Who knew Bible shopping was so complicated?

[Attila the Honey]

I am hoping someone here can recommend a Bible for me.

I'd like a Catholic Bible. The easier to read the better. Something that has additional meditations and/or is annotated would be great.

I thought I found one that fit the bill but it's not in "order". It is one of those "read the entire Bible in a year" Bibles and I don't like it because I can't easily look up passages.

I've tried to find a Bible a few times now and I leave frustrated every time. Our local religious goods shop has aisles and aisles of choices!

Thanks!

[annettemarie]

I felt this way when I was looking for a Bible for my daughter's first communion.

Anyway, here's the one I have had since college and I really love it. No notes, though. I also have Zondervan's Busy Mom's Bible which has the little stories and notes. I couldn't find one that fit both needs.

[Arduinna]

There are a lot of Catholic Bibles. And there is some back and forth over translations and interpretations. Traditional Catholics attending the Latin Mass generally use the Douay-Rheims. For newer translations and interpretations the Ignatius Catholic Bible uses the RSV and then there is the New American Bible which is the most modern Catholic translation I know of.

[OdinsMommy0409]

I use the New Oxford Annotated Bible, which has the apocryphal books. It lacks meditations or anything, but I use it for studying and academia. It's also the NRSV, which is the most accurate of translations.

I'm on my second one due to wearing the other out.

[CherryBomb]

Do you have a local Catholic bookstore? They usually have a pretty good selection. I use RSV Catholic Edition.

[Tradd]

You want this one - I'm Orthodox and I use it.

http://www.amazon.com/Ignatius-Bible...mm_hrd_title_0

A NT and Psalms *Study Bible* of the Catholic RSV is coming out soon.

http://www.amazon.com/Ignatius-Catho...ref=pd_sim_b_2

[fullofgrace]

I have the Catholic Women's Devotional Bible.

Features Include: - 260 Daily Meditations. - 52 Weekend Devotions, Focusing on Women of the Bible. - 50 Tradition Articles Linking Scripture with Important Elements of Catholic Life and Faith. - Complete NRSV, Catholic Edition. - 6-Year Reading Guide Keyed to the Catholic Lectionary. - Indexes. - Imprimatur.

The 'Search Inside This Book' does not appear to show any of the meditations or devotions or articles. Huh. I can snap a picture of one of those pages if you're interested.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by fullofgrace

I have the Catholic Women's Devotional Bible.

The 'Search Inside This Book' does not appear to show any of the meditations or devotions or articles. Huh. I can snap a picture of one of those pages if you're interested.

I didn't know something like that even existed-- thanks!

FWIW, I really like the NRSV translation. I know everyone has different tastes on that though.

[Tuesday]

Well, just to further confuse things,

we just purchased this one ... and I love it.

http://www.amazon.com/NRSV-Catholic-...4725119&sr=1-2

I have several Protestant bibles and this would be my second Catholic bible (the other is the New American translation).

Like AnnetteMarie, NRSV is a favourite translation. I just like the language - I find it easy to read yet eloquent.

I mention this particular Catholic Family Bible because it has extremely helpful study notes and it's well sectioned and labelled. My only complaint is the pages are a bit thin given its large dimensions but really the pages are not much thinner than any other Bible I've owned.

This version was purchased by our diocese and supplied to all the parishes (for price, of course).

[hopefulfaith]

I'm Catholic, and I love the New American Bible. I'm currently attending a Protestant church, where we read from a different translation (which I also like), but for both readability and a fantastic commentary, I love the NAB.

It's this one.

I took a non-credit course from a Catholic university on specific books of the Bible, and the professor noted that if we wanted to save money on future coursework to simply read the commentary in this bible. It was good, IMO.

[griffin2004]

My parish uses The Catholic Faith and Family Bible (NRSV) as our common bible. I like the sidebars and meditations, but I wish it were more footnoted.