What is the Best Bible Translation (According to An Expert) w/ Dr. Andrew Swafford 

So what translation of the Bible do you use and why?

Douay Rheims was written by a literal saint

While the Church has adopted different translations, from time to time, none of those which have been used and approved in the past have actually been “abolished”. The Church takes the view that each new translation adopted has been “a very slight improvement” but not so as to dismiss the earlier translations as unacceptable. So, for example, in England, we had the Douay-Rheims, followed by the Knox, followed by the Jerusalem (in parallel with the RSV 2CE for teaching and study purposes) and now, just recently, the English Standard Version (Anglicised Catholic Edition) both in the Lectionary and for teaching and study purposes. However, the earlier translations may still be read in our private devotions. The official translation of the Sacred Scriptures, approved for use everywhere in the world, is, of course, the current approved version of the Latin Vulgate. This is not identical to the translation of St. Jerome - over the years, with better source texts and better scholarship, there have been some adjustments to the text. The final point of contention amongst Theologians is just how much weight should be given to the Septuagint. This is a translation of the Sacred Scriptures made for use by Jewish people in Greek speaking parts of the world. Some Theologians argue that the later Hebrew versions of the Bible are not so reliable as the version from which the Septuagint was prepared. In particular, the Jews did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, so it is suggested that, in preparing later versions in Hebrew, after the Church became established, they deliberately altered the prophecies concerning the Messiah (mainly in Isaiah) to point away from Jesus. However, the Church has never really acknowledged this and uses the later Hebrew texts (the Masoretic texts) rather than the Septuagint. A good Catholic study Bible will, however, include notes referring to any passages which are different in the Septuagint, so it is not necessary for the ordinary Catholic, wishing to be fully informed, to actually buy a Septuagint and go through every verse looking for differences! We do need to assume that the Church knows best. If the Magisterium is to be trusted, then, at the very least, it should be trusted in its preservation of an accurate and reliable version of the Sacred Scriptures.

I got a beautiful leatherbound Douay Rheims

I pretty much agree with the video. I read the KJV for two reasons: It's the one I started with and without a good reason to switch, the familiarity helps with concentrating on the message and not getting hung up on the language. The other reason is the period in which it was written was arguably the height of English literary form and is well represented in that translation.

Douay-Rheims.. simply because there’s no hidden protestant biases like the RSV CE . Foot notes can be dangerous

The Haydock Douay-Rheims Bible >

There are no bad bibles imo but I've found the DR to be the most enjoyable so far. I love the footnotes in it, it's really helpful

Good conversation and points. I have really been enjoying reading from multiple versions with the Bible App. When I come to an interesting or perplexing verse, the app allows me to quickly compare multiple versions side by side like the ESV, KJV, NIV, NKJV..etc... Really helpful at times to see scripture in multiple translations. 👍🏼

As a Ukrainian-Greek Catholic it's high recommended from our Patriach that we use an Orthodox Bible. I personally use the Orthodox Study Bible by Ancient Faith.

This is helpful. I've been working on NT Greek for the last couple of years and reading the day's gospel courtesy of Universalis. I'm no Greek scholar but straight narrative is generally doable. It gets a lot trickier with the Letters. I notice the DR and RSVCE follow the Greek more literally than, say, the Jerusalem Bible (most of the lectionary here in Oz is JB). Listening to Scott Hahn, Brant Pitre and others really helps. So, thanks for the wrap. It makes a lot of sense.

It grinds my gears how many "scripture experts" fidget and get all goofy when asked this simple, and important, question. Bible translation is a very complex and vast subject. One could read for years and still not grasp all the factors involved. But when a layman asks for recommendations, one should be forthcoming. Peace and Happy New Year.

When will the Pints With Aquinas beer steins be available for purchase again??

