Sarah Mitchell
The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is a Protestant translation of Scripture into English commissioned and promulgated by James I of England for use in the Anglican church. It is not a Catholic edition, and some Catholics consider it to be incomplete as it does not include the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament. The Douay-Rheims translation is a Catholic translation of Scripture into English and is considered to be the closest Catholic Bible to the King James Version.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is the King James Version (KJV) a Catholic Bible? | No, it is a Protestant translation. |
| Is the KJV considered a "golden standard"? | Yes, but only by fundamentalist Protestants. |
| Is the KJV easy to read? | No, it can be difficult to understand due to changes in the English language since its publication. |
| Does the KJV include deuterocanonical books recognized by Catholics? | No, it follows the shorter Protestant canon of the Old Testament. |
| Is there a Catholic equivalent to the KJV? | The Douay-Rheims translation is a Catholic Bible in Old English similar to the KJV. |
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What You'll Learn
The King James Version is a Protestant translation
The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is a Protestant translation. It was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611 for the Church of England, under the sponsorship of King James I of England. The editors of the KJV were instructed by King James to ensure that the translation was in harmony with the theology of the Church of England.
The KJV is not considered a standard translation for Catholics because it does not include the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament that are recognized by Catholics, such as Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and 1 & 2 Maccabees. These books contain references to concepts familiar to Catholics but rejected by Protestants, such as prayer for the dead and intercessions of saints and angels.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is a Catholic translation of Scripture into English that was published around the same time as the KJV. It is considered the closest Catholic Bible to the KJV in terms of language, as it uses old English similar to the KJV. It includes the Old Testament books that are missing in the KJV, making the KJV incomplete for Catholics.
While the KJV is not a Catholic translation, a Catholic edition of the KJV, known as the King James Bible for Catholics, was published in 2020. This edition is a near replica of the 1611 KJV but has been updated to reflect the order of books and text found in the Catholic Bible, including the deuterocanonical books in their traditional Catholic sequence.
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It's not a Catholic standard
The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is not a Catholic translation. While it is true that the KJV has been widely used by Protestants and Anglicans, it is not the Bible of the Catholic Church, which has its own tradition of Bible translations. The KJV was commissioned by King James I of England in 1604 and completed in 1611. It became the authorized Bible for the Church of England, but it was never adopted by the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has its own tradition of Bible translations, which pre-date the KJV and have their own unique characteristics. The Latin Vulgate, commissioned by Saint Jerome in the 4th century, was the standard Bible of the Catholic Church for over a thousand years. While the Vulgate was primarily in Latin, various versions and translations into the vernacular (local languages) were also produced and used by Catholics.
The KJV is a translation from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, and it is known for its elegant and poetic style in English. However, it reflects the theological and doctrinal perspectives of the Protestant Reformation, which differed in certain respects from Catholic doctrine. For example, the KJV includes the Protestant canon of 66 books, whereas the Catholic Bible includes seven additional books known as the Deuterocanonical books. These books, which include the Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and additional parts of Daniel and Esther, are accepted by the Catholic Church as part of the Old Testament, but are considered apocryphal by Protestants.
Additionally, the KJV reflects a Protestant interpretation of certain key theological concepts. For instance, it uses the word "priest" instead of "presbyter" or "elder," which is more in line with Catholic terminology. The notes and marginalia of the KJV also often include interpretations that align with Protestant theology. The translation and interpretation of certain words and passages in the KJV also differ from Catholic translations. For example, the KJV translates the Greek word "ekklesia" as "church," whereas Catholic translations may use the word "assembly," reflecting a different understanding of the nature of the early Christian community.
The Catholic Church has its own approved translations of the Bible, which are used in Catholic liturgy and devotional practices. These translations, such as the Douay-Rheims Bible, the Jerusalem Bible, and the New American Bible, are based on different textual traditions and incorporate the Deuterocanonical books. They also undergo a rigorous process of review and approval by Catholic scholars and authorities to ensure their fidelity to the Church's doctrine and tradition. So, while the KJV is a historic and influential translation of the Bible, it is not a Catholic Bible and does not reflect the full scope of Catholic biblical tradition and theology. Catholics have their own rich tradition of Bible translations and interpretations that serve as the standard for their faith and practice.
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The Douay-Rheims translation is Catholic
The Douay-Rheims translation is a Catholic translation of Scripture into English. It is based on the Latin Vulgate, which is a translation of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Saint Jerome, who lived between 345 and 420, is largely credited with the creation of the Vulgate, and his translation was declared the authentic Latin version of the Bible by the Council of Trent. The Douay-Rheims translation was completed by Catholic scholars who referenced the Hebrew and Greek originals, as well as other editions in diverse languages. They aimed for a strongly literal translation from the Latin Vulgate to ensure accuracy, which sometimes resulted in stilted syntax and Latinisms.
