Tuesday, March 6, 2018

First Look: RNJB NT & (Revised Grail) Psalms







27 comments:

  1. More Bibles need to switch to the single column format. (More books in general do too in my opinion.)

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  2. Has anyone heard when Amazon plans to ship the RNJBNT that we pre-ordered? Last dateI saw was Feb. 15.

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    1. Deacon Dave,

      If I were you, I’d cancel that order and order through Book Depository out of the UK. The issue may be that Amazon is not allowed to sell it to the US market.

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    2. Amazon is not honoring the pre-orders, as, at this time, the book is not for sale in the US (aside from 3rd party sellers).

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  3. There doesn't seem to be a canonical imprimatur for the Biblical text?

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  4. Tim,

    Glued or sewn binding? Thanks!

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  5. Psalm 1:1-2
    ----------------

    RNJB (2018)
    Blessed indeed is the one
    who follows not the counsel of the wicked,
    nor stands in the path with sinners,
    nor sits in the company with scorners,
    but whose delight is the law of the LORD,
    and who ponders his law day and night.



    NJB (1985)
    How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wicked
    and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread,
    nor a seat in company with cynics,
    but who delights in the law of Yahweh
    and murmurs his law day and night.


    JB (1966)
    Happy the man
    who never follows the advice of the wicked,
    or loiters on the way that sinners take,
    or sits about with scoffers,
    but finds his pleasure in the Law of Yahweh,
    and murmurs his law day and night.



    Psalm 23
    ----------------

    RNJB (2018)
    The LORD is my shepherd;
    there is nothing I shall want.
    Fresh and green are the pastures
    where he gives me repose.
    Near restful waters he leads me;
    he revives my soul.

    He guides me along the right path,
    for the sake of his name.
    Though I should walk in the valley of the shadow of death,
    no evil would I fear, for you are with me.
    Your crook and your staff will give me comfort.

    You have prepared a table before me
    in the sight of my foes.
    My head you have anointed with oil;
    my cup is overflowing.

    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life.
    In the LORD's own house shall I dwell
    for the length of days unending.



    NJB (1985
    Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
    In grassy meadows he lets me lie.

    By tranquil streams he leads me
    to restore my spirit.
    He guides me in paths of saving justice
    as befits his name.

    Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
    I should fear no danger, for you are at my side.
    Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.

    You prepare a table for me
    under the eyes of my enemies;
    you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup brims over.

    Kindness and faithful love pursue me
    every day of my life.
    I make my home in the house of Yahweh
    for all time to come.


    JB (1966)
    Yahweh is my shepherd,
    I lack nothing,
    In meadows of green grass he lets me lie.
    To the waters of repose he leads me;
    there he revives my soul.

    He guides me by paths of virtue
    for the sake of his name

    Though I pass through a gloomy valley,
    I fear no harm;
    beside me your rod and your staff
    are there, to hearten me.

    You prepare a table before me
    under the eyes of my enemies;
    you anoint my head with oil,
    my cup brims over.

    Ah, how goodness and kindness pursue me,
    every day of my life;
    my home, the house of Yahweh,
    as long as I live!



    Luke 1:26-29
    ----------------

    RNJB (2018)
    In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called
    Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David;
    and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her,
    Rejoice, favoured one! The Lord is with you.'



    NJB (1985)
    In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called
    Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David;
    and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her,
    'Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favour! The Lord is with you.'


    JB (1966)
    In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called
    Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David;
    and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her,
    'Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.'



    John 3:16
    --------------------

    RNJB (2018)
    For God loved the world so much
    that he gave his only-begotten Son,
    so that everyone who believes in him
    may not perish but may have eternal life.



    NJB (1985)
    For this is how God loved the world;
    he gave his only Son,
    so that everone who believes in him
    may not perish but may have eternal life.


    JB (1966)
    Yes, God loved the world so much
    that he gave his only Son,
    so that everyone who believes in him
    may not be lost but may have eternal life.

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  6. Reading Wansborough's introduction, it sounds like they pulled an "ESV" on the Jerusalem Bible.

    As the ESV did a makeover on the RSV text from the 1971 edition, the RNJB did a makeover on the JB text from the 2008 CTS New Catholic Bible edition.

    Curious that the only ecclesial approval on that copyright page refers to the Psalms, and not the NT itself. How does that fit with canonical requirements?

    Also curious that the trade dress and introduction brands this as a Bible for "proclamation." Discussion about Mt 5:22 and Luke 1:28 on the other thread (http://www.catholicbiblesblog.com/2018/03/rnjb-sample-passion-and-resurrection.html) would seem to indicate they've made choices inconsistent with LA, which would seem to be a prerequisite for use in liturgy.

