For Sale

Looking to get rid of some Bibles that have been gathering dust.  All of them are in very good to excellent condition, minus the ESV lambskin which has a few places that are underlined.  If interested, just email me with an offer.  

*Again, not looking to get rich here, but I do want them to go to a home where they will be used*  

mccorm45(at)yahoo(dot)com

From top to bottom:

RSV-CE Pocket (Oxford)

The Message Remix (NavPress)

ESV Gift Bible (Crossway)

ESV Lambskin Personal Size w/ References (Crossway)

The Message Saddle-Tan Personal Size (NavPress)

NIV Thinline (Zondervan)

NABRE (HarperOne) 

Guest Post: Using Different Editions of the Same Translation

Thank to Allister for the second of his guest posts.

Hello again, brothers in Christ – it’s me, Aloy, back to drowse you out of reading my boring discussions. But seriously, my reservations on comments notwithstanding, I have sometimes been inspired to share some of my experiences with the Bible, especially now that the site’s posts will be more guest-run than before.

For today, I would like to discuss the experience of using different editions of the same translation, which by circumstance (or not) I have been led to doing. I did mention in my previous guest post that I, too, primarily use the NRSV-CE, as it happened to be the only formally-equivalent alternative to the NAB(RE) available widely here in the Philippines (and, I hear, the more accurate one, “accurate” being of course quite subjective). This also happens to be the translation I have different editions of, as I have only one NABRE. I have as of this writing, however, three NRSV-CEs (one to be gifted) and one compact NRSV with the Apocrypha, the same one that fellow guest Kevin mentioned in his post about compact Bibles last November 7. I will list the three CEs down here with brief overviews on their content, then mention my purposes for each of them.

1. ST PAULS Philippines NRSV-CE

This is the NRSV-CE I featured in my first guest post, which was a guest review of the same. In brief, this NRSV-CE is produced by the Philippine arm of the Society of Saint Paul, and is a semi-study Bible in the sense that it contains the NRSV Concordance, numerous in-text maps and charts, and the text of Dei Verbum, as well as Catholic prayer resources such as popular prayers and devotions and tables of readings and dates. However, it contains no introductions, no cross-references or study notes (though, then again, the NRSV really does not usually contain cross-references, and this edition never claimed to be a study Bible), and the Psalms, most strangely, do not come with titles.

I have mainly consigned this Bible to the house for home-based study and annotation, usually alongside my NABRE, because of the rich amount of resources it contains. It also happens to be the frailest of my NRSV-CEs, which is a no-no when going out or traveling.

2. Harper Go-Anywhere Thinline NRSV-CE

The big brother of my little NRSV with the Apocrypha, this edition is the full-sized Go-Anywhere Thinline NRSV. Full-sized though it is, it’s meant to be a travel-friendly Bible, so it’s similar in thickness to the compact NRSV, an inch or less thick. This comes at the cost of the only study materials being the Concordance, which is better than the Compact edition, which has no study materials at all. However, the Psalm titles are, rightfully, present.

I semi-regretfully bought this NRSV-CE as a complement to my ST PAULS NRSV-CE, given that that wasn’t feasible for taking out of the house to, say, church; and that I was so disturbed at having no Psalm titles. (I’ll also admit that I wanted a leather-bound Bible, genuine or otherwise.) As such, it was supposed to be my main reading Bible, and be it was, until came along…

3. The Catholic Gift Bible (Harper NRSV-CE)

Here at last was the answer, or a partial one at least, to the first two above. I wanted a reasonably portable Bible that had a decent amount of study materials and the Psalm titles. Had I encountered this before the Thinline, I would have bought this already.

As the name implies, this edition is meant to be presented as a gift for special occasions, though I treated it as a gift for myself. This edition comes with a series of essays meant to serve as an introduction, or refresher, to the Catholic faith, with articles about Christian terms and spirituality and Biblical characters – and, finally, an introduction to each book of the Bible. The Concordance is also present, but sadly, no Dei Verbum or in-text maps and charts. At least it serves as a “spiritual” study Bible to some extent, for me.

Now that I had this edition, I decided to gift the Thinline to my then-new business, a membership hub for entrepreneurs, but since not all of us are exactly religious, it got shelved in the storeroom. I am retrieving it first thing when I go to the office, then refurbishing it and gifting it to someone who will appreciate it better.

The Gift Bible is now my default reading Bible, whether simple or contemplative (such as Lectio Divina). The ST PAULS, while extensive in study tools, may inadvertently distract; and the Bible paper bleed is of comparatively poor quality. Additionally, this one is more durable (trust me, if you’re clumsy like I am, it makes a difference). And as mentioned above, it’s full of annotations and highlights. On the contrary, there is not a single mark on my Gift Bible, other than the presentation page contents, though it looks more worn.

Until I got the Compact Thinline with Apocrypha, the Gift Bible was my church Bible (yeah, yeah, our Lectionary here is based on NAB, but I use NRSV nonetheless), but my purpose of requesting for a compact Bible for Christmas was to be able to very easily bring around a pocket Bible when going out or traveling. And so the Compact Thinline is now my default church Bible, although the Gift Bible will remain, for both denominational and spiritual reasons, my main Bible for reading.

Why the same translation, rather than different ones, you ask? Simple: for consistency. While I do support owning multiple translations so you can compare the text for better studying, if you really want to focus on spiritual growth through Bible reading, it’s best to stay in one translation (with just occasional cross-checking from another) so you don’t get caught off-guard.

Have a blessed day!

Allister Chua, or Aloy, 25, is a struggling entrepreneur (with emphasis on “struggling”) from the Philippines who was born and educated, but not raised, Catholic. At the end of a spiritual crisis, he made a conscious decision to stay with and grow in his Catholic faith. Though he speaks none of the Biblical languages or even Latin, he speaks fluent English and Filipino, is proficient in Chinese, enjoys elementary proficiency in French, and is learning Spanish and Japanese. He runs The Daily You, a blog-based institute that advocates living a truly good life through one of higher purpose, rooted in awareness and service.