The Douay-Rheims Bible was published around the same time as the King James Version (KJV) but was actually completed first. The Rheims New Testament was published in 1582, and the Douay Old Testament was released in 1609, two years before the KJV in 1611. The translators of the KJV specifically referenced the Douay version in their translators' preface, where they criticised the word choices of the Douay translators. Despite this criticism, it is acknowledged that the KJV translators emulated some translations in the Douay, particularly in the Rheims New Testament, giving the KJV a "Douay-Rheims slant" absent from prior translations.
The Douay-Rheims translation is significant in Catholic apologetics when dealing with two groups: anti-Catholics who deny the existence of vernacular translations before the KJV, and Catholic Traditionalists who insist on using only the Douay. The Douay remained the standard version for English-speaking Catholics until the twentieth century, and even today, the Challoner revision of the Douay-Rheims is the Bible of choice for more traditional English-speaking Catholics.
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The King James Version is incomplete for Catholics
The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is a Protestant translation of Scripture into English. It was commissioned and promulgated by James I of England for use in the Anglican church. While it is considered a "golden standard" by some, it is not on the list of approved Bibles according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
The KJV is incomplete for Catholics because it follows the Protestant pattern of not including the Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament that are recognized by Catholics: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, 1 & 2 Maccabees (as well as portions of the Books of Esther and Daniel). These books contain references to concepts that are familiar to Catholics but rejected by Protestants, such as prayer for the dead and intercessions of saints and angels.
The Douay-Rheims translation is a Catholic translation of Scripture into English and was published around the same time as the KJV. It is considered the closest Catholic Bible to the KJV in terms of language and style. It includes the Old Testament books that are missing in the King James Version. Other Catholic translations that are commonly used today include the Revised New American Bible (RNAB), the Revised Standard Version (Catholic edition) (RSVCE), and the Jerusalem Bible (JB).
In 2020, a version of the King James Bible for Catholics was published by John Covert, a layman in the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. This version is a near replica of the 1611 edition of the King James Bible but has been updated to reflect the order of books and text found in the Catholic Bible. The deuterocanonical books have been reorganized into their traditional Catholic sequence.
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A Catholic Edition of the King James Version
The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is a Protestant translation of Scripture into English commissioned by James I of England for use in the Anglican church. It is not a Catholic edition. The Douay-Rheims translation, published around the same time as the KJV, is a Catholic translation of Scripture into English.
The King James Version is considered incomplete by Catholics, as it does not include the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, 1 & 2 Maccabees (as well as portions of the Books of Esther and Daniel). These books are recognized by the Catholic Church and contain references to concepts familiar to Catholics but rejected by Protestants, such as prayer for the dead and intercessions of saints and angels.
The Douay-Rheims Bible, an older English translation than the King James Version, includes the Old Testament books that are missing in the KJV. It is considered the standard translation for Catholics and is favored by more traditional Catholics due to its time-tested quality and use in scriptural translations of the old missal.
However, some Catholics have expressed a desire for a Catholic Edition of the King James Version (KJV-CE) that would include the deuterocanonical books and follow Catholic teachings. In 2020, John Covert, a layman in the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, published a version of the King James Bible for Catholics, which aimed to bring more of the vernacular traditions of the Anglican Patrimony into the Catholic Church. This edition maintains the original 1611 edition's text while reorganizing the deuterocanonical books in their traditional Catholic sequence.
While the King James Version is not considered the standard for Catholic Scripture, it is renowned for its majestic literary style and has been influential in the English-speaking world as the Bible for Protestants for almost 400 years.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the King James Version is not a Catholic Bible. It is a Protestant translation of Scripture into English that was commissioned and promulgated by James I of England for use in the Anglican Church.
The KJV is not a Catholic Bible because it does not include the Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament that are recognized by Catholics, such as Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and 1 & 2 Maccabees. These books contain references to concepts familiar to Catholics but rejected by Protestants, such as prayer for the dead and intercessions of saints and angels.
The Douay-Rheims translation is a Catholic translation of Scripture into English and was published around the same time as the KJV. It is considered the closest Catholic Bible to the KJV in terms of language and style.
Yes, in 2020, John Covert published the "King James Bible for Catholics", which is a near replica of the 1611 edition of the KJV that has been updated to reflect the order of books and text found in the Catholic Bible.
