by Jeymi Alley

Created on: July 23, 2008

What is the best Catholic Bible? It depends on what purpose you are reading it.

The one that is currently used in missals throughout the United States is the New American Bible. Its good for getting the point across at mass, so it is a version of the bible that everyone can understand. This version is great for the casual reader, and those just wanting the main basis of the bible. This version has been used most in the bibles that has been sold at your local book store. If you can find it hiding between all of the KJV bibles that dominate the shelves.

Another widely used version of the Catholic bible is the New Standard Revised - Catholic Edition. This version was created not by just the Catholic Church but other scholars of Protestant denominations. Not that Protestants wouldn't know how to read Hebrew and Greek or Latin, but the commentary in that version leaves me wondering which church got the say into what important scripture means.

The more accurate versions of the bible go back a bit farther in time. The next one that tends to come to mind is the Douay-Rheims bible. This bible is what everyone remembers that seems so out of time and place with "thee," "thou," and "thine." This version is great for the person that really wants to study scripture. It is based off of the Latin Vulgate, which St. Jerome meticulously translated from the original Hebrew and Greek more than 1,500 years ago.

The oldest version that is currently in print is the Haydock Douay-Rheims bible. You ask what the difference is. It is the commentary. The version without the Haydock attached is just the bible. No commentary just straight scripture. The Haydock bible has commentary from 1859.

The best version without fluff and making everything gender neutral is the Haydock Douay-Rheims bible. There should be no gender neutrality in the bible. You can find out if you have one of these if you open to the 1st Psalm and it says "Happy is the one" or "Happy is the person." It should read "Happy is the man." If you have one of these gender neutral bibles then who is to say they didn't change something else in the bible.

Just because there are so many different versions of the bible out in the book store does not mean that they are a good translation. Their commentaries might include something that goes against what the Church teaches. It is sad when in the preface of the bible they question if the scripture was inspired.

As a Catholic I want to know what the Church has taught throughout the ages. I want the best source of information that I can go to. I'm going to get the Haydock Douay-Rheims bible, there I know that I will not be lead astray in any possible new age thinking that could take me out of the Church that I call home. So if anyone were to walk up to me on the street and ask me which one I would pick I've got a pretty good answer.

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