Compact Bibles: Reviews and Appreciation (Guest Post)

Thank you to Kevin for this article on compact Bibles.

When I first became interested in religion, my brother gave me a compact thinline NIV (much like this one) which I carried with me everywhere. It fit right in my hand, and the soft faux-leather cover just felt right to the touch. I used that Bible so much that it is no longer with me; I wore it out. The cover frayed and wore down until you could see almost through it. After I stopped using that Bible, I started collecting little pocket New Testaments and compact Bibles, which I thoroughly enjoyed using. 

For me, compact Bibles are a wonderful tool. I love to always have a copy of God’s Word with me. Larger Bibles often make it nearly impossible to do that, but compact Bibles are something I can easily hold, throw in a bag, or even shove into a pocket. With compact Bibles, my most cherished possession and favorite book is always within reach. I love compact Bibles in pretty much all forms, and I wanted to give a review for some of my favorite compacts.

1. HarperCollins Go-Anywhere Compact Thinline Bible with Apocrypha (NRSV)

            This Bible is my favorite compact Bible. The NRSV is a wonderful modern translation and the sole official heir to the King James Version (the “authorized” family tree is: KJV > RV/ASV > RSV > NRSV). This little Bible is only 16-20 dollars, but you would think you bought a higher-end Bible. It’s cheap, but the paper is thick, has line matching, and it is printed in a very clear, almost bold, font. Most compact Bibles can be exhausting to read because of how small or thin the font is, but not this one. Most importantly, this little Bible has a sewn binding, which makes it very durable, and if you dislike the bonded leather cover, you could easily have it replaced. In addition, since this edition includes the Apocrypha, it could be utilized by Catholic and Orthodox Christians (even though both groups have reservations about the NRSV’s liturgical application).

2. Cambridge Pitt Minion series (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, NIV, and NLT)

            Even though they only come in the Protestant canon, Cambridge’s Pitt Minion line is an amazing example of what compact Bibles can and should be. They are compact, thinline reference Bibles. They have all the same bells and whistles of a normal size reference Bible, but they are crammed into a very handy size Bible. The print is small, but very clear. The size is perfect for slipping into a pocket, bag, or resting open in the palm of your hand. I specifically have the second edition KJV Pitt Minion, which has the added benefit of Cambridge’s “A Reader’s Companion to the Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible”. If you want only one Pitt Minion, I recommend the second edition KJV specifically because of that reader’s companion. It is a wonderful resource that is essentially a Bible dictionary and concordance in one combined volume. Another benefit of the Pitt Minion line is the quality of the manufacturing. Cambridge usually produces durable Bibles, and Pitt Minions are certainly included in that. Here you can see a review of an ESV Pitt Minion that has received constant wear and tear.

3. Oxford’s RSV-CE Compact Bible

            Like the Harper compact Bible, this is a really good value, and it is an edition supported by the Catholic Church. This Bible has a sewn binding, nice clear print, and a durable hardcover. What I really like about this Bible is the additional material. At the ends of both testaments, it includes the Catholic footnotes of the RSV-CE, and there is an additional appendix after the New Testament that includes Catholic prayers and devotions. If I were Catholic, I feel like the RSV-CE, and especially this edition, would be my go-to Bible. The RSV-CE is such a beautiful translation; it takes the best of what made the King James Version so great. It then takes that literary power and couples it with Catholic tradition and modern textual-critical scholarship.

4. Cambridge Cameo Reference Bible with Apocrypha (KJV)

            I only recently acquired a Cambridge Cameo for myself. I was at a Mennonite relief sale in Goshen, IN, and I saw an old Cameo on sale for $1.50. It is a wonderful Bible. It has the same width and length of the Pitt Minion, but it is thicker, which gives you a much bolder, thicker font. Just like the Pitt Minion, it is a well-built, full-size reference Bible in a very convenient size. Unlike the Pitt Minion, you have a font that is very easy on the eyes, and you can get the Cameo with the Apocrypha. In addition, the references of the Cameo are keyed to the Apocrypha, even in the normal Protestant editions. If you want a reference Bible with Apocrypha, the Cameo is a great place to start. Unfortunately, Cambridge has been slowly discontinuing the Cameo with Apocrypha. Now, you can only get an expensive calf-split edition, and the other editions are long gone. There simply is not a lot of demand for the Apocrypha among KJV fans.

5. LCBP Compact Bible

            If you are not familiar with Local Church Bible Publishers (LCBP), they are one of many KJV-Onlyist publishers who—inspired by their love of the KJV—produce well-made Bibles at a very good price. This little Bible was a companion of mine for several months this past year, and it is a truly compact Bible. It is a plain text Protestant KJV. It has about a five point font, and it is the size of my wallet. It is a great Bible if you really want to carry a Bible everywhere, but only have a pants or coat pocket to put it in.

            In addition, Local Church Bible Publishers also reprints the Cambridge Cameo (without Apocrypha) as a much cheaper alternative to Cambridge’s printings. They call their edition of the Cameo the “Compact Center Column Reference” Bible.

            These are just some of my favorite compact Bibles, but there are a few other honorable mentions: Ignatius Press RSV-CE Compact with zipper, Compact Westminster Reference Bible from TBS, Royal Ruby, ESV Pocket New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, and Oxford’s NABRE compact.

           

I love my compact Bibles. I find them to be one of the most useful editions of the Scriptures, but I also find myself using them less and less due to two things: 1. I started using a smart phone which has many Bible applications, and 2. I developed a habit of note taking in my Bible, which compacts are not the best for. Now, I am not so loyal to my compact Bibles. 

About the Author

Kevin Daugherty is a Mennonite Voluntary Service participant, food pantry worker, and pastoral ministry student in Elkhart, IN. 