I was actually a bit thrown when I was reading NRSV and got to Luke 1:28, and the Angel Gabriel addressed Mary as “Greetings, highly favored one”. It was jarring because the “Hail, Mary full of grace” is supposed to be taken right out of the Bible. And then in the NRSV, it was completely replaced to make it more digestible for “modern audiences” it seems. I feel it lost something significant theologically for Catholics. I’m sure Protestants don’t care though.

Definitely the DRB Bible. Obviously, and Protestant translations are out of the question.

I use RSVSCE - it's very readable. I hope to use the full Ignatius Study when it's (hopefully) released this year

Interesting timing! I've been comparing many different translations lately as I've been searching for a new bible to use as my daily. I am presently awaiting the arrival of the Great Adventure Bible that I purchased. I like the RSV-(2)CE and the Douay-Rheims. I do wish there were a Douay-Rheims that had the commentary from the Ignatius Study Bible (still waiting for the O.T.!, the Great Adventure Bible, and the Navarre Bible. I've been searching for an analysis on how the Douay-Rheims's accuracy would be ranked as if it were a translation of the original languages, especially with regard to phrasing and syntax (subordinate clauses, etc.). I haven't found a good exposition on that yet.

It's not a matter of which bible you use.... It's a matter of which MANUSCRIPTS were used. The Textus Receptus stream of manuscripts has a cloud of witnesses that is over 5000+ fragments The Alexanderian stream is less than 100 and they come from the geographical location inconsistent with document standards

I love the DR but prefer a Septuagint for my Old Testament

Douay-Rhiems for Genesis 3:15

My first Bible was/still is the D-Rheims ( can’t spell it tho I just saw it.) Many of the verses seem more beautiful or poetical that I still remember. Went to other translations because the “Thee, Thou, Thy, etc” were lovely, I personally became very confused even as I got older. Wish new translations could keep the wording just changing the Thees and Thous. And there may be such a translation.

When it comes to the Catholic versions, there are the big 3, Douay Rheims, RSV CE, and NAB. I like the DRV because it's a literal translation of the latin vulgate. The RSV is good in the new testament so you can debate with Protestants because they generally accept the RSV as a good bible. Definitely not the Douay. They think it's too Catholic. And for old testament reading I Like the NAB. It's easy to understand and was translated from the original Hebrew unlike the Douay Version. I also have 5 protestant translations, NIV ,NASB, NKJV et al.

I have a headache choosing! I am almost decided on the Divine Mercy, Ascension Press or the Catholic Illustrated with the 16th century woodcuts....I was looking first at womens bibles and decided that the colouring bibles make women look really daft!

I’m a Protestant and it’s interesting to me that we have our traditionalists who are devoted to the KJV as Catholic traditionalists are to the DRB. Those in Protestant denominations preferring a more modern or academic translation often really like the English Standard Version whereas Catholics who prefer this type of translation seem to go with the New Jerusalem Bible…..However nearly all Protestants and Catholics can agree, despite our differences, that the Message is just awful lol.

There are several good translations, but I like the NJB, primarily for its literary qualities. 😊

I still use primarily the King James Version with Apocrypha for my personal study and devotion. I was raised Southern Baptist so the KJV is just natural and, to be honest, the most beautiful English translation. I love the Douay-rheims and have multiple copies but it can be a bit "clunky" sometimes. A very good translation but I just cannot part with the KJV.

Douay Rheims Bible should be the go to Bible for Catholics.

