A reader recently asked if I would consider making a list of my favorite Bible editions in each of the main translations approved for Catholic use. I’ve accepted the challenge as a fun way to narrow down the many Bibles I like (each one with its own character, strengths, and weaknesses). I think it could also spur interesting discussion on what is most important in a Bible, and I’d be interested to see how readers weigh the options differently than I do.

In thinking about how to narrow down the options and how to structure the list, three questions popped up:

  1. Should the list include study Bibles as well as regular Bibles?
  2. Should the list include both premium and non-premium editions?
  3. How many editions should I list for each translation?

I decided to limit myself to non-study Bibles in this list. To my mind, this makes the comparison fairer between the various translations, because some translations (NABRE, RSV-2CE) are available with multiple excellent study Bibles, while others have no Catholic study Bibles (ESV-CE, NLT-CE). I will include notetaking Bibles in consideration for this list. Where does that leave the Great Adventure Catholic Bible (GACB)? In my view, it straddles the line a bit, but the study materials are relatively minimal in the GACB, so I will include it in consideration. It can easily function as an everyday Bible.

Regarding the second question, I briefly considered structuring the list with a “top premium” and “top non-premium” option, but in my view that would be too restrictive. There are some translations were my top two are both non-premium editions, and others where my top two are both premium editions. I’ll try to include a top non-premium option if my top two are both premium.

Finally, I decided to limit myself to my top two favorite editions per translation (with an occasional honorable mention to include non-premium editions).

With those basic ground rules out of the way, let’s proceed to the list!

NABRE

#1: Fireside Catholic Companion Edition Librosario (ISBN: 9781556653131)

I haven’t reviewed this Bible on the blog yet, and in some ways it is an odd choice for my top NABRE Bible. It has a glued binding, relatively low-quality paper, and a page layout that is a bit cramped. Furthermore, it’s expensive for what it is (MSRP of $43.95). But I’ve owned this Bible for more than a year, and it is the NABRE I reach for most often to take with me outside my home. The imitation leather cover is excellent (feels very soft and flexible), and the size is just about perfect for a portable Bible that I can take anywhere (8.5 X 5.75 inches). It also comes in a sturdy cardboard slip case, which I regularly use when moving the Bible back and forth from my car or packing it in a carry-on bag when traveling. The cross-references are also laid out in a more readable fashion at the bottom of each page, rather than a wall of text which is difficult to decipher like in most NABRE editions. In short, this Bible will not win any awards for quality of materials, and it’s objectively too expensive compared to other similar editions, but it hits the perfect balance for me with a nice imitation leather cover, perfect size, protective slip case, and practical (albeit cramped) page layout which makes it ideal for taking anywhere.

#2: Large Print NABRE from Catholic Bible Press (ISBN: 9780785233923)

I reviewed this Bible when it was first released, and I continue to like it. It’s a good reader’s edition with footnotes and cross references at the end of each biblical book. The imitation leather cover is good quality, and it has a sewn binding. I’ve taken this Bible to parish Bible studies, and the size is reasonable for holding and reading. It’s a little large to put in a carry-on bag, so I’ve never traveled with it.

RSV-CE

#1: Schuyler Quentel RSV with Apocrypha (out of print)

This edition is technically the updated 1971 RSV, not the RSV-CE (which was copyrighted in 1966). As I understand it, the 1971 RSV included several of the changes that were made to the New Testament in the 1966 RSV-CE, and Cardinal Franz König of Vienna gave the 1971 edition an “endorsement for general use.” For more information on the history of the RSV, there is a helpful article here. Similar to the Schuyler Quentel ESV, this edition is exceptionally good. The typesetting is beautiful and readable, ghosting is minimal, and the goatskin leather cover is good quality. This edition is currently out of print, but Schuyler recently released a questionnaire regarding preferences for a new print run of the RSV, so they may be considering printing it again.

#2: ???

I don’t use the RSV-CE very often, so I’m not well-acquainted with other good options on the market. If anyone has recommendations, please leave them in the comments!

RSV-2CE

#1: Great Adventure Catholic Bible, Second Edition, in Premium Goatskin (ISBN: 9781954882751)

Fr. Jedidiah Tritle reviewed this Bible here on the blog in December of 2024. For full disclosure, I have not personally seen this edition in person, but based on my experience with the recent imitation leather version of the GACB, I feel confident in recommending this as the nicest edition of the RSV-2CE currently available. The imitation leather edition has excellent paper with minimal ghosting, a sewn binding, and excellent readable typesetting. The premium edition adds a goatskin cover and gold gilded page edges for a very reasonable price compared to many premium editions on the market (MSRP: $124.99).

#2. Ave Catholic Notetaking Bible in Blue Cloth Hardcover (ISBN: 9781646800780)

I reviewed this Bible here. The blue cloth hardcover, combined with shiny gold lettering on the spine and front cover, make this a beautiful Bible to behold in person. The page layout is simple (and formatted in single-column, which I enjoy). I don’t use the RSV-2CE as my primary translation, so I haven’t used this edition very much. But it warrants consideration as one of the nicest RSV-2CE Bibles around.