A Leonard's Fix-Up: RSV-CE (Oxford)

A number of years back, I highlighted the thinline qualities of an Oxford RSV-CE readers edition, which is now out-of-print.  Because it didn't have cross-references, I copied a page of the "Old Testament references in the New Testament" chart and adhered it to the back end pages.  I ended up using it for a few months but discovered that there was a problem with it.  The binding, around the Pastoral Letters, was beginning to come loose.  I was disappointed by this and simply put this Bible away.  After the flood we had last August, I found it in a box that had miraculously survived.  I remembered the issue I had with it, so again I put it a side.  A month or two back, I decided to have it fixed up by the fine folks at Leonard's.  I have had two bibles rebound them, including my beloved Knox, so I thought about seeing what they could do with this one.  I wanted to keep the pacific duvelle cover, which I always enjoyed, but there were a series of other things I wanted done: 1) Tighten the sewing in the back, located primarily around the Pastorals; 2) Remove all glossy pages in the front; 3) Recast the book in the same cover; 4) Remove ribbon and add 3 navy ribbon markers.

Here are the before pictures:

And here are some pictures of what Leonard's did:

In the end, they did a great job at a reasonable price.  Again, if you are looking to have a bible rebound or fixed, go to Leonard's.

Now, if you made it all the way down here, I would like to offer you an opportunity to have this great Bible.  The is available for anyone in Canada or the United States.  You have until this Sunday, July 10th, at 11:59 PM to enter.  You must answer this question in the comments of this blog: What one passage of Scripture describes your faith and why?  One entry per person.  Please make sure to put a name at the end of your answer, particularly if you post anonymously.  I will announce the winner on Monday.  The winner has one week to contact me.

An Update on "One Bible, One Year"

So, those of you who have joined me on this, how are you doing?  I have been doing ok, although I have made a slight adjustment.  At various points over the past month and a half I have been "tempted" to switch to a different Bible edition.  While switching to a different translation has never been the issue, the edition that I want to read from has evolved a bit.

As I posted on January 1st, I committed to reading from two NRSV's, the 1991 NOAB and the HarperOne Compact Thinline for the entire year.  I plan on doing a post soon as to why I chose the NRSV translation, but I will simply say now that I think the NRSV does the best of combining beautiful language with a (generally) formal equivalence translation philosophy, making it good for both reading and study.  As I said, more on this in a future post.

For study and teaching, I have remained steadfast in using my beloved 1991 NOAB NRSV.  It contains all the cross-references and annotations that I need on a daily basis as a teacher.  I always seem to go back to this Bible, ever since I found it a few years back.  However, the one thing that makes this Bible great, its large margins and easy reading page layout, makes it a bit difficult to use as a daily reading Bible for my morning prayer time or to take to a prayer group.

The Bible that I intended to be my reading Bible, the HarperOne Compact Thinline, is a fine Bible, but it just hasn't fit "my needs."  Strange thing to say, huh?  I feel even silly writing those word to be honest.  With all the issues in the world today, I am worrying about something like this!  However, the past month or so I feel like I have come to an important discovery about my relationship between prayer and scripture.  I would say that my main issue, which I have only realized through prayer, is the need to simply read the Bible without any study helps or maps or commentary or even a concordance!  I get too distracted with all those things.  I need to strip those things away and simply become immersed in the sacred word.  So, that is what I am going to do and, as we enter Lent, what a perfect time to do it!  In a future post, I will share with you the Bible I am going to use for this, which was generously offered to me by someone else.   I have come to prefer it for its portability and page layout.  More on this soon.

So, that is where I am at right now.  How are you?

"One Bible, One Year" for 2015

A few days back I decided to do commit to using one Bible edition for one year.  I provided a poll for you, my faithful readers, to help me in this process by choosing between three editions that I would be happy to use exclusively for 2015.  So, with your consultation, I have decided to follow your recommendation.  The winner of the poll, by one vote, is the 1991 New Oxford Annotated Bible NRSV.

This may be a crazy idea, but it is something that I have wanted to do for a long time.  I am quite comfortable with the NRSV, and as the years have gone by, and through my own personal prayer and teaching, I currently prefer it to the other translations.  It is by no means perfect, but it has a lot of advantages to it, which I will talk about at a later time.  I also believe that this NOAB (1991) is the high water mark of all the Oxford study Bibles.  It maintains the fine, concise annotations that are found in the RSV edition, with some slight additions and updates to it, while providing generous margins for personal annotations.  The type is also very clear and easy to read, which makes it helpful to teach from.  It is also not as heavy as the later NOAB's.

Now, I have added one, well maybe two (or three) caveats to this venture.  I pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day, so I can't get around using the translation provided in the official version.  Secondly, as you can see on the photo, I am going to use the HarperOne Compact Thinline NRSV w/ Apocrypha for times when I cannot bring the bigger NOAB with me.  This will not happen all the time, of course, but I can't see myself bringing the NOAB to a prayer group meeting.  So consider this a kind of tag-team effort, when necessary.  Finally, and this would be exceptional if it were to happen, if Allan's were to produce an amazing NRSV (Catholic or w/ Apocrypha) this year then I may have to suspend this experiment.  I am sorry, I am just a weak man.  However, I don't anticipate this so I doubt that this will be an issue.

With all that said, I want to assure you that I will still be doing Bible reviews in 2015.  I simply will not be using those Bibles for everyday use.

Last but not least, I know that a number of other people will be joining me in this Bible crusade.  Along with my occasional posts concerning my experiences, some have been willing to do guest posts as well.  If those people could simply, once more, comment below with which Bible they will be sticking with for 2015, I would be grateful.

Many blessing to all of you and Happy New Year!

