Home > Commissions > Faith Formation > Why do Catholics archive > Bible > Different versions

WHY DO CATHOLICS...? ARCHIVE
The following question was answered as a part of our Why Do Catholics...? series. If you would like to submit a question for our Why Do Catholics...? series, email faithform@abecket.org or leave your question in the Faith Formation box in the Parish Office.

Why are there so many different versions of the bible?

Actually, there is only one bible but many translations of it. It needs to be noted that there are 7 books, along with some additions to Daniel and Esther, in the Catholic Old Testament that are not included in the Protestant Old Testament. In the New Testament, the books are the same. This is the main concern for Catholics in choosing a bible.

Otherwise, no matter what bible you pick up, if you went to, say, Genesis 