ESV-CE

#1: Schuyler Quentel ESV with Apocrypha (Limited print runs of various color options)

I reviewed this Bible here, and Matthew Kudija wrote a guest review as well. This is truly a beautiful edition. Technically, this is the ESV, not the ESV-CE, but based on the preface to the Apocrypha in this edition, the deuterocanonical books include updates that were approved by the translation committee in 2017 (including a translation of the longer version of the book of Tobit) after the translation was reviewed by Catholic scholars in preparation for the ESV-CE. Throughout the rest of the Bible, the differences between the ESV and the ESV-CE are quite minimal, as detailed in this comparison document which was posted on a Protestant discussion forum. When this Bible was first released, there were problems with faint printing on pages in the New Testament. I detailed the way it looked in my review. The problem was not significant enough in my copy to request a return, but one reader who purchased it found the faint printing unreadable in places. I have not heard any reports about whether this problem was fixed on subsequent printings, but I suspect it is no longer an issue.

#2: SPCK Hardcover ESV-CE (ISBN: 9780281085262)

I reviewed this Bible in comparison to the Augustine Institute ESV-CE here. This is a decent quality hardcover Bible at a very reasonable price. The binding is sewn, typesetting is readable, and ghosting is reasonably controlled. The cover design is a bit gaudy, but I don’t think that outweighs its value. I prefer this to the Augustine Institute’s paperback edition. The SPCK text block was also used by Cambridge in their Cornerstone ESV-CE Bible (which is available in both imitation leather and black cowhide leather). I have never seen those editions in person, and I’ve seen complaints in online reviews regarding the quality of the cowhide edition, so I have been reluctant about buying one. The SPCK edition is much cheaper and uses the same text block.

NRSV-CE

#1: Zondervan Premier NRSV Personal Size Large Print Bible with Apocrypha (ISBN: 9780310458678 — out of print)

This is currently my #1 favorite Bible. I’ve owned it for over a year, but I haven’t reviewed it on the blog. It is currently out of print and is not likely to be printed again, due to the phase-out of the NRSV in favor of the NRSVue. It is nearly a perfect size (8.5 X 5.375 inches) for me. The goatskin cover is flexible and good quality, the paper is opaque with minimal ghosting, and the print is large and comfortable to read. The page edges are decorated with speckled paint rather than gold gilding, and as a result, I don’t worry about scratching or damaging the gilding when I bring this Bible with me. I also favor reader’s editions with minimal notes, and this Bible has no introductions or notes except for the standard NRSV translator’s notes. It’s worth mentioning that this is technically not the NRSV-CE, but there are no differences in the text of the NRSV versus the NRSV-CE, except for the inclusion of the deuterocanonical books. Since this Bible includes all the Catholic books (as well as additional books from the Catholic apocrypha), it serves the purpose of a Catholic reader’s bible with no problem. The colors in this Bible are striking (deep purple goatskin cover with yellow speckled page edges). It wouldn’t be for everyone, but I think it’s a beautiful edition.

#2: Cambridge NRSV Reference Bible with Apocrypha in Burgundy Goatskin (ISBN: 9781108409940 — out of print)

This is also a beautiful edition in every way. The font is clear and easy to read. The goatskin has a more pronounced grain and texture than any other goatskin Bible I own. The binding feels exceptionally well-done (tight, but it still opens easily with no wrinkling of the pages). The gold gilding is among the best I’ve ever seen. This Bible has not been in print for a few years now, but it is one of the best NRSV editions with all the Catholic books which has ever been produced.

Honorable Mention (non premium): NRSV-CE Personal Size Bible from Catholic Bible Press (ISBN: 9780785230533)

I reviewed this Bible on the blog here. It has a similar-sized text block to the Zondervan Premier edition which is my #1 favorite. The imitation leather cover is good quality, and it has a sewn binding. The 9.5 point font is a nice size for reading. Compared to the Zondervan Premier edition, the paper in this bible is not as opaque, and there is noticeably more ghosting. But the ghosting is well-controlled compared to many other Bibles, and the text is line-matched to minimize ghosting. Overall, this is a good quality edition at a reasonable price (currently available for $24.12 at Amazon as of this writing). It is noticeably better in quality than the similar-sized “gift edition” from Catholic Bible Press. The gift edition’s imitation leather cover is lower in quality (feels like tacky rubber in comparison with the smooth, flexible imitation leather on the personal-size edition). The gold gilding is also inferior on the gift edition compared to the personal size edition.

New Catholic Bible (NCB)

#1 (with personal reservations): St. Joseph Edition New Catholic Bible Gift Edition – Personal Size (ISBN: 9781953152169)

I have mixed feelings about this Bible, as I mentioned in my review here. I prefer it to all the editions that have been featured on the blog so far (a search for “NCB” in the blog search box will turn up multiple reviews that either I or other guest reviewers have written). It’s an excellent size. The paper quality is exceptional (Truly, this is a standout feature of this edition. The paper is amazingly opaque.) The imitation leather is nice, and the binding is sewn. But it includes the abominable glossy insert pages which stick up and prevent the Bible from laying flat in an infuriating way. Even the hardcover Student Edition has a set of family records pages in the middle of the Bible which is on heavier-weight paper than the rest of the biblical text. It is less obtrusive than the multiple insert sections in the Personal Size Gift Edition, but it is still not ideal. This is also a red-letter edition (with the words of Christ printed in red), which is not my personal preference.

#2 (speculative): NCB Deluxe Gift Bible (World Catholic Press) (ISBN: 9781953152756)

I have never seen this edition in person, but it appears to be the only NCB edition that has no glossy color inserts in the middle of the biblical text. I was given a New American Bible from World Catholic Press which appears to be a similar design many years ago at my confirmation. If this NCB Deluxe Gift Bible is similar to my confirmation Bible, then I would characterize it as a simple, relatively no-frills edition. The cover on my NAB edition is acceptable, but not great quality. This is also a red-letter edition.