NRSV New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs Burgundy Imitation

This delightful slimline NRSV New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs was first published back in July of 2003 by Cambridge University Press.  It comes in a number of different covers, the one I have is the burgundy imitation leather. This is truly a slimline\thinline Bible, which easily fits into a bag, purse, or pocket.  Its dimensions are 6.9 x 3.5 x 0.6 inches with a weight of around 3 ounces.  What is most attractive about this Bible is the single-column format, which make reading this slimline Bible quite enjoyable for its size.  The imitation cover is very flexible, enhanced in durability by its sewn binding.  This is the kind of Bible you can take somewhere and not worry about it getting bent or ruined in any way.  It is so small and thin that it will fit into any situation.  

Other than the NRSV standard To the Reader essay by Metzger, this Bible does not contain additional features other than the Biblical text, but for its size, that is OK with me.  The Psalms and Proverbs are placed before the New Testament. 

From Cambridge:

The New Revised Standard Version takes full advantage of recent scholarship and is widely used in academic circles as well as in mainline churches. This attractive and affordable book contains the NRSV New Testament together with the Psalms. The black-letter text is set in a clear but compact font, in one column with section headings. Presented in a format like that of a slim pocket diary, the book will fit easily into a pocket or purse. It is beautifully produced, printed on Bible paper, and Smyth-sewn for utility and durability.   It has a burgundy imitation leather cover, giving a very flexible feel, and it includes a presentation page. 

HarperOne NABRE Non-Flex Imitation Leather

Well, the question as to what HarperOne meant by "non-flex imitation leather" has been answered.  It is similar to what Baronius Press has done with its Knox Bible, a hardback edition which is covered in (bonded) leather.  In this case, however, HarperOne has simply used imitation leather, which I greatly disliked in the flexible imitation leather edition that came out in May.  (If you observe the photo on the left, you will see that the imitation leather is on the left, while the hardcover is on the right.)  Needless to say, this is a disappointment.  Why even produce a cover like this one when you already have the hardcover edition?  That simply doesn't make much sense to me.  I would have much preferred that they simply used bonded leather, like they utilized in their NRSV thinline Bibles.  Actually, I really liked the feel of the NRSV Compact Thinline, which came out in 2009.

Ultimately, if you are desiring an edition of the NABRE, the hardcover one is the way to go.  It is too bad really, since I believe that HarperOne has created a very attractive page layout with their NABRE.  Its a shame that they never completed the package by producing it in a good leather, or even imitation leather, cover.  Again, stick with the hardcover edition.

Healing Catholic “Bible Envy"

The following article by Mickey Maudlin, HarperOne Senior V.P./Executive Editor, is found on the HarperOne website in their News and Pews section.  The title is great and the article is certainly worth your time.  I will include some comments within the article, which will be in red, in imitation of Fr. Z:

When HarperOne contracted with the National Council of Churches to manage the licensing of the NRSV in 2006, one of the happy surprises for us was the openness the Catholic market had to new Bibles designed for them. (I have been told by various sources that the NRSV Catholic Editions have sold quite well.) Catholic consumers spoke of “Bible envy” when they saw all the colors, features, bells, and whistles on their evangelical neighbors’ Bibles. Many said they wanted “cool” Bibles as well. (Like Me!)

So we accommodated these requests, offering a variety of colors, bindings, sizes, and styles, including single-column (called the NRSV Standard), large print (XL), thinline (Go-Anywhere) (Yay! Thinlines), compact, and even Bibles for teens (Live) and families (Catholic Faith and Family). While these NRSV Bibles found good homes and did well, we kept getting the same request: please do a beautiful edition of the main translation Catholic parishes and schools use, the New American Bible.  (Wow, a publisher who actually listens to consumer requests.  Ignatius are you listening?)

Once again we decided it was wise to listen to our audience and say yes to them whenever we can. Last month, we released a new hardcover of the NAB revised edition with a beautiful two-color text setting (subtitles and bottom of the page note references in red) to be followed by a black, imitation leather edition later this month. I have to admit, they are stunning and should assuage any Catholic still suffering from Bible envy.  (The hardcover edition is a joy to read, minus the thin Bible paper.  I am looking forward to receiving the imitation leather in the coming weeks as well.)

But what was most fun for this Protestant editor was discovering so many delightful surprises in the NAB. The translation was done by an elite group of Bible scholars and overseen by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. If one judged by stereotypes and caricatures, one would think such an approval process would encourage a conservative and narrow rendering of the text, but I found just the opposite to be true. In fact, from the evidence of the translation, it would be easy to make the case that the Catholic community and hierarchy are one of the most open Christian communities to the findings of scholarship and science, producing a wonderfully accurate and pleasing translation with a surplus of extra features to help anyone read and understand their scriptures. 

One of the historic charges against the Catholic church was that it discouraged the laity from reading the Bible for themselves (a perception which the church since Vatican II has vigorously reversed—hence our success with Catholic Bibles). One might see this old prejudice at work in the decision to include multitudinous notes and long introductions to each book of the Bible so that it is almost impossible to find an NAB Bible without these trappings of a complete study Bible. (Indeed, it is impossible!) Yet as someone from the evangelical community who has been immersed in the world of study Bibles, I have to say that I think these extrabiblical helps are among the best on the market. They combine mature and wise interaction with scholarly issues with a sensitivity to pastoral and ecclesiological concerns—which is a rare feat.

But what I found the most refreshing, by far, was the mature nondefensiveness about what would constitute controversial issues for most Protestant Bibles. For instance, in the introduction to the Pentateuch (the first five books of Moses), Moses’s authorship is questioned and the document hypothesis for explaining the different sources for these works is described and integrated into the notes and introductions. In the explanations for Genesis 1-11, they explain how the creation and flood stories were borrowed from other Mesopotamian groups and adapted by the “writers” of Genesis and should be considered “neither history nor myth.” They later explain how there were at least three Isaiahs and that Paul may or may not have written the Pastoral letters. All this without any hint that these conclusions undermine the Bible’s authority or teachings or could be described as “liberal” or “skeptical” in any way (remember who owns and manages the translation: the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops!).  (Fascinating insight coming from someone in the evangelical community.  Does this change our view of the NABRE notes?  We often spend way too much time, IMHO, debating the notes as opposed to the translation itself.)

