our own culture and only see the shining examples in faraway groups. As a young adult I saw this lead many people to reject Christianity and American culture as they sought the wisdom of Eastern gurus or Native American traditions. At the same time I became intrigued by an author quote by Joseph Girzone on one of his Joshua (Jesus in the modern day) books. A group from the far east had started reading his books and wrote to ask him to be their guru. Like us they saw the hypocrisy and failures of the everyday man within their own systems and saw the beauty in the teachings of the "guru" of a faraway culture.

This experience made me realize how easy it is to reject our "home" culture because we see the multitude not measuring up, all the human messiness of real life. We tend only to see the shining examples of a faraway belief system, and thus can start believing how pure and holy that group must be and thus how true their teachings compared to ours. I also saw how many people were willing to read the holy books and teachings of another system and embrace it without the courtesy of reading the Bible and teachings of Christianity before rejecting it. (Think about Monopoly, just because we've all grown up with it [or Christianity], doesn't mean any of us actually knows it properly! )

And so, several years ago, I realized that I too, especially as a believing Christian, needed to read the whole Bible, not just piecemeal bits of it. I finally made the commitment last November to use a reading plan to finish the Bible in a year. I'm about three weeks under a year. This has been a very positive experience. It's granted the desire to read more deeply, study more deeply and learn so much more about the Bible, its teachings, its times, its background, anything to make it more meaningful.

Highly recommended!

[Christopher McNally · Rating 5 out of 5]

As of September 9, 2024, I have read Genesis through Isaiah plus all of the Minor Prophets. I have remaining Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel in the Old Testament and all of the New Testament. (I have previously read the New Testament in Mass or other reading.) As of September 25, 2024, I finished Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Ezekiel. Daniel is the final book (26 pages, 14 chapters) I must read in the Old Testament. On September 26, 2024, I finished the Book of Daniel. With that, I have completed the Old Testament in its entirety. (1,574 pages in the NAB Revised Edition - Study Bible 2010). As of October 1, I completed the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. October 4 - Gospel of John. October 6 - Acts of the Apostles. (1828 pages). October 7 - Romans, 1 Corinthians, and 2 Corinthians. (1906 pages). October 9 - Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians. (1938 pages). October 10 - Colossians October 11 - 1 Thessalonians to 2 Timothy. October 12 - Titus to Jude (2052 pages). October 13 - Revelations (2082 pages)

[Jerrod Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a good read. Wars, famines, conquerors, conquered, exiled, returned, disgraced, uplifted, persecuted, persecutors, and most importantly, saved in spite of themselves, we find humanity in all its phases. Truly, nothing is new under the sun.

Some of the most beautiful literature, and some that just gets the point accomplished, this timeless story of the love of God for his creation, and the rebellion that man brings to the table, is always worth reading.

Even for a non-Christian, I'd recommend this entire book and it is helpful in understanding the state of mankind, helpful in introspection and self-improvement, and also helpful in understanding the viewpoint of Christians around you.

Picking it back up and starting again. From Easter to Easter, it's a great way to spend my time.

[Jason Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually did some of my Bible reading in other translations over the course of the year, but this was the first year I did the bulk of it with the NABRE. I think the revised Old Testament is a wonderful improvement over the 1970 NAB, and when combined with the already strong 1986 NT (I'm speaking of the text here, not the notes), this is a fantastic translation. In particular, I have long felt that the 1986 NAB NT includes probably the best translation of the Gospel of John available in modern English. Also, the OT notes are much improved and much more helpful to people who aren't approaching the Bible from a purely academic standpoint. Given the strength of this revision, I'm really looking forward to the newly revised NT we will see in a few years.

[Ted Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would I ever undertake reading and praying the complete Bible? I took the challenge of "The Bible in a Year" provided through a podcast by Ascension, Fr. Mike and Bible scholar, Jeff Cavins. Fr. Mike Schmitz provided an enlightening and inspiring experience using The Great Adventure Bible Timeline each day through scripture and commentary/homily. What a tremendous spiritual experience. I highly recommend this approach to reading and praying our Holy Bible. God Bless our entire Bible in a Year community.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a handy bible to have for answering questions that people have about the Catholic faith. I love the short, but concise answers that are given with biblical references. This is the first bible that I have written in and highlighted. It is my go to bible.

[Mike Hessenauer]

Reading cover to cover

[Gregorius Magis Domus · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the Bible, so it's amazing. However, not the world's best translation. The Duoay-Rheims is better if you can handle the archaic speech, otherwise grab the RSV.

[riley thoreson · Rating 5 out of 5]

finally finished bible in a year w/ fr. Mike Schmitz and it was amazing

[Angel7]

My cover finally fell off my old Bible after 15 years of daily use. Time to buy a new one! This time I decided to try the St. Joseph Bible and the NABRE translation. I liked the sturdy cover, incredibly informative introductions and footnotes for each book, and the NABRE translation. I bought the medium size. Loved it, but it was too heavy for my small hands and thin fingers, so I gave it to my husband, who adores it. When I found this personal size, I snapped it up, because it's the same small size as my old Bible. Everything about this one is PERFECT! Lightweight, fits perfectly in my hands, and contains everything included in the medium size. I can't say enough good things about this Bible. I absolutely LOVE IT!!!!!