Revised New Jerusalem Bible (RNJB)

The number of RNJB editions is currently quite limited, but new editions will be published later this year. I would recommend waiting to see reviews of the upcoming editions before choosing a copy of the RNJB. For editions that are currently in print, I would only recommend one:

RNJB Study Edition published by Hodder and Stoughton (ISBN: 9780232533620)

As far as I know, this edition is substantially the same as the former study edition published by Darton, Longman, and Todd (and reviewed here). The copyright has been updated in the new edition published by Hodder and Stoughton. Overall, I like this edition. It’s a very chunky, thick book, but I like the single-column page layout. Readers and other online reviewers have noted that the footnotes in this edition do not always line up with the RNJB text, since they were originally composed for the CTS edition of the Jerusalem Bible, rather than the RNJB. In my experience, this is not a common problem when reading this Bible (I think it’s primarily an issue with isolated notes).

Jerusalem Bible (JB) and New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)

I am not an expert on the editions of the JB and NJB which have been published. The study edition of the NJB appears to be out of print. It was printed in both a deluxe edition (leather-wrapped hardcover with a slip case) and a blue hardcover edition. The blue hardcover edition (published by Doubleday in the United States) has a glued binding, but the paper is reasonably opaque and the study notes and cross-references are exceptional. I have never seen a copy of the deluxe edition, but I cannot recommend it. A reader purchased a copy of it several years ago and reported quality control problems.

The Jerusalem Bible has been printed in multiple good-quality editions over the years. One of the nicest I’ve seen is a personal-size sheepskin leather edition (reviewed by R. Grant Jones on YouTube here), which my dad has owned as long as I can remember. It does not contain the excellent study notes which the Jerusalem Bible is known for, but it is a nice single-column reader’s Bible. This edition turns up on eBay sometimes.

Revised English Bible (REB)

#1: Cambridge Revised English Bible with Apocrypha in French Morocco Leather (ISBN: 0521509556 — out of print)

The REB is my favorite Bible translation, but the number of printed editions has always been somewhat limited. I was able to purchase a new copy of the French Morocco REB with Apocrypha direct from Cambridge Bibles several years ago (it was apparently the last copy they had). It’s an excellent size (quite similar in footprint and thickness to the NRSV-CE Personal Size edition from Catholic Bible Press). Since it’s a rare edition and has gold-gilded page edges (which I don’t want to damage), I usually leave this edition at home and bring a hardcover copy of the REB with me when I want to take it with me to church. It’s worth noting that although the REB does not have an imprimatur listed on the copyright page, it was officially sponsored by the Catholic bishops of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, and the joint recommendation by the committee of sponsoring churches qualifies in lieu of an imprimatur, under the 1987 Guidelines for Interconfessional Cooperation in Translating the Bible (section 2.8).

53 thoughts on “My Top Non-Study Bibles, Organized by Translation”

  1. Thanks for the reviews. I’d like to go over two of my favorite bibles.
    1. Douay-Rheims Version by Saint Benedict Press
    This is leather bound with gilt edges. Easily the most beautiful book in my collection. I appreciate the family register in the front. I did some ancestry before and some of the sources were old German family bibles which write out the baptisms. Made me want to do so. And as for the typesetting. It’s my favorite. I won’t be able to describe it like an expert but font choice looks great, I appreciate having book and chapter at the top of the pages for quick flipping. If there’s one thing I did not like as much it’s that the verses are always a separate line. There’s no paragraphs in this Bible. It would make it easier to find a specific verse though.

    2. New Livjng Translation – Catholic Ediition by Tyndall
    I actually use this one a lot because it’s very readable. The pages are large. 5.9×9.2 apparently. The verse numbers are small. Combined with the NLTs goal of favoring modern readable English word choice, it also has full color maps in the back.

  2. My favorite NABRE these days is the white dust jacketed hardcover that Catholic Bible Press puts out. It has been around for a while and I think was first called the Harper One NABRE. I have never seen the page layout of a Fireside NABRE, but to me this is the edition with the most helpful cross references. Besides the letter, each cross section at the bottom is marked by a chaper and verse citation, so one can see how the cross references interact with the test in both directions without having to hunt down tiny superscript letters. I am holding out hope for a translation outside the Jerusalem Bible family to use marginal cross references, but until then this may be the best we get.

    As for the New Jerusalem Bible, any version with the full notes is the best version. I would say look for a hardcover with a slipcase. It really is amazing. Best cross references in any Catholic Bible. Henry Wansbrough thought they were too many and scaled them back for the RNJB, but here they are in all their glory. A monk who taught me lectio divina highly suggested this edition. The actual text is an undpeakably massive improvement on the JB but is too loosely rendered for modern tastes in biblical readership. The RNJB has a better text, but is a small step down in every other way, from binding to cross references to notes.

    I spent a lot of time with the NRSV in the spring and summer. I am hlad to report it is much, much better than its reputation suggests…but I just think the NABRE is better at everything the NRSV attempts besides a. Ecumenical pedigree and b. Acceptance by the academy. For the NRSV, the Catholic Bible Press Illustrated Catholic Bible is wonderful and can be found discounted. (I think I got it for 35 dollars.) Of course there is also the St John’s Bible, but that is an entirely different kettle of fish.

    Who knows what the future holds for those editions as the NRSVue takes over. I do not think I will be getting one.

    I like the RSV and ESV a lot too, but I don’t have strong opinions on those editions. My main opinion is that I do not care for red ink in the text of my bibles.

  3. The imitation leather cover on the Cambridge Cornerstone ESV-CE is fine. For the price I would have expected color maps. Still it’s nice enough and has become my daily driver.