So who has Bible envy now? My advice to my Protestant friends, don’t let tribal markers keep you from enjoying a wonderful new biblical resource. Take up and read the NAB.

Bible Edition Review: HarperOne NABRE (Hardcover)

Over the past decade, HarperOne has been known for its unique editions of the NRSV translation. With editions like the Standard, Thinline, Live Youth, and Family Bible, HarperOne has made the NRSV more attractive and accessible to many Catholics. Now, for the first time, HarperOne has been licensed to publish the New American Bible Revised Edition. The HarperOne NABRE currently comes in hardcover, soon to be followed by E-book and imitation leather editions in May. For those looking for an edition of the NABRE that is visually different than many of the previous, cookie-cutter ones, this one might just be the NABRE you are looking for. I am not providing any personal pictures of the hardback edition that I own, since you can view a considerable number of sample pages here.

There are many positive elements to the HarperOne NABRE. First, and foremost, is the fact that it comes in a beautiful and attractive layout. The size of the font is pretty standard for a Bible of its size, but the real bonus is the intelligent use of red ink to highlight paragraph headings and for chapter/verse references in the notes. This subtle addition makes reading from this Bible certainly more pleasurable, while also giving the overall layout a more contemporary look and feel. Along with the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible, and its single-column format, the HarperOne NABRE is easily one of the nicest looking NABRE on the market today.
The overall look of this Bible is enhanced by the wise ordering of the notes and cross-references. Instead of the standard NAB(RE) look, this edition’s notes and cross-references are organized into three columns at the bottom of each page. While smaller than the sacred text, the notes are not so small as to be difficult to read.  Along with the notes, some have complained about the cross-referencing tool found in a number of NAB(RE)’s of the past.  In this edition, however, they are easily found in the third column after the notes. The use of asterisks alerts the reader to a note, while a simple letter indicates a cross-reference.  Again, very simple and very easy to use.

Three additional features make this edition standout. First of all, in the appendix are found 14 full-color Zondervan maps, with map index. While in the past, many of the HarperOne Bibles have either been produced absent of maps or have contained a limited number of drawn or black and white maps, this edition provides large, full-color maps that span the biblical period. The only missing period, which is unfortunate for a Catholic Bible, is the Greek/Maccabean period. Perhaps that was to be expected with maps from Zondervan. At the front of the Bible are 8 Presentation pages, including a photo of Pope Benedict XVI. The presentation pages include sections to record family and Sacramental highlights, including baptism, first communion, confirmation, and matrimony. However, there are no specific sections for children, which is unfortunate. The photo of Pope Benedict is a nice touch. Finally, and quite significantly, this Bible comes in a sewn binding! No need to worry whether or not the binding on this Bible will last.

With all these positive features, I need to mention a few of the negative features. The biggest problem with this edition is that the paper is fairly thin, much like the other NRSV editions. This continues to be an issue with most of the HarperOne Bibles. What makes this even more strange is that this Bible is advertised to come “with fine Bible paper to maximize readability” on the dust cover. Yet, the thin paper actually makes reading the text more difficult. It is not huge problem, don’t get me wrong, but a more opaque Bible paper is desirable. The only other minor deficiency with this Bible, besides the absence of one or two maps covering the Maccabean period, is the lack of Sunday Mass readings. That, of course, is a personal preference, but one which I think should be mandatory in all Catholic Bibles.

I hope to provide a brief review of the imitation leather edition when it is released later in May. 

More Info on the HarperOne NABRE

Set to be released sometime in April, HarperOne has slowly been releasing information about their NABRE edition. As mentioned in a post last year, this edition will come in imitation leather, hardcover, as well as an ebook format. It will contain the NABRE text, notes, and cross-references. The size of the print edition, 6 1/4 x 9 1/4, makes it quite comparable to the thinline Bibles HarperOne released in the NRSV translation. Unlike that edition, recent information released by HarperOne indicates that the NABRE edition will come with full-color maps. Below is the latest information from the HarperOne site:

The New American Bible revised edition is more than a mere Bible translation. Authorized by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the New American Bible seeks to provide the best resource for understanding the church's sacred Scripture.

To begin with, the translation beautifully and accurately conveys the word of God in English, using the most recent scholarly resources available and translating directly from the original languages. While the Bible plays a central role in the church's life, it is also important to remember that it is an ancient book written over several centuries. It carries a rich tradition of interpretation over even more centuries.

That is why the many scholars and church teachers who worked years on this project did more than provide a clear and accessible translation; they also sought to provide additional help and guidance for those who truly want to understand what they are reading:

*Each book of the Bible begins with an introduction, providing the historical context of the work, its literary style, its main themes, its use in the history of the church, as well as an outline of the contents.

*As you read the Scriptures, notes have been provided at the bottom of the page offering explanations for particular passages, terms, and concepts.

*Since Scripture often refers to itself, a system of cross-references are provided so you can see where else historical figures, particular stories, or similar concepts are also treated in the Bible.

*At the end of the Bible, sixteen pages of color maps are provided to help orient the Bible's stories in their geographical context.

A New Publisher for the NABRE

According to the HarperCollins website, their imprint HarperOne will begin publishing editions of the NABRE beginning in March 2012. HarperOne is most known as the main publisher of the NRSV, but beginning in 2012 they will begin offering various selections of NABRE's.

Details on their first published NABRE's are scarce as of now, but it appears that it will be available in an imitation leather, both black and white, and paperback edition. Also, it will be a trimsize 6 1/4 x 9 1/4. It should be noted that the NRSV-Catholic Thinline was 6 x 9 1/4, so this could be an NABRE thinline! One can imagine that the NABRE commentary and cross-references will be included as well.

