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A Very Good Study Bible

By Joe Felim

This is a pretty substantial Bible–and, by that I mean heavy. There are lots of articles from “big names” in Catholic Biblical scholarship. So, one will get the most up-to-date thinking on authorship, dates, readings, etc. and so forth. The translation is the same reliable NAB for the Old and New Testaments. The translation of the Hebrew Scriptures can be a little too dynamic, rendering perfectly understandable Hebrew idioms into English. But, the literal Hebrew is usually referenced in the notes. The same could be said for the New Testament. For all its girth, it is not a pretty Bible, though, and the pages are thin. My great disappointment is the bowdlerized version of the Psalms which have been “inclusivized” to the point of mistranslation. It’s one thing to translate the generic word for “man” as “human being” or whatever (no, I have no problem with that); quite another to change third-person address into second-person (i.e., “He is the LORD” becomes “You are the LORD.”) This is not always done consistently, however, which makes the slipshod translation look even more inconsistent and slipshod.

The Catholic Study Bible is one of the best study bibles for students and scholars of biblical criticism. The biggest asset: the extensive Reading Guides, which are very helpful for gaining a historical perspective and general background on all books of the bible. The New American Bible translation and footnotes are understandable enough, but this study bible lacks an important feature: an index or concordance. This study bible is recommended mainly for those in serious critical bible study, not those in mainstream Christianity.

The Catholic Study Bible is one of the best study bibles for students and scholars of biblical criticism. The biggest assetvery helpful for gaining a historical perspective and general background on all books of the bible. The New American Bible translation and footnotes are understandable enough, but this study bible lacks an important feature: an index or concordance. This study bible is recommended mainly for those in serious critical bible study, not normally for the mainstream Christian. is the extensive Reading Guides which are