    For the NABRE I like the Oxford large print.

  4. Oh and the Cambridge Cornerstone ESV-CE doesn’t have the Old Testament references in the New Testament like the Augustine version does, and for the price of the Cambridge I would have expected that also. I assume the SPCK is missing them also but it’s a lot cheaper.

    Nevertheless I’m happy I bought it because I like the imitation leather cover, the text is clear, font size is about right for me, ghosting is controlled and in general it’s pleasant to read from. I just wish it were less expensive.

    Steve

  5. For the RSV-2CE the Thomas Nelson imitation leather edition is very nice and a good price.

    I’ve heard some complaints about the font and cover but they’re fine for me.

  6. The 1966 Doubleday faux leather sewn edition of the JB is a personal favorite. Much preferred to the NJB and especially the RNJB. I also have the readers edition you link to but the leather is a little thinner than that thick sheepskin cover. Otherwise it’s identical.

  7. I’ve preferred the REB for over 30 years. I use it especially for my daily course reading through the Gospels during Lent. It’s the translation into English far most likely to arrest my attention and pondering. No other translation quite does it as well.

    1. The REB is excellent, quite literary, translation. I’ve long thought it needed to be distributed more widely. I don’t know why there has been little effort to promote it, even in the UK, where it originated; it is barely used or known.

      1. The REB’s crime was being published the same year as the NRSV, so it got overshadowed from the start and never recovered.

  8. For the RSV-CE here are my favorites:

    RSV-CE Thomas Nelson Morocco Leather New Testament 1965
    Black Morocco, gilt edges, gilt title to spine, single ribbon, Smyth sewn, dual column
    https://www.reddit.com/r/catholicbibles/comments/1d0igil/slim_new_testament_revised_standard_version/ https://new.reddit.com/r/catholicbibles/comments/1buehmc/1965_rsvce_morocco_leather_new_testament_of_our/

    RSV-CE Thomas Nelson Genuine Black Genuine Leather Bible 1960s
    Nice quality, very readable text, and a nice size to carry around
    https://www.reddit.com/r/catholicbibles/comments/1d7mv3f/rsv_catholic_edition_black_genuine_leather_limp/

  9. JB: i have a hardcover leather bound with the “thin paper” so it’s not a 3” thick monstrosity that I like. If space is at a premium, I also have the compact sheepskin readers edition.

    DR: Old Tan books version (rebound at Leonards in their Geneva style)

    RSV2: for a non-study edition, I like the original Ignatius in bondo leather. Just the right amount of flex to read from (not too stiff, not too floppy)

  10. This is off topic, but is anyone else doing the “one Bible for one year” challenge? 🙂 Depending on readability, I plan on doing mine with the RNJB (imitation leather edition) once it’s released. I already preordered my copy from Blackwells.

  11. I have come to have a great appreciation for the DR translation in the last several months. The NABRE was my main reading bible all through Exodus 90 this year but eventually the historical critical book introductions and footnotes became too much for me. I find the DR to be more beautiful and the short book introductions and notes to be probably more accurate to certainly more faithful to Church teaching and tradition. Just my 2 cents.

  12. Great post, thanks Marc!

    I’m one of those “one Bible a year” types – every year I will choose a translation and complete both the Bible In A Year Father Mike Podcast and the daily readings. Last year was the RSV 2CE, this year is NABRE and I’ve previously used the DR and the RSV 2CE on a second lap through.

    I tend to highlight and write a ton of notes, so after a fully year of use my bibles tend to become treasure troves of reflections.

    Next year I’ll be using the ESV-CE for my bible and I’m curious if anyone in the comments here has an opinion between the Cornerstone version or the Augustine Institute’s edition.

    1. That’s awesome. I wish I had your fortitude in staying with a single translation for an entire year! What has been your favorite translation so far?

    2. The Cornerstone has a really nice modern text block. It’s line matched, and there’s no ghosting (I like the Augustine Institute’s). There are no frills or weird font choices, there’s plenty of white space (not cramped), and it’s nicely bound (especially the cowhide leather). I’ve given a couple away as gifts, but I would probably keep it to use as a daily reader if I were an ESV fan.

        1. The Cornerstone has a better binding and larger print, no ghosting (the Augustine Institute’s printing isn’t line-matched), but also no cross-references or OT citations (the Augustine Institute’s has OT citations in the NT).

    3. I have read the Bible from cover to cover at least once a year since I was 17 (1992). I try to do a different translation every time.

  13. Two frequent complaints about the NCB are those thick glossy color prints scattered throughout the text and red letters for the words of Christ. There is an edition, New Testament only, that has neither of those problems. It is marketed as a pocket edition, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it has micro-print. It would be tough to fit into your pocket at 4x6in size and has 10pt font. It has all of the benefits like bold ink, opaque paper, leather(ish) cover, gold page edging, faithfully Catholic text and features, with the addition of black letter text, minimal illustrations with the same paper as the rest of the pages, single column, and footnotes in the back rather than at the bottom of the page.

    https://www.amazon.com/Testament-Pocket-Size-Catholic-Version/dp/1941243738

    As an aside, if you have a nice utility knife, you can carefully cut out the thick glossy pages from the other St. Joseph editions like I did in one of my copies. It makes the Bible really floppy though, so I actually found I prefer the stiffness those pages give when I’m holding it open. It makes the Bible paper pages stay more flat and easier to read compared to when they are more curved. So it turns out those inserts serve a handy purpose.