In addition, I spotted the following publisher's description on the Christianbook.com site:

"The New American Bible is the most popular Catholic translation available in the U.S. and is now being revised for the first time in 20 years. The revision aims at making use of the best manuscript traditions available, translating as accurately as possible and rendering the result in good contemporary English. In many ways it is a more literal translation than the original New American Bible. Besides the translation itself, the NAB provides helpful introductions to the books of the Bible as well as authorized running notes explaining the teachings, background, and literary context for the passages, making it an unparalleled resource for Bible readers. As HarperOne is already a leading proprietor of Catholic Bibles in the NRSV translation, we look forward to adding the popular NAB translation as well."

I will pass along all further information when I get it.

Bible Review: CEB Thinline w/Apocrypha

I received a surprisingly wonderful edition of the CEB w/Apocrypha in the mail last week. It is the DecoTone CEB Thinline Bible w/Apocrypha. I say "surprising" because it is a review copy, and I figured that I would receive a hardback or paperback edition. But this is not the case. I am going to focus this review on the numerous features of this thinline edition of the CEB. If you want more info on the CEB itself, we have discussed it on a number of occasions and you can read those comments here or you can just check out the translation's website.

This edition of the CEB is a true thinline Bible. While it is similar in width to the HarperOne NRSV thinlines, its dimensions are a very portable 5 3/8" x 8 3/8",without being compact. At times, I have felt the NRSV thinline was a bit too big. But even with its smaller size, the CEB Thinline has a 9-point type, which makes it fairly easy on eyes.

Of all its features, the one thing that really stands out is the feel of this Bible. It is a very soft synthetic leather, known as DecoTone. It is probably similar to the Italian Duo-Tone or imitation leather that is now being used more often in many Bibles. This truly has a great feel to it. While it is both supple and flexible, it also lays open flat on a table or in your lap. Recently, I have found myself preferring the very soft, synthetic leather covers over the standard leather, both bonded and genuine. The only question is durability and how long it will hold up to continued use. At this point, I am not sure.

Some other nice features include the Deuterocanonicals being in their own section, but divided and labeled by which ones belong to which Church's canon. In addition, while there are no cross-references in the Old Testament, all Old Testament reference in the New Testament are noted at the bottom of the page. This is a definite advantage over the NRSV thinlines. Also, there are 8 full-color National Geographic maps in the appendix.

All in all, a very nice and useful thinline Bible. It is simple, but well executed.


**Thank you to B&B Media Group for the review copy**

My Top 5 Catholic Bibles #3

The New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition: A Translation in Transition

"Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." -Philippians 2: 5-11

I often mention on this blog how much I appreciate the NRSV. Though I have ranked the NRSV #3, I still feel it is a fantastic Bible. In many ways, there isn't much separating the top 3 in this subjective ranking of mine. The NRSV is easily the most ecumenical and scholarly translation in a Catholic edition. Yet, from my own experiences, its use among most Catholics falls far behind the top 2. Therefore, where does the NRSV fit among the main Catholic Bible translations in English?

Translation Philosophy 4/5
I have devoted a number of posts on this blog over the past few years looking at the translation philosophy of the NRSV, most notably here and here. (Please consult those posts for further details.) The NRSV, like the RSV, remains a literal/formal translation. That is why it is still the basis for a number of scholarly study Bibles on the market and is used in many scholarly works. The stated goal of the NRSV translators was to be "as literal as possible, as free as necessary." It certainly achieves that goal. The NRSV, not surprisingly, follows in the heritage of the RSV and KJV. This means that there is a familiarity for the reader who was brought up on either the RSV and KJV. While this often means that the NRSV follows a more literal/formal translation philosophy, there are places, specifically with its use of inclusive language, where the NRSV is "as free as necessary."

The NRSV is truly the first translation to be thorough and consistent in its use of inclusive language. While this is not an issue for the majority of instances, since the textual notes are clear when inclusive language is used for the most part, there are places where this can be distracting. For example, Matthew 10:38 says, "and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me." Which cross? Christ's or our own? The Greek behind it refers to our own. One other major issue with the NRSV's use of inclusive language is that, even with the textual note, translating "one like a son of man" in Daniel 7 as "one like a human being" does not help the average Christian reader who is trying to understand this significant Christological title. The use of inclusive language in Bible translations is still a hot topic for both Protestants and Catholics. For Catholics, on one end of the spectrum is the NRSV, which thoroughly employs inclusive language, while on the other end is the RSV-CE, which even goes beyond the original RSV in avoiding inclusive language (see here) and is proud to advertise as such.

Readability 4/5
The NRSV is a very smooth read due to it being a modern translation which was published as a single unit, unlike the NAB. Also, since it follows in the heritage of the KJV, there is a sense of familiarity for the most part when one reads through it. Henry Hansbrough, editor of the NJB and author of the book The Story of the Bible states that in the NRSV, "The story-telling of the Old Testament is often scintillating." I find that to be quite true. In addition, archaic language has been eliminated from this revision of the old RSV.

Available Formats 3.5/5
This was somewhat hard to rate, simply because the NRSV is all over the place. While it is true that the NRSV comes in some unique editions, most notably from HarperOne, there are no Catholic editions that contain cross-references. This is something that HarperOne has said they will be addressing at some point in the near future, but we will see. Many of their formats are very unique, in particular the quasi-single column NRSV Catholic Standard Edition which is very attractive and innovative. They also publish a true thinline in the NRSV, which may be a first for any Catholic edition. Of course, the NRSV has also been published by Oxford and Cambridge, along with a few others in a study Bible format.