[Victoria Magallanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this translation, it's very reader friendly

[David Selsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished. By hook or by crook. I started this maybe two years ago, maybe a little less. I read the NABRE for the Gospels; then I transitioned to listening for the rest of the New Testament. The entire Old Testament I listened to. For the Pentateuch (the first five books--the Jewish Torah), I listened to the English Standard Version. I learned that this is the more traditional and less politically correct version compared to the New Revised Standard Version (which I think I started with). Bible translation and history are rich and deep fields, and I spent many hours in the last two years reading about different translation philosophies. I read the NABRE for the New Testament because that's the Bible the Catholic Church uses (actually, the only version the Holy See approves for use by priests in church is the NAB (1970), but I could only find the Revised Edition online for purchase), which is the denomination closest to my heart.

The app I used was Bible.is. It's pretty good. Sometimes it's glitchy, actually, a lot of the time it's glitchy, but after occasionally futzing around with different apps I settled on Bible.is. The app didn't have the NABRE version of the New Testament (hence I used the English Standard Version). I would say I listened to three quarters, perhaps 7/10, of the Old Testament using the English Standard Version, before switching the King James Version. I've always remembered a bumper sticker I saw in college--"If It Ain't King James, It Ain't Bible." Funny, but it is true that many of the great phrases, terms, and lessons of Western Civilization come the KJV. Not to mention that outside of Shakespeare's corpus, the KJV is probably the most important work of writing in the English language.

I listened to the vast majority of the Bible while hiking in the foothills above Pasadena. I'll never forget the time I spent up there listening to the Bible. We're a lost generation, those of us who grew up in liberal, secular households and attended public education in the 80s and 90s. Adding insult to injury, I went to a Liberal Arts College, but instead of reading the Western Canon, I spent most of my time reading Foucault and Deleuze, then threw more gasoline of the trash heap of intellectual incoherence by going to graduate school and focusing on Critical Theory. Life's a journey and this is where I am currently--baptized in the Episcopalian Church last Easter Vigil and still being pulled by a tractor beam towards full communion with the Catholic Church.

Grappling with the Bible is something that takes place over the course of a lifetime. I'm only about two years in, but I'm glad I started the journey.

It's all here. It's the basis for our civilization in the West. Avoid the Bible at your own peril.

[Marcos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for BLIND Reader!

Kindle's text-to-speech feature is BROKEN when using Amazon Fire tablet with VoiceView screenreader! Though the navigation menu is satisfactory, I was unable to read complete chapters, yet the footnotes seems to be the only feature that seems to work with text-to-speech. This is the only NABRE Catholic edition bible that can be somewhat usable for a blind reader, despite text-to-speech reading problems! Unless this book is repaired, the Amazon Kindle Store page of this book should have the text-to-speech attribute to be set as NO with a special advisory to the vision-impaired! There is already a NABRE book with such a warning. So far, this is the only Catholic Bible not intended for BLIND readers! The NRSV & GLT Catholic editions seem to be the blind alternatives to this not-for-blind-person NABRE book!

[michael prado · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid and complete Catholic reference Bible. Based off of original reference texts in the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, this scholarly effort aims for precision of translation, employing verbiage which seeks for clarity of meaning as opposed to stylistic and heavy theological appreciation. The latter is left to the footnotes which are extremely pedantic, and at times, may certainly seem frustratingly liberal in their interpretative freedom (though this is true of all Biblical footnotes, which IMO are better left unheeded).

The St. Joseph Edition with the faux leather binding is a beautifully prepared book with many accompanying prayers and Liturgical notes that make it a sturdy and cherishable edition to keep as personal copy or gift for a Catholic family.

[Matt DeVore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting wording I noticed:
"word of the LORD" a lot in the prophets, where I would expect "says the LORD" or "declares the LORD.
Jesus often begins sentences by saying, "Amen, amen..." This is literally correct while most English translations will say something like, "Truly, truly."
Hagioi is translated as "holy ones" instead of "saints."
I bounced around between reading this text in Logos Bible Software and sometimes only listening to it as an audio book with the Audio Bible Superproduction app which uses the NABRE as its script.

[Matt Maples · Rating 4 out of 5]

This year I decided to read 2 Catholic Bibles. I love reading the Bible, and I really enjoy trying different versions of the Bible. It is such a rich book and God always moves so powerfully each and every time I I journey through it. If you have not yet read through the entire book I would highly recommend that you give it a try! You can do it in as little as 10-15 minutes per day and in one trip around the sun you can see God do remarkable things in your life!!

[Deirdre Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I collect Bibles and I wanted a Catholic Bible. The fact that this was a Women’s Study Bible caught my attention. All in all, I like the translation, and it’s got good essays written by women, for women, about women in the Bible. The only thing I don’t like about is that it’s a paperback.

[Daniel Louis Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lord's Word in precios precedente he is the Word of like every lasting leve is himself and his m

Go to the City that like is always and send like to God always his in mundo boda and soul

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Father Mike Schmitz did the reading for me. The story of salvation history needs to be studied overall. Context is very important. Oh, and they killed off my favorite character. Lucky he rises from the dead :)

[Erik Michael Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatest story ever told. Guidebook to eternal life.