  14. Great post, Marc! I love this website… I buy a lot of different Catholic Bibles so that I can get a good sense of their merits, and then I give them away. So, here’s mine:

    RSV/RSV-2CE:
    Great Adventure Catholic Bible for best overall readability and helpful content (cross-references, section intros, timelines of kings and prophets, etc.). The premium edition is *my* marked-up, beat-in, daily reader. But, I recommend the standard alpha-cowhide edition to 99% of Catholics who ask me “What Bible should I get?” Although, if you’re just looking for a good 2CE reader, the Catholic Bible Press Thinline is excellent, and could be rebound as a perfect premium thinline.

    ESV/ESV-CE:
    Unless you’re going premium with a Schuyler Quentel or Cambridge Diadem (negligibly different than the “CE”), I’d recommend the Cambridge Cornerstone (synthetic or cowhide leather cover). The downside is that there are no cross-references or OT citations in the NT, but you can have a great time (and learn your way around the Bible) by writing those in yourself!

    DOUAY-RHEIMS:
    I’m going with the hardcover edition from Loretto. The text block is just so good! The font is clear, bold, large, highly readable, all black, and uncrowded. Slap a cover from OreMoose on it (their standard size for the GACB fits perfectly), and you’ve got your leather-over-board premium(ish). Baronius publishes a nicer Bible, but the font is 8pt, unless you want the family-size “large print” edition. And, the large print edition from TAN is a solid choice, but still not as good of a text-block as Loretto’s, in my opinion (and the red letters are a bit light for my taste).

    NRSV-CE:
    The thinline editions from CBP are arguably the best available currently in terms of readability, quality binding, and text-formatting. If you’re an NRSV reader and can find one of the genuine leather editions on eBay, you just might have found your forever-Bible. It’s still one of my favorite Catholic Bibles. If you don’t mind the rigid “French Moroccan leather,” you can still purchase the NRSV w/ Apocrypha from Cambridge, which boasts a very nice text block, and has cross-references!

    NRSVue:
    I’ll bite. If a large-print reference edition existed, this would probably be my go-to translation. I am well aware of it’s purported defects, and I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. But, for me, it fixes my biggest issue with the NRSV, the periphrastic renderings. And, I would urge the careful reader to research the errata list in order to see how the translators have openly and (I think?) honestly dealt with controversial translation choices. As of now, I like the Premier Edition (w/ Apocrypha) from Zondervan, though I don’t like the font. Regardless, Zondervan’s offerings are quite good, and I am currently unfamiliar with the Popular Text Edition from Cambridge.

    NEW CATHOLIC BIBLE:
    Honestly, with the exception of the highly-readable Pocket New Testament edition, I don’t like any of the editions of this Bible – which is a shame, because I actually really like the translation as sort of a “Catholic NIV”. My recommended choice is either the NT edition, or the audio NT (which is superbly narrated).

    NABRE:
    The Harper Bibles (CBP) hardcover edition sneaks into first place here. Like Loretto’s DR, it can be easy to dismiss as a cheap hardback, but the text-block and binding is actually superb! Again, you could slap your OreMoose cover on this and have a leather-over-board semi-premium! The font is clear, *almost* as large as I’d like, and has plenty of white space so that the block isn’t cramped in the slightest. Runner-up goes to the CBP large print edition, but there’s just SO MUCH TEXT on each page (points for moving the notes to the end of the books, though).

    JERUSALEM BIBLE / NJB / RNJB:
    I’m unfamiliar with the newer offerings, but the old hardback Jerusalem Bible with full notes has almost gained “legendary” status, at this point!

    CONFRATERNITY NT:
    Try to find an old genuine leather NT-only edition on eBay… They’re really nice.

    WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE:
    NRSVue Large-Print Reference Edition w/ Apocrypha. RSV-2CE thinline (CBP) in genuine leather (like their old NRSV-CE). Schuyler Quentel or Humble Lamb Douay-Rheims. Guys…someone out there is an amateur leather-worker or bookbinder. Start a Catholic equivalent of Humble Lamb, and publish the DR and 2CE!!!

    1. Thanks Fr. Jedidiah. I forgot to include the Douay-Rheims on my list, and I don’t feel very qualified to give an opinion on those editions because I haven’t seen most of them in person. I’m glad you, Ken, and Eric mentioned some options. I did think the Loreto edition was quite nice when I reviewed it.

      Regarding the Harper/CBP hardcover NABRE, how is the ghosting in that edition? I’ve considered ordering a copy multiple times, but I’ve seen some complaints about ghosting in online reviews.

      1. In my limited interactions with it, it seems line matched, so the ghosting is minimal. The pages are definitely thin, though, and the don’t is probably 9-9.5.

      1. I will certainly include him in my daily rosaries. What an incredible time to be a Catholic Bible lover! Praise Jesus.

  15. I just wish we could get nice, single column editions of the NABRE and the ESVCE with sewn bindings, line matching, and decent covers.

  16. Marc, thank you for this post!

    Bummer the Zondervan Premier NRSV Personal Size Large Print Bible with Apocrypha is out of print—I wonder if they will do a personal size premier edition to go alongside the “regular size” premier edition of the NRSVue?