Miscellaneous 3.5/5
There clearly is a future for the NRSV, though it may be for those outside the USA. The Canadian bishops within the past few years received approval, finally, from Rome over an adapted form of the NRSV for the Lectionary. Rumors are that other English-speaking bishops conferences, like the UK and Wales, are doing the same. One could see in ten years or so the majority of English-speaking dioceses using some adapted form of the NRSV for Mass, while the USA (and a few others) using the NAB(RE) in some form. That being said, trying to predict what translation is going to be used in the liturgy in ten years may be a foolish endeavor.

As mentioned earlier, the NRSV is still going to remain popular in the scholarly world, most notably in its inclusion in study Bibles. Oxford recently published its fourth edition of the New Oxford Annotated Bible, and there are a number of others that utilize the NRSV. It would be interesting to see if in the future there would be a Catholic study Bible that utilized the NRSV. At this point, the only true Catholic study Bibles use either the RSV-2CE or NAB(RE) Bibles. There are also a plethora of study aids, like concordances, commentaries, interlinears, and dictionaries, that are keyed to the NRSV. That will probably not change for the near term.

Conclusion 15/20
There is a lot to like about the NRSV. I did not use the NRSV, at all, up until about four years ago due to the "problems" people told me about it. However, four years ago, I stopped by a local bookstore during the Christmas season and decided to purchase the NRSV Go-Anywhere Bible from HarperOne. I really enjoyed reading many of the renderings in that NRSV edition that I purchased, particularly in the Old Testament. Fast forward to today, I am now quite comfortable with the NRSV and refer to it often. While it is not my #1 Bible, it is still a solid translation, and one that may continue to grow in popularity among Catholics. Only time will tell.

NRSV Thinline Available Next Week

Next week, February 1st to be precise, will be the release date for the HarperCollins NRSV- Go-Anywhere Thinline Bible Catholic Edition. It will be published in bonded leather, paperback, and hardcover XL editions. If you would like to see a sample, follow this link. From what I can tell, this edition looks similar to the full Apocrypha version that was released back in October. The only major difference being the inclusion of the Deuterocanonical books in their proper order. If you would like to see my review of the earlier edition, you can follow this link. I am not sure, at this point, whether or not I will be picking up a copy, but since I have been asking for a true Catholic thinline for the longest time, perhaps I am obliged to do so.

This NRSV edition includes:
Less than 1 inch thick
Easy-to-read 9-point type in a double-column setting
Bonded leather with craft-sewn binding for added strength and long life
Fine Bible paper to maximize readability and portability
Concordance for finding key verses
Gilded edges and a ribbon marker
Presentation page and maps

Upcoming Releases (First Half of 2011)

Here is a short list of some upcoming releases related to Catholic Bibles, study tools, and other books:

Revised Grail Psalms (Already available)

NRSV Catholic Thinline Edition (2/1/11)

NRSV Catholic Gift Bible (black) (2/1/11)

HarperCollins UK NRSV Catholic with Grail Psalms (3/3/11)

NABRE (Multiple publishers and editions) (3/9/11)

HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (revised and updated) (3/8/11)

Jesus of Nazareth: Part II by Benedict XVI (mid-March)

New Collegeville Bible Commentary: NABRE (May)

Little Rock Study Bible: NABRE (June)

Catholic Study Bible: NABRE (Summer)

NABRE Concise Concordance (Summer)

If you see anything missing, which I am sure there are a few, feel free to comment or send me an email. Is anybody aware of anything new coming for the RSV/RSV-2CE or Douay-Rheims?

My Top 5 for 2010

Since Christmas is fast approaching, and I am not sure how much blogging I will get done over the next week or two, I want to take the time right now to list my top 5 favorite publications relating to Catholic Bibles during this past year. Overall, I think it was a pretty good year. Looking a bit forward, 2011 should also be very interesting, in particular with the release of the NABRE, the Revised Grail Psalms, more editions of the NRSV, and who knows what else. So, even though there are still three days until Christmas, I would like to wish all of you a blessed Christmas and happy New Year.

Now my top 5:

1) The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament: While for the most part it is simply a collection of the already released single volume editions, the ICSBNT the best single volume New Testament study Bible for Catholics on the market. The commentary utilizes both the historical method, as well as following the principles of Dei Verbum. The additional essays, maps, and concordance make this a must have for all Catholic Bible readers. Now if they can only complete the Old Testament in a reasonable amount of time, perhaps by 2015?

2) Truth & Life Dramatized Audio Bible RSV-CE: This one kind of snuck up on me, since I only knew about it a month before it was released. I believe this is the only dramatized audio Bible that uses a Catholic translation. The quality of the presentation is high, and the voice acting is both convincing yet not distracting. Bravo!

3) NRSV Go-Anywhere Thinline: Praise for this is a little bit anticipated, since the official Catholic edition of this thinline will be coming out in February. However, the version with the full Apocrypha/Deutercanonicals was released in October. Overall, it is finally nice to have a true thinline edition of a Catholic Bible. While the same old issue remains with the NRSV, lack of cross-references, this thinline is very readable and contains a concordance and maps. It will be interesting to see if the full Catholic edition will contain anything anything not in the current releases.

4) New Oxford Annotated Bible 4th Edition: Overall, I was very pleased with this release. I think the commentary is better than in the 3rd edition, and they updated the maps section, introductions to each book, and essays. The leather cover on my edition is soft and very flexible. The only issue that some people had with this is the new type-setting, which was smaller than older editions. It wasn't too big a deal to me, but again that just depends on personal preferences.

5) Live Catholic Youth Bible NRSV: Since I work at a high school, I am always on the lookout for solid Catholic youth materials. This edition came out in August and provides a nice alternative to the St. Mary's Press Catholic Youth Bible. There are no inserts into this Bible, with all the material integrated into the actual Bible page. This edition is smaller than the CYB, and the focus is more on the teens interaction with the Sacred Text. The Live Catholic Youth Bible encourages teens to write, highlight, and draw in their Bible, which I think is a good way to bring the Bible alive.