The REASON God has given some the spiritual gift of "pastor-teacher" is so that the person who HAS this gift is SUPPOSED TO spend many, many, many hours studying & DAILY teaching the Word of God (Bible) to his (not any "hers") congregation under the filling of the Holy Spirit & using that precious GIFT which few other Christians possess! The average Christian goes to work, raises a family, & has many daily responsibilities that would make studying the Bible in more than a "passing" manner pretty much impossible....he/she would NEVER have time to (1) learn the original languages of the Bible in order to exegete; (2) learn the historical significance or background of each word, verse, chapter & book in the Bible in order to place everything in context; & (3) figure out the thousands of categorizations (themes, doctrines, etc.) that run as threads throughout the Bible & put them together succinctly & comprehensively & put it altogether for their congregants to understand, phew!. Christians should basically have the Bible that is recommended by his/her "right" pastor-teacher, & have it out & ready to go as the pastor-teacher teaches the word of God. This teaching should be longer than the current 15-30 mins. of emotional "preaching" that is done today in most churches & should be a DAILY experience. Emotions don't think. They respond to our thinking. We are commanded to have "the MIND of Christ," NOT His EMOTIONS. Every Christian should confess their sins PRIOR to listening or learning Bible doctrine (including reading the Bible for sheer pleasure!). So, it is only under this filling of the Holy Spirit that Bible doctrine is understood & used as "divine works," & so this step is imperative! The Christian is to go about each day "praying without ceasing" (in a state of having no unconfessed sins & leaving a direct line open for communicating with God). The Christian should be applying Bible doctrine that was learned by listening to their "right" pastor-teacher, daily, under the filling of the Holy Spirit. This application includes sitting & learning doctrine, & allowing the Holy Spirit (God) to change you from the inside out. You will find yourself following Jesus Christ when what is learned is slowly converted to what you think & what you do. The Christian, as "a new creature" must start with basic "milk" of the Bible, & gradually start taking in & understanding the "meat" of the Bible. Just reading the Bible is NOT enough..... Let your right pastor-teacher do his job & the individual Christian do theirs, keeping in mind that the MATURE Christian will one day discover their own spiritual gift & be ready to use it because of having spent years metabolizing (feeding on) the word of God. Choose wisely, everyone! Every Christian is both a priest & an ambassador beginning the 1st day of accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Okay, I'm done, lol.......

Why can't i find a single Catholic Bible that uses the Septuagint instead of the Masoretic text? I want to get one with the Septuagint translation, idc if it's not stamped with approval by the bishop, if that's an option

very interesting video. I've been doing some small research myself and really want a Septuagint OT but in the style of the KJV/Douay-Rheims and as far as I know something of that sort doesn't exist. The Lexham LXX is my only option but it uses more modern English and is known to have some typos. But for me at this point in time I am using the KJV with "Apocrypha" and a Douay-Rheims

Brenton Septuagint OT with an ultra thin KJV strapped to it. Something with the wording of the KJV that makes you easily remember verses. I trust the LXX's OT anyday over the KJV (and most other modern translations today) , though. Reading the LXX's Isaiah and reading the KJV's Masoretic Isaiah is almost like reading two different books. I believe the Masoretic did a lot to alter and edit Christ out of many passages of the OT......it's the LXX that lines up directly with quotes by Jesus and the Apostles, not the Masoretic. For easy reading I actually don't mind the NAB. The modernist footnotes are ridiculous but the translation isn't actually as bad as most folks say it is. The NAB can be surprisingly more on the literal side contrary to what many say against it. The Douay-Rheims is timeless as well but can get weird many times with the clunky Latin to English.

Ignatius Bible (Revised Standard Version-Catholic Bible) is the best translation, as it is in formal but modern English without gender inclusive language. The Jerusalem Bible (NOT the New Jerusalem Bible) is also good.

Please can you explain why in the Jurusalem translation it reads 'work for your salvation.....' where in nearly all others it reads 'work out....'? Philippians 2:12.

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 📖 Discussion about the best Bible translation and its perception by scholars and enthusiasts. 00:28 🌐 Translation is subjective, with personal preferences playing a role in choosing translations. 01:19 🌍 Interest in comparing translations across languages and cultures. 02:00 🤔 Desire to preserve cultural and linguistic identity in translations. 03:02 💬 Relevance of translation quality for understanding biblical texts. Made with HARPA AI

Disregarding translation quality, I find the formatting and layout of _The Books of the Bible_ to be the most conducive to reading. Verse numbers are removed (though verse ranges are indicated at the bottom of pages), the page itself is single column instead of double column- so more like a normal book, and finally, spacing and indents are used to break up the text into its natural narrative structures, and to differentiate quotes from the rest of the text. Overall it makes for a far more pleasant Bible reading experience. Honestly I think this layout should become the new standard. More people would actually read the Bible if it were a more pleasant experience.

