Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic Bible is the version of the Bible promoted by the Roman Catholic Church and used by most Catholics worldwide. It is composed of 73 books: 46 in the Old Testament (including 7 deuterocanonical books and additional deuterocanonical content in 2 books) and 27 in the New Testament. The additional books in the Catholic Bible are known as the deuterocanonicals or Apocrypha and include Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), and Baruch. These books are not present in Protestant Bibles as early Protestant Reformers, in agreement with Judaism, determined that they did not belong in the Bible. The standard translation for Catholics was once the Douay Rheims Bible, published in 1582, but today, the most commonly used translations are the Revised New American Bible (RNAB), the Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (RSVCE), and the Jerusalem Bible (JB).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of books | 73 (46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament) |
| Deuterocanonical books | Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch |
| Additions | Books of Esther and Daniel |
| Translations | Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE), New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE), New Jerusalem Bible (NJB), Ignatius Study Bible, Didache Bible, Great Adventure Catholic Bible, Knox Bible, Revised New American Bible (RNAB), Jerusalem Bible (JB), English Standard Version Catholic Version (ESV), The Grail Psalter (Inclusive Language Version) |
| Original text | Written in Hebrew and Greek |
| Approval | Approved by the Catholic Church in accordance with Catholic canon law |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Bible is composed of 73 books
The New Testament of the Catholic Bible comprises the remaining 27 books. The Catholic Church formally affirmed its canon of scripture with the Synod of Hippo in 393, followed by a Council of Carthage in 397. The "Catholic Version" of the Bible is a translation from the Latin Vulgate, the Church's official Latin translation. It is not a translation from the original Greek or Hebrew texts but rather a translation of a translation.
There are several approved translations of the Catholic Bible. The Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) is widely used and has been a leading choice for scholars due to its accuracy, ease, and readability. The New Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) is used for Mass in Canada but is infamous for its use of gender-neutral language. The English Standard Version (ESV) is another translation but does not contain the deuterocanonical books.
The Douay Rheims Bible is an older English translation that was once the "standard" for Catholics. It is more understandable to modern readers than the King James Version, which is considered incomplete by Catholics as it lacks the deuterocanonical books. Other notable Catholic Bibles include the New American Bible, the Jerusalem Bible, the Didache Bible, the Ignatius Study Bible, and the Great Adventure Catholic Bible.
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It includes the deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha
The Catholic Bible includes the deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha, which are books that are not present in the Hebrew Masoretic Text collection or in the Protestant Bible. These books are Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), and Baruch, as well as additions to the books of Esther and Daniel. The word "apocrypha" means ""hidden" in Greek, and the word "deuterocanonical" means "second canon". These books were written primarily between the Old and New Testaments.
The deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha were included in the Latin Vulgate, which became the dominant and officially sanctioned Catholic Bible for around 1200 years. The Latin Vulgate was translated by Jerome in the late fourth century, who included these books despite his personal belief that they did not belong in the Bible. The Apocrypha was not formally/officially made part of the Catholic Bible until the Council of Trent in the mid-1500s, in response to the Protestant Reformation.
The early Christian church debated the status of the Apocrypha/deuterocanonicals, and few early Christians believed they belonged in the canon of Scripture. The Council of Hippo in 393 and the Third Council of Carthage in 397 accepted the Apocrypha as inspired, and this decision was ratified by Innocent I and Gelasius I in 414. However, the canon remained undisturbed until the 16th century, and there is evidence of hesitation about the character of the deuterocanonicals within the Latin Church during the Middle Ages.
At the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church declared all the books in the Vulgate canonical, except for 1 and 2 Esdras and The Prayer of Manasseh. Thus, the Old Testament in the Catholic Bible consists of 46 books: the 39 books from the Hebrew Bible ("protocanonical") and the seven books from the Septuagint ("deuterocanonical"). Protestants refer to these seven deuterocanonical books as the "Apocrypha".
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The Douay Rheims Bible is an older English translation
The Catholic Bible is composed of 73 books: an Old Testament of 46 books (including 7 deuterocanonical books and additional deuterocanonical content in 2 books) and a New Testament of 27 books. The deuterocanonical books are Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), and Baruch. The Catholic Bible also includes additions to the books of Esther and Daniel.
The Douay Rheims Bible was the standard version for English-speaking Catholics until the twentieth century. It is still the Bible of choice for more traditional English-speaking Catholics. The translation was revised by Bishop Challoner in the late eighteenth century to improve its readability without diminishing its accuracy. The revised version has been approved by the Church many times over.
The Douay Rheims Bible is important because it gives great insight into the minds of the sacred authors. It also provides a counterexample to the claim that the Church refused to translate Scripture into the vernacular tongue.
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The Catholic Church approves translations
The RSVCE is a popular translation that is known for its accuracy, ease of reading, and literal translation style. It has been the leading choice for scholars for most of the 20th century and is widely used in Canada for Mass. The NJB, on the other hand, is a "dynamic equivalence" translation that aims to create a similar effect on the reader as the source text had on its original readers. It uses inclusive language and is appreciated for its poetic sections.
The NAB is commonly used in the United States and has been revised for improved readability. It is used for the lectionary at Mass, making it recognizable to many Catholics. The Ignatius Study Bible, which uses the RSV-2CE translation, is also a popular choice. It includes commentaries from ancient and modern scholars, word studies, and topical essays that provide valuable context and enhance understanding.
In addition to these approved translations, the Catholic Church has its own official version of the Bible, the Nova Vulgata. The Latin Vulgate, translated by Jerome, was the dominant and officially sanctioned Catholic Bible for around 1200 years. Despite Jerome's belief that the Apocrypha did not belong in the Bible, it was included due to pressure from Rome, and the Vulgate became the basis for the Catholic Bible.
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Popular Catholic Bibles include the Didache and Ignatius Study Bible
The Catholic Church approves of several Bible translations, including the New American Bible (NAB) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). Popular Catholic Bibles include the Didache Bible and the Ignatius Study Bible.
The Didache Bible presents extensive commentaries based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church for each book of the Bible. It also includes apologetics inserts to help readers understand the Church's teachings on current issues. This Bible uses the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE) translation of the Old and New Testaments. Many Catholic leaders consider the Didache Bible to be the most beautiful English translation of the Bible today. It is an excellent resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith.
The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible is another popular option for Catholics. It draws insights from modern scholarship and traditional Catholic interpretation. The Bible explains the historical, cultural, literary, and archaeological background of Scripture while also looking to the Fathers, Doctors, and Councils of the Church for theological and spiritual insights. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible is designed to help readers understand and apply the lessons of the Bible to their lives. It has been praised by Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, as the "best available comprehensive Catholic Study Bible".
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Bible is composed of 73 books: an Old Testament of 46 books (including 7 deuterocanonical books and additional deuterocanonical content in 2 books) and a New Testament of 27 books.
The deuterocanonical books are Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), and Baruch.
The standard translation was once the Douay Rheims Bible, published in 1582. Today, the most commonly used translations are the Revised New American Bible (RNAB), the Revised Standard Version (Catholic edition) (RSVCE), and the Jerusalem Bible (JB).
Some other popular translations include the New Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition (NRSVCE), the English Standard Version (ESV), the Knox Bible, the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB), the Ignatius Study Bible, the Didache Bible, the Great Adventure Catholic Bible, and the Word on Fire Bible.
The KJV lacks the deuterocanonical books that are included in the Catholic Bible and is therefore considered incomplete.
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