How to Compare Catholic Bible Versions

Choose a Bible depending on whether you will pray from it or study it more in-depth.

There are five main Catholic Bible versions that are popular with Catholics today: the Revised Standard Version, the New Revised Standard Version, the New American Bible with revised New Testament and Psalms, the New Jerusalem Bible and the Good News Translation. The choice of a Bible depends on whether you are using it for studying, prayer, or to take to church and follow along with the priest's sermon.

New American Bible

The New American Bible (Catholic Version) is the Bible you will hear in a Catholic Mass. This Bible is good to use if you want to follow along, word for word, with each Sunday sermon.

Study Bibles

A Catholic study Bible in any of the popular Bible versions comes with room for note-taking and supplements to the text, and they are usually larger, sometimes with a spine that opens flat. This Bible works for a deeper studying of the Bible and also is good to use in religious classes.

Personal Considerations

Use your own personal preferences when choosing a Catholic Bible version. Some Catholics enjoy reading a literal Bible translation with some archaic phrases, like the New American Bible. Others feel they understand the Bible more fully reading a modern text that takes into consideration how people actually speak in today's world. Modern text Bibles include the Revised Standard Version and the Good News Version. Bibles used mostly for studying almost always contain modern text.

References

• American Catholic.org: Choosing and Using a Bible
• St. Mary's Press: Compare Catholic Bible Translations

Resources

• Compass Distributors: Comparing Bible Versions
• Two Paths: What is the Difference Between Protestant and Catholic Bibles?
• Bible Researcher: Roman Catholic Bible Versions