    I recently made a similar list for myself here: https://matthewkudija.com/notes/Bible-Reviews.html
    In summary, it would be great to see some more compact or personal size Catholic editions (or with Apocrypha) available. At the moment my go-to is the Cambridge ESV Diadem with Apocrypha

  17. Thank you Marcelo,

    I’m a bit new here. I appreciate the in depth analysis of the confusing amount of Catholic translations of the sacred Page. I’ll get right to my opinion; I’ve checked out many translations throughout my short Catholic formation and I always felt most touched by the sheer ‘laid bare-ness’ of the NRSVCE, something about it seems to allow the cleanest canvas for one’s personal encounter with the theological truths of the text, maybe that’s why Bishop Barron uses it for his WOF Bible. Worth mentioning is that new liturgical translation being introduced to the Malaysian Catholic community, with its Revised Grail Psalms that’s probably one of the best Psalters out there. Something about the NRSVCE strikes as the best for new and seasoned readers in that the ecumenical strength of it and the lack of interpretive bias lends to deeper encounter with the mystery of the (Catholic) Faith than a “scaffolded” translation, yes those ones that are theologically “safe” but prevent the reader from seeing the sacred Page laid bare like the NRSVCE and maybe the NABRE allow.

    1. Thanks for sharing your perspective. Are you thinking about entering the Church or have recently entered? Praise be to God for your “yes”. We are happy to have you in the family.

      That is awesome you are finding a connection with the NRSVCE. It has a lot of great qualities and has been the gold-standard in various academic communities for over 3 decades. I wouldn’t necessarily agree that it lays bare the Word of God more than other translations though. Even when comparing the NRSV to its recent revision, the NRSVue, we see an improvement in clarity and accuracy. Having personally combed through every single verse of the New Testament comparing every difference between the NRSV and NRSVue, I can attest that the NRSVue cleans up a lot of the inaccuracies and strange translation decisions found in its predecessor.

      One example that comes to mind is the way the NRSV chooses to gender neutralize the word “brother” to describe a fellow Christian. It would translate that Greek word adelphoi as either “friend”, “believer”, “brother(s) and sister(s),” or in one case “student”. The translators of the NRSVue recognized this as being problematic because the terms “brother” and “sister” carry with it a distinctively familial connotation not present in the words friend, believer, and student. By God’s grace Christians are brothers and sisters due to their adoption as children of God through baptism. When the New Testament writers call other Christians adelphoi, it is essential to maintain familial language in translations to accurately capture the meaning.

      That said, the NRSVue updated the translation to be “brother(s) and sister(s)” across the board for adelphoi. Whether or not one agrees that the addition of “and sister(s)” is prudent, it still maintains the familial dynamic which is present in the Greek. This is emblematic of the improvements made in the NRSVue.

      One last point. The NCC which holds the copyright for the NRSV, NRSVCE, and NRSVue, has already discontinued publishing rights to the NRSV, and It has granted the NRSVCE I believe a two year extension while the NRSVue awaits approval for a NRSVueCE. I am not sure when all of that will be coming down the pike, but I anticipate the WOF Bible and all other publishers of the NRSVCE to transition to the future NRSVueCE within the next couple of years (pending final approval of a NRSVueCE edition).

      You may not end up liking the NRSVue as much as the NRSV, and that’s okay. No translation is without its issues, and the NRSVue is no exception. I am personally cautiously optimistic that the future NRSVueCE will be a great addition to the growing Catholic Bible catalog.

      1. Cory,

        I absolutely had no idea that the NRSVCE is being “sunsetted”, that is actually quite a rabbit hole to me because my favorite Bible has been the WOF series and so what is Bishop Barron going to do? I did a deep crawl in ChatGPT to find out more about these details about them phasing it out and it seems they (NCC/Friendship Press) applied for an imprimatur from the USCCB, but something ominous about how the ‘ecumenical’ NCC basically has kingmakership over the esteemed NRSVCE and so it actually troubles me that what I thought was my favorite translation is in fact a “borrowed” version and Catholics (bishops and publishes) don’t actually have control over its printing. What if the bishops simply said no to the NRSVue and don’t grant an imprimatur? I wonder if that other just as new translation — the RNJB is more ‘Catholic controlled’ in that the copyright owner (DLT) is essentially an independent employee-owned cooperative with licensure granted to Bertelsmann (via Image/Doubleday, and also Hackette), would Bishop Barron or anyone necessarily want to just forget about the NRSVCE and adopt the NCC pushed update? The WOF series would sit interrupted by Barron being forced to implement either the UE or a specially conferred license to utilize the older NRSVCE in some special capacity but that just seems off like the NRSVCE is almost legally and or royalty-wise NOT actually Catholic in the sense of who controls it, I feel like there is an ecclesiological or otherwise governance problem with that, regardless of how esteemed the translation is in substance, if Catholics basically are beholden to the Protestant-majority NCC for the NRSVCE (and future one if approved) then is sets a strange precedent where we don’t really ‘own’ it. Not to seem like a Catholic maximalist or anything, I mean we ‘own’ the NABRE but if a vast amount of Catholic prefer the NRSVCE (as in the WOF Bible) then the de facto standard is in fact it — among also those other NCC derived ones like the RSVCE and 2CE… If we look at the RNJB it actually has Catholic general editorship at its core so you can’t wrench its “Catholicity” away from it in the way the NCC does even despite ultimate ownership for he copyright belonging to DLT. Maybe the best criterion is to compare which translation (RNJB and NRSV-CE/NRSVue-CE) has the most academically or otherwise most solid and fool proof Psalter, since the RNJB uses the Revised Grail Psalms from Conception Abbey (seems the most aligned with Catholic proprietorship), since a while back I heard the Psalter is like the heartbeat of the Bible. Any opinions?
        I am by no means an expert or a biblical scholar so let me know what you think!