Advent Contest 2

As promised, there will be one more contest here on this blog for 2010, as we journey through this Advent season. This contest will be tied to a new series of posts, that I have already started and will continue into 2011, examining the NAB Revised New Testament, which will be a part of the upcoming NABRE. I have decided to use the NAB New Testament for my daily reading, Bible study, and even class work for the foreseeable future. I am hoping this will allow me to be better acquainted with the positive and negative features of the NAB NT in preparation for a thorough analysis of it in conjunction with the presumed publication of the complete NABRE in 2011. (Of course, if the NABRE will not be released in 2011, I have the right to immediately scrap this project and move on to something else.) With that being said, onto the contest.

The winner of this contest will receive:

1) ESV Thinline Bible (without Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha)

2) Berit Olam: 1 Kings

Here are the rules:

1) If you have a blog, please advertise this contest on your blog. (If you don't, you can still enter the contest.)


2) This contest is only for people who are in the United States or Canada. (Again, overseas shipping costs are a bit too high for me right now. Sorry.)

3) The question you need to answer in the comment box:

What should I name the upcoming series of posts focusing on my reading of the NAB Revised New Testament?


4) The contest ends on Saturday at 11:59PM EST.


5) One entry per person.

Review: NRSV Go-Anywhere Thinline Bible w/Apocrypha

As some of you know by reading this blog, I have been championing a proper Catholic thinline Bible for a long time. As far as I know, there has never been a specifically "thinline" edition of the NAB, RSV-CE, NRSV-CE, JB, or NJB on the market at any point. (If I am wrong, let me know.) I am happy to report that this apparent oversight is being remedied by HarperOne. While the edition I am reviewing today is the NRSV Go-Anywhere Thinline Bible w/Apocrypha (including the Orthodox OT books), a Catholic thinline edition will be released by HarperOne in February 2011. (No details yet on if there will be anything different, besides the ordering of the OT books.) Before going any further with this review, I must acknowledge that I am grateful that HarperOne is publishing so many different editions of the NRSV, including Catholic editions. One does not have to be a fan of the NRSV translation to realize that HarperOne is, in many ways, being creative and daring in the editions that they publish. I would like to see a little bit more of this from some of the Catholic Bible publishers out there.

OK, so on to the review. First off, what does this Bible include:

Less than 1 inch thick
The Apocryphal and Deuterocanonical books of Scripture
Easy-to-read 9-point type in a double-column setting
Bonded leather with craft-sewn binding for added strength and long life
Fine Bible paper to maximize readability and portability
Concordance for finding key verses
Gilded edges and a ribbon marker
Presentation page and maps

Those of you who own HarperOne's NRSV Compact Thinline will notice immediately that the type and font are the exact same, only bigger. You can get a closer look at this, besides my first photo, here. Personally, I really like the size and look of this 9-point font. It is pleasing to my eyes and truly does make reading from this Bible enjoyable. Prior to this edition's release, I had actually gone back to the compact edition and in many ways was hoping it would be the same. Of course, this is just my opinion, so people may be free to disagree on this.

Next, the bonded leather cover can be seen as being good or bad, depending on what you like. It is not the same as the compact edition, nor have I seen this type of bonded leather used on any of HarperOne's other NRSV releases. Would I prefer genuine/premium leather or even Italian Duo-Tone? Absolutely, since I am not a big fan of bonded leather. However, this bonded leather edition isn't too bad. It opens up fairly flat, and I can see a point in the near future, with continued use, that it would be much more flexible. There is always the worry with bonded leather covers that they will not hold up after years of regular use, however the fact that pages are held together with craft-sewn binding may make up for it. Again, only time will tell.

So what are some of the details about the extras in this Bible? The presentation page is pretty standard. I wonder if it will be more expansive in the Catholic edition, perhaps including places to indicate a person's Sacramental history. I have always liked having that in my Bible. The maps, while still being the Zondervan black and white ones, are more numerous than in the compact edition. In total there are 7 maps, compared to the two in the compact, ranging from "The Exodus" to "Paul's Journeys". A map of Jeruselem would have been helpful, but it wasn't included. Of course, it would have been nice for them to include full-color maps, which many other thinline editions contain. In any case, there is enough of them to get you by if you needed to look up a location. Also, this Bible contains a helpful 30-page concise concordance.

So that is basically that for the description. Looking at what seems missing, the most obvious is the lack of cross-references. I hate to be a broken record, but they really need to at least indicate what OT references are being referred to in the NT. Surveying a number of thinline Bibles over the weekend, almost all of them included cross-references. This glaring omission continues to hinder HarperOne's NRSV in my eyes, which is a shame since I think, overall, they are doing some really great things.

However, since I am planning on using this Bible regularly over the next three months, I have decided to take matters into my own hands. Those of you that own the HarperCollins Study Bible will notice that at the end of the New Testament section there is a table of OT references in the NT. I decided to make a copy of this table, shrink it, then attach it to the thick blank pages that immediately follow the map section.

Why wait? Unless there is a copyright issue with the SBL, who authors the HarperCollins Study Bible, I wonder why HarperOne doesn't simply add this table to their NRSV Bibles. It would be very easy to do and at least provide the reader with tools needed to cross-reference a verse in a crunch.

Overall, I am fairly happy with this thinline. I plan on using it regularly over the next three months, until the Catholic edition is published. Depending on how things go, and whether or not there is any additional helps in the Catholic edition like the Sunday Mass Readings, I may pick it up as well. I would encourage anyone who is unsure whether or not to buy this to try and see it for yourself first. Places like Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Cokesbury should all have them in stock.

NRSV Thinline

A review of this fine product will be forthcoming. Needless to say, I have been a bit busy over the past few days. I actually received the HarperOne NRSV Thinline w/Apocrypha on the day we headed to the hospital. So, enjoy one of the photos that I took of it today on my I-Phone. More to come....