Pope Francis has repeated his desire to see Catholics read the Bible daily, particularly the Gospels. (He did it over a week ago, again, at the conference with the Charismatic Renewal. As mentioned a few posts back, he even gave away free Gospels at a recent Regina Caeli). The USCCB has heard the call as well and are making a pocket edition of the NAB Gospels and Acts available in the coming weeks.
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So, have you answered the Holy Father's call? If so, which edition do you use? I really like the Ignatius Press RSV-2CE Gospels and Psalms. It is beautifully made, contains two ribbons, and the print is very dark. That is really all you can ask for in a pocket Gospels including the Psalms. I had the first edition which came out in 2006, but recently purchased a new one. This one has darker print, the paper is not glossy, and it was made in the United States.
It looks like the picture shows something other than what is indicated in the post, since it's showing one of Paul's letters.
ReplyDeleteThat edition is a complete NT and Psalms. Plus I am partial to Timothy! ;)
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ReplyDeleteI recently acquired this edition (in response to Pope Francis!):
ReplyDeleteScepter Press Confraternity of Christian Doctrine NT.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0933932774/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is an amazing little NT. It is TRULY pocket size and yet the print is VERY readable. It's in paragraph format and the verse numbers are pushed off to the side margin to make it a nice reading experience and yet be able to easily find verses. It's a vinyl cover but is sewn (i think...the pages ARE in signatures but I can't seem to actually see the sewing..but it does appear to be sewn). It has dates added to the top of the page and boxed off in the text to follow a reading plan. Section headings are in red print. It does not contain the Pslams (didn't really desire that anyway). It's a wonderful little NT and probably one worth of a rebind!!!
I agree, I have several compact N.T.s but this one is also my favorite. I like it for all the reasons you mentioned above and the font size is very readable. This one is carried in the cargo pocket in my shorts when I go walking in search of coffee (and books) at Barnes and Noble!
ReplyDeleteI recently acquired this edition (in response to Pope Francis!):
ReplyDeleteScepter Press Confraternity of Christian Doctrine NT.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0933932774/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is an amazing little NT. It is TRULY pocket size and yet the print is VERY readable. It's in paragraph format and the verse numbers are pushed off to the side margin to make it a nice reading experience and yet be able to easily find verses. It's a vinyl cover but is sewn (i think...the pages ARE in signatures but I can't seem to actually see the sewing..but it does appear to be sewn). It has dates added to the top of the page and boxed off in the text to follow a reading plan and includes a GOOD, fat ribbon. :) Section headings are in red print. It does not contain the Pslams (didn't really desire that anyway). It's a wonderful little NT and probably one worth of a rebind!!!
I recently acquired this edition (in response to Pope Francis!):
ReplyDeleteScepter Press Confraternity of Christian Doctrine NT.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0933932774/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is an amazing little NT. It is TRULY pocket size and yet the print is VERY readable. It's in paragraph format and the verse numbers are pushed off to the side margin to make it a nice reading experience and yet be able to easily find verses. It's a vinyl cover but is sewn (i think...the pages ARE in signatures but I can't seem to actually see the sewing..but it does appear to be sewn). It has dates added to the top of the page and boxed off in the text to follow a reading plan and includes a good, FAT ribbon :). Section headings are in red print. It does not contain the Pslams (didn't really desire that anyway). It's a wonderful little NT and probably one worth of a rebind!!!
I also like the Scepter Confraternity NT. This particular edition is the smallest Catholic NT I have seen (besides an old edition of the Douay Rheims NT in a church library.) It will fit in a back pocket, although keeping a book there will eventually lead to a permanent bend and damage to cover or spine. I like Rolf's idea about the cargo pocket, but also many jeans have a technology pocket now too!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the "Confraternity" translation: this is an update of the Challoner-Rheims NT, and was read during Mass in some parishes in the 1940's and beyond. See my guest post on this blog for more info about that:
http://www.catholicbiblesblog.com/2012/11/guest-post-vintage-missals.html
This Scepter edition is the only edition of the Confraternity NT currently in print that I know of. That is OK with me though, since this one is so well done. BTW, the built in reading plan actually lets you read through the NT twice in one year, which is a great way to fill a couple of short idle times each day with the Word of God!
I dont have anything thats printed thats truly pocket sized except a phone with a bunch of different translaions on apps (Douay-Rheims, RSV 1 & 2, NABRE, New Jerusalem) or bookmarked (Knox, Jerusalem). My CBPC 1951 Confraternity is the closest to pocket size around 4x6, but too thick for a pocket.
ReplyDeleteHere's a good one. little known Church-approved translation and about the same size (though 200 pages thinner since no ACTS included) as the USCCB edition coming out.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/dp/081890626X/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2E3RVMC3XTMJR&coliid=IYLUBBDEEXNOA
Also to be mentioned is the Douay Rheims Psalms and New Testament from Baronius Press. This is actually my personal favorite pocket New Testament. It is slightly bigger but thinner than the Confraternity NT mentioned above, yet smaller than the RSV-2CE NT and Psalms. I will usually take it with me when I cannot take my backpack, or when carrying a book is otherwise impractical.
ReplyDeleteThis particular translation is special to me because the apologetic notations therein were instrumental to my conversion to the Catholic Church. Also I think it is a joy to read and use for devotions like lectio divina. I must say that it is a literal translation with some archaic words and unorthodox English/punctuation usage. Having been though most of it several times and investigated the difficult passages via good dictionaries and other sources, these things are not an obstacle for me to reading in a potentially distracting public environment. For others, therefore, a more modern interpretation might be more appropriate for on-the-go reading.
The RSV-2CE Tim mentioned in the original post is my favorite of the modern Catholic versions. I think it has the overall best translation/format combination that is suitable for every application from private study and devotions to liturgical use (where approved.) This edition also has a limited number of notes, but mostly apologetic in nature, and I have found it to be well received as a gift by both Protestants and Catholics! I also thought it to be an excellent first New Testament and Psalms for a certain little someone whom I am not sure is a boy or girl yet... :)