        1. ChatGPT hallucinates a lot, so if you got some ominous tale of woe and intrigue, it was just the bot writing stuff with no understanding. But lots of translations were written by Protestants and got an imprimatur later. If you want something written by and for Catholics, you could look at RNJB, New Catholic Bible, NABRE… some one else can provide a better list than I can.

          But the NCC seems to cooperate readily with Catholics, so I wouldn’t worry about that aspect. Crossway (with the ESV-CE) is seemingly less cooperative.

          1. Crossway did agree to further changes to the ESV-CE for the Lectionary. The NRSV is definitely being sunsetted in favour of the NRSV-UE.

          1. Agreed. I’d also like to see the 2025 ESV update to Genesis 3:16. I fear the wait will be in vain.

          2. Does anyone know if the ESV lectionary made adjustments to 1 Corinthians 11:3-15? It is another curious case where every major English Bible, Catholic or Protestant, reads one thing, and the ESV is on an island translating it different. Looking at the 16 instances of the word “woman” in those verses, the ESV changes it to “wife” six times (11:3,5,6,10,13).

            While the Greek word technically means woman or wife, it is context dependent. And according to the context of 1 Cor 11, as supported by all other major translations, “woman” is more accurate (with the exception perhaps of vs 3). The Greek uses the same root word in every case, so it doesn’t make sense to jump back and forth between “wife” and “woman”. It ends up making the section inconsistent and less clear.

          3. I just checked the ESV lectionary and confirmed they did not make the hoped-for changes for either Gen 3:16 or 1 Tim 3:15 (which was just in the lectionary last Wednesday). There is no time 1 Corinthians 11:3-15 occurs in the lectionary so nothing to update there. As noted elsewhere, they did change Luke 1:28 to “Hail, full of grace” and changed “overseer” to “bishop”, but as yet I have not seen mention of any other changes.

            Maybe we can start creating a comprehensive list of all differences between the ESV Lectionary and ESV-CE. Someone already did that for changes between the ESV and ESV-CE: https://archive.azurewebsites.net/Documents/Differences%20Between%20the%20ESV%20and%20ESV-CE.pdf

  18. Since no one has yet mentioned it (I think), I have to stick up for the beautiful Word On Fire Bible. I was skeptical when the Gospels came out as to the format but I took the plunge and find that 99% of the commentary is wonderfully appropriate and deep. I find it a better reading experience than a true study Bible since I am not constantly being taken away from the text for a footnote.
    It goes without saying by the layout, font and paper is wonderful and the leather is top quality. A truly nice project from Bishop Barron.

  19. I love the WOF Bible and it will work just as well with the NRSV-UE. Having said this, either way we are stuck with Ezekiel being addressed as “O Mortal!” even though the translation note acknowledges that the underlying Hebrew equates to “Son of Man”. This sort of translation choice – one thinks, also, of the use of the plural in Psalm 1 – seems deliberately chosen to suppress a Christological reading of the text, although these choices may primarily be about gender neutrality (hard to argue for Ezekiel as he is/was clearly male). Ezekiel is on my mind as it is currently being read in the Office of Readings, which fortunately may be read in the RSV or JB on the Universalis app.

    1. The thing I hate about the use of the word “mortal” is that it is not normal English. Every time I read that word, it sounds like dialogue from an episode of “Bewitched”, “I told you you shot not have married that mortal Derwood”

      1. I just think of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride and generic cartoon villains when I hear it. “Welcome, foolish mortals!”

        1. Yeah, it is just not natural English. No Bible translator would ever use that word except out of desperation to avoid a masculine pronoun. Some of the elaborate circumlocutions they go to avoid natural English sounds like the kind of thing a satirist like Jonathan Swift or the writers of Mad Magazine might come up with if they were writing an article making fun of feminism.

  20. I am holding out hope that the US Bishops request and are granted approval to make select changes in NRSVue-CE, similar to how changes were allowed in the RSV-CE and ESV-CE. I know changes weren’t made in the NRSV-CE, but that doesn’t mean changes won’t be allowed this time around.

    In addition to the problematic translations in Ezekiel and Psalm 1 that you mentioned, here are a few others as well in the NRSV and NRSVue text:

    1- the removal of all 100+ instances of the phrase “son of man” in the OT, which eliminates the messianic prophecy in Daniel 7:13–14
    2- Psalm 34:20 is translated “He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken”, yet they translate the NT reference in John 19:36 as “None of his bones shall be broken.” Since both the Hebrew and Greek say “his bones”, they ought to be consistent.
    3- Matthew 21:9; 23:39/Psalm 118:26: “The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” This reference to Christ is obscured by not translating more accurately “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
    4- There are 5 places where they remove the word “husband” which eliminates a clear reference to women being married to men (as opposed to a same-sex marriage) and ordained ministers being exclusively male:

    Galatians 4:27
    NRSV and NRSVue: …for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than the children of the one who is married.”
    RSV-2CE: …for the desolate has more children than she who has a husband.”

    1 Timothy 3:2
    NRSV and NRSVue: Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once…
    RSV-2CE: Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife…

    1 Timothy 3:12
    NRSV and NRSVue: Let deacons be married only once…
    RSV-2CE: Let deacons be the husband of one wife…

    1 Timothy 5:9
    NRSV and NRSVue: Let a widow be put on the list if she is not less than sixty years old and has been married only once
    RSV-2CE: Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband

    Titus 1:5-6
    NRSV and NRSVue: …appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: someone who is blameless, married only once, whose children are believers…
    RSV-2CE: …appoint elders in every town as I directed you, if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers

    1. Thanks for giving further examples of infelicities in the NRSV-UE. They make me glad we use a modified ESV-CE in the Lectionary in Britain, despite the few quibbles I have about that translation.