Does this guy snort espresso beans?!

Ha ha! Nice subtle dig at the Message translation. If the original greek would say "the sun is 93 millions miles away from the earth ", a literal translation might read "There is 93 million miles from the earth to the sun". The Message would say "That bright yellow circle in the sky is farther than you think". Lol. (I'm kidding for all of you "the message" fans). 😄

The RSV despite the CE is a classic liberal protest translation.

He said a lot without saying anything HAHAAAA

He never really answered the question.

The link to the full episode does not work, FYI

What about the Niv

One that you understand. So I guess for me the one bible that exists in Swedish that have the missing books.

One more reason why I still read the KJV is that you can find a plethora of genuinely beautifully made Bible. Goatskin, smyth-sewn, red letter, gorgeous text, etc. Catholics still have yet to make a really beautiful bible. Catholic Book Publishing is still stuck in the 1960s and has yet to update the text or quality of materials used. Their books from NAB to Liturgy of the Hours screams: "1960s post-Vatican II ugly!" Baronius and St. Benedict have tried to up the game but are still subpar in comparison. Truth is that Catholics still dont love Scripture as much as our Protestant brethren and hence the progression of actual materials is subpar

ESV-CE, of course!

I recommend for Catholic study and learning RSVCE (first edition). The first edition retained the higher English with the "thees" and "thous" in the psalms, canticles, and prayers. Just objectively more beautiful. The second edition dispensed with the more higher English through out. I also use "The Precise Parallel New Testament" by John R. Kohlenberger III. It has eight translations including KJV, Douay New American, etc. Very, very helpful resource to compare good translations.

i thought i was watching on 1.25 speed

Rscve Best translation watching from philippines

I hope you’re not propping up your mics on your bibles! I am sure that is not the case. 🙂

Well that was a bit confusing.

The Augustine Bible (English Standard Version Catholic Edition) is a good one.