    From the samples, it's clearly a very fluent yet formal translation. But given the lack of imprimatur or rescript, and some nonstandard translation choices, are we perhaps seeing a Catholic publisher presenting something for use in worship in Europe outside of the Catholic Church>

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  7. Just got email from Amazon sayong new ship date is estimated as March 13.

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  8. Frankly, this looks like a retrograde step from the NJB. The NJB translation of John 3:16 is an accurate way of expressing what John means by “God so loved.” It really should be called a revised CTS Bible.

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  9. From the comparisons that are posted above, it appears that if you like the JB or NJB, you may (or may not) like the RNJB. Other than those folks, I doubt the RNJB will convert many people from another translation they currently use.

    Michael P.

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  10. Got my copy today, thing that surprised me was the Psalms are at the back of the Bible after the new testament. I was expecting them to be at the front with the new testament. Matthew 5:22 is as follows: But I say this to you, anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will answer for it before court; anyone who calls a brother or sister "idiot" will answer for it before the assembly; and anyone who calls a brother or sister "fool" will answer for it in Hell fire.

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  11. Minor point regarding Anonymous' comment:
    RNJB has it as "hell fire", and not "Hell fire".
    That is, lower case for the "hell".

    Putting all three versions next to each other, we have

    RNJB
    But I say this to you, anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will answer for it before court; anyone who calls a brother or sister "idiot" will answer for it before the assembly; and anyone who calls a brother or sister "fool" will answer for it in hell fire.



    NJB
    But I say this to you, anyone who is angry with a brother will
    answer for it before the court; anyone who calls a brother "Fool" will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and anyone who calls him "Traitor" will answer for it in hell fire.

    JB
    But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother "Fool"
    he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin,; and if a man
    calls him "Renegade" he will answer for it in hell fire."

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  12. Sooooo..., if I call someone a fool..do I go to the Sanhedrin, or hell fire? Interesting that in the earlier two, the term sends to one place, and in the latest, the orher.

    All in all, this doesn’t look like it’ll be going on my shelf anytime soon. Might check out a copy once it’s in the library system, but nothing I’ve seen so far is going to get it the original’s place on my bookshelf.

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    1. Read it again.

      In the RNJB they translate it the word sanhedrin instead as "assembly."

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  13. I have ordered it twice through Amazon and have given up, I am waiting for my order to arrive from BookDeposity, should cone any day!

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  14. The irony is that Amazon now owns Book Depository, having taken it
    over in 2011.

    "On 4 July 2011, Amazon reached an agreement to acquire Book Depository."
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_Depository

    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jul/05/amazon-the-book-depository

    http://www.zdnet.com/pictures/fifteen-companies-you-might-not-know-are-owned-by-amazon-and-one-that-got-dumped-for-a-huge-loss/11/

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  15. Mine just came in the mail today, after quickly browsing through it, my first impression is that it reads very clearly, so far I like it!

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  16. Thanks Amazon! My RNJB NT atrived today!

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  17. My copy arrived today from Amazon (despite comments from several folks above claiming that US Amazon would not be able to sell it.) The price was about $9.

    I've only spent a little time with it, but my initial impression is that it is a backwards step from the near-Study Bible style format of the New Jerusalem Bible. In fact, it is so disappointing that I ordered the French version of the 1998 Bible de Jérusalem with full notes.

    In happier news, my copy of the 5th edition of the New Annotated Oxford Bible is reportedly winging its way to me now. I must say that there are some excellent bargains available right now on the leather bound version of the 5th edition.

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    1. Come on Theophrastus, the RNJB only cost you $9 and you expected notes also??? :-)

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  18. Rolf, to paraphrase the Bard, how much sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have an ungrateful reader.

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  19. I may be in the minority here (and this may be sacrilegious to some), but I've never been that interested in study Bibles. It was not the notes that attracted me to the JB/NJB. Instead, I loved those translations as unique translations. I am not concerned that the RNJB has limited notes. They seem, for my use, just the right amount. Of course, I cannot comment on the quality of the notes, as I am still awaiting my copy to arrive, but I trust Dom Wansbrough. Instead, I am more interested in his English usage (I am, after all, an English teacher). That is what attracts me to translations like NEB/REB, JB/NJB, Knox, etc. Thus, I am very much looking forward to the RNJB as a translation. I’m already sold on the Revised Grail Psalms.

    - Keith S.

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  20. I live in Glasgow, Scotland and my copy is already in the post. Looking forward to receiving it. We use the Jerusalem Bible in our lectionary so I wonder if they'll update the lectionary once the entire RNJB is published

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    1. Quick update, my copy arrived this morning. So far I like it but much prefer the New Jerusalem Bible for the notes. The notes in this edition are similar to the ones in my CTS Catholic Bible travel edition.

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