    2. The married only once part might eliminate ambiguities regarding remarriage. The RSV translation can be read in a way that implies one who has been remarried can be under the requirements listed while the NRSV clarifies that remarriage puts one outside the requirements.

      1. This is a perfect example of the confusion that ensues when passages are altered to make them more gender neutral. When we look at not only the Greek, but the Latin and Syriac as well, it is clear that the NRSV and NRSVue are mistranslating these passages, thus sowing confusion.

        Galatians 4:27
        Greek (NA28)
        ἡ γὰρ ἔρημος πλεῖον τέκνα ἔχει ἢ ἡ ἔχουσα τὸν ἄνδρα
        for the desolate has more children than she who has the husband

        Latin Vulgate
        quia multi filii desertae magis quam eius quae habet virum
        for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her who has a husband

        Syriac Peshitta
        ܡܛܠ ܕܣܓܝ̈ܐܝܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܢܝ̈ܗ ܕܡܫܒܩܬܐ ܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܕܐܝܬ ܠܗ ܒܥܠܐ
        because numerous are the children of the forsaken more than of her who has a husband

        1 Timothy 3:2
        Greek (NA28)
        δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίλημπτον εἶναι, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα
        Therefore it is necessary for the overseer to be above reproach, a husband of one wife

        Latin Vulgate
        oportet ergo episcopum irreprehensibilem esse unius uxoris virum
        it is necessary therefore that the bishop be blameless, a husband of one wife

        Syriac Peshitta
        ܘܒܥܝܐ ܗܝ ܕܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ ܢܗܘܐ ܕܠܐ ܡܘܡܐ ܗܘ ܒܥܠܗ ܕܚܕܐ ܐܢܬܬܐ
        And it is required that the bishop be blameless, the husband of one wife

        1 Timothy 3:12
        Greek (NA28)
        διάκονοι ἔστωσαν μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρες
        Let deacons be husbands of one wife

        Latin Vulgate
        diacones sint unius uxoris viri
        Let deacons be husbands of one wife

        Syriac Peshitta
        ܕܝܩܢܐ ܢܗܘܘܢ ܒܥܠܝ̈ ܚܕܐ ܐܢܬܬܐ
        Let deacons be husbands of one wife

        1 Timothy 5:9
        Greek (NA28)
        χήρα καταλεγέσθω μὴ ἔλαττον ἐτῶν ἑξήκοντα, ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς γυνή
        Let a widow be enrolled not less than sixty years old, the wife of one man

        Latin Vulgate
        vidua eligatur non minus sexaginta annorum quae fuerit unius viri uxor
        Let a widow be enrolled not less than sixty years old, who has been the wife of one man

        Syriac Peshitta
        ܐܪܡܠܬܐ ܬܬܟܬܘܒ ܠܐ ܒܨܝܪ ܡܢ ܫܬܝܢ ܫܢܝܢ ܘܬܗܘܐ ܕܚܕ ܓܒܪܐ ܐܢܬܬܐ
        A widow should be enrolled not less than sixty years, and should be a wife of one man

        Titus 1:6
        Greek (NA28)
        εἴ τίς ἐστιν ἀνέγκλητος, μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἀνήρ
        If anyone is blameless, a husband of one wife

        Latin Vulgate
        si quis sine crimine est unius uxoris vir
        Literal: If anyone is without reproach, a husband of one wife

        Syriac Peshitta
        ܐܢ ܐܝܬ ܐܢܫ ܕܠܐ ܡܘܡܐ ܗܘ ܒܥܠܗ ܕܚܕܐ ܐܢܬܬܐ
        If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife

        1. After taking in the comments on the NRSV, NRSVue, and ESV the thought occurs (to the dreamer perhaps) that there is a future natural need for a RSV-3CE. I’m reading my new WOF ‘the Promised Land” and am impressed. The NRSV-CE is certainly clear and flows well, but I’ve come to like the RSV-2CE better. It’s wording seems to ‘grab’ the reader more. Perhaps a little more color in the phrasing. As you can tell, it’s hard to describe. I still like both. Have not sampled the NRSVue yet.

  21. Marc,

    Your description of the New English Bible has renewed my interest. Several years ago I purchased the Cambridge hardcover edition. The font size was 8 or less and I had to strain to read so much that I sent it back. Does anyone know of an edition of this translation in a larger font ?

    1. Just to clarify: I’m assuming you mean the Revised English Bible (REB)? The Oxford Study Bible REB with Apocrypha has a larger font than the Cambridge French Morocco and hardcover editions. The Oxford Website (link below) claims it has a 10 pt font size. I doubt that. I just pulled mine off the shelf to compare it to a couple of other Bibles. The font is definitely larger than my Cambridge French Morocco and hardcover REB’s. On the other hand, the font is a bit smaller than the NABRE Oxford Catholic Study Bible, Third Edition (which is advertised as either 9 pt or 10 pt font depending on which website you look at).

      It’s probably best to assume the Oxford Study Bible REB is somewhere around a 9 or 9.5 pt font.

      The paperback edition is still in print and available new (link below):

      https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-study-bible-revised-english-bible-with-apocrypha-9780195290004?cc=us&lang=en&#

      I bought a used hardcover edition several years ago. Mine has a glued binding, but I remember reading a while ago that some of the older hardcovers have a sewn binding.

      1. Yes, Revised English Bible, (I should probably not post late in the evening). I’ll look for an Oxford, it sounds useable. Thanks for the quick reply.

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