Which Jesus are you following? Within 10 years after Jesus Crucifixion we find many false teachers preaching. For St. Paul had warned the church in Corinthians . "For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus, not the one we preached; and you accept a spirit and a gospel completely different from the Spirit and the gospel you received from us!" *2 Corinthians 11:4* False teachers, were masters in creating confusion in the minds of innocent sheep. They used ancestry to create it. Si. Paul says "I want you to stay in Ephesus, just as I urged you when I was on my way to Macedonia. Some people there are teaching false doctrines, and you must order them to stop. Tell them to give up those legends and "*those long lists of ancestors*," which only produce arguments; they do not serve God's plan, which is known by faith." 1 Timothy 1:4 The false teachers were Jews well conversed in OT and they are the ones who created the Masoretic Hebrew text to prove that Jesus is not the Messiah ! The Septuagint Bible, from which Jesus quoted the OT verses pointed towards him as the Messiah. Thats the reason why the Jews created Masoretic Hebrew text, by making a few changes in the genealogy and deleting 7 books from the Septuagint Bible. The corrupt priest, Martin Luther, called Vatican corrupt and recommended deletion of 7 books and adopting the Masoretic Hebrew text as the OT !! If Vatican was corrupt during reformation period the CHURCH OF ENGLAND would not have been formed by King Henry VIII and his successor King James would not have come out with KJV Bible. As KJV Bible has incorporated Masoretic Hebrew text as OT, its the wrong Bible for any christian who follows Jesus Christ ; who died on the cross for us sinners. Matthew 27:17-26 says So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: *Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah* ?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. So which Jesus do you follow ? If you read KJV, you follow Barrabas If you read a Catholic Bible / Bible which has the Septuagint Bible as OT ,you follow Christ !!! So which Jesus do you follow ?Which Jesus are you following? Within 10 years after Jesus Crucifixion we find many false teachers preaching. For St. Paul had warned the church in Corinthians . "For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus, not the one we preached; and you accept a spirit and a gospel completely different from the Spirit and the gospel you received from us!" *2 Corinthians 11:4* False teachers, were masters in creating confusion in the minds of innocent sheep. They used ancestry to create it. Si. Paul says "I want you to stay in Ephesus, just as I urged you when I was on my way to Macedonia. Some people there are teaching false doctrines, and you must order them to stop. Tell them to give up those legends and "*those long lists of ancestors*," which only produce arguments; they do not serve God's plan, which is known by faith." 1 Timothy 1:4 The false teachers were Jews well conversed in OT and they are the ones who created the Masoretic Hebrew text to prove that Jesus is not the Messiah ! The Septuagint Bible, from which Jesus quoted the OT verses pointed towards him as the Messiah. Thats the reason why the Jews created Masoretic Hebrew text, by making a few changes in the genealogy and deleting 7 books from the Septuagint Bible. The corrupt priest, Martin Luther, called Vatican corrupt and recommended deletion of 7 books and adopting the Masoretic Hebrew text as the OT !! If Vatican was corrupt during reformation period the CHURCH OF ENGLAND would not have been formed by King Henry VIII and his successor King James would not have come out with KJV Bible. As KJV Bible has incorporated Masoretic Hebrew text as OT, its the wrong Bible for any christian who follows Jesus Christ ; who died on the cross for us sinners. Matthew 27:17-26 says So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: *Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah* ?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. So which Jesus do you follow ? If you read KJV, you follow Barrabas If you read a Catholic Bible / Bible which has the Septuagint Bible as OT ,you follow Christ !!! So which Jesus do you follow ?

The Jewish community has Hebrew school for its adherents and they still conduct their ordinary human life to boot. I think , we as Christians should learn NT Greek in a similar manner rather than rely on other translations(unless your referring to the Gospel of Matthew, probably originally in Aramaic). We have a calling to understand the Gospel without necessarily having a poor translation or parental priest constantly over our shoulder.

DR

The Vulgate is the correct answer.

Knox translation.

Dou ray Reims version hands down

I have a Douay Rheims and Biblia Sacra side by side bible, that is what I use when I read the bible.

I feel like all translations are bad because words themselves are bad. But we either talk about something or we don’t, and it’s better to talk about it than not, so any translation is better than none. But I prefer David Hart’s translation of the NT. Reasons? Because it wasn’t cobbled together by a council with a bone to pick with respect to certain doctrines. It’s “raw,” so to speak.

Deuteronomy 8:3 + Matthew 4:4 + Luke 4:4 --- 1611 A.V King James Bible God preserved his word as promised, using mathematical precision. Psalm 12:6-7 King James Version 6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Just whatever you do, don't read KJV!

Well that wasnt helpful at all

Huh?

NLT

KJV all the way. 1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" Not Mary, not the saints. Purgatory isn't in The Bible and you can't pray to the dead as they can't hear you and it's classed as necromancy. Only Jesus saves and you need to be born again. John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God'" Baptism is a choice, not a sacrament

First

The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures(2013)

All modern versions of the Bible are trash. KJV is by far the best translation.

The NABRE is the best catholic bible. Very scholarly because Catholics aren’t as intent as Protestants to fit the Bible to their views (as Catholics ultimately don’t care what the bible says). I use the New World Translation because it hasn’t illicitly removed God’s name (unlike every other modern English translation) - in English translated as “Jehovah” - and it is simply a better translation than all the alternatives (see “Truth in Translation” by Prof. Jason BeDuhn).