Catholics primarily use several versions of the Bible, but the most common and officially approved ones include:
- The New American Bible (NAB), especially the Revised Edition (NABRE), which is widely used in the United States for Mass readings and emphasizes readability and modern language.
- The Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (RSV-CE) and its second edition (RSV2CE), known for its accuracy, literal translation, and scholarly reliability.
- The Jerusalem Bible (JB) and the Revised New Jerusalem Bible (RNJB), which are also popular for their readability and study features.
- The New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE), which is approved by the Catholic Church and used for study and public readings, with an emphasis on accuracy and inclusiveness.
Additionally, the official Latin text of the Catholic Church is the Nova Vulgata. These Bibles all include the full Catholic canon of 73 books, which notably includes the deuterocanonical books that are not in Protestant Bibles.
Summary Table of Popular Catholic Bible Versions
Version| Features| Usage
---|---|---
New American Bible (NAB/NABRE)| Modern language, liturgical use| Most common
in US Mass readings
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSV-CE/RSV2CE)| Literal
translation, scholarly| Favored by scholars, accurate
Jerusalem Bible (JB) / Revised New Jerusalem Bible (RNJB)| Readability, study
notes| Popular for study and devotion
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE)| Inclusive language,
accuracy| Approved for study and readings
Thus, Catholics use these approved versions reflecting their theological tradition and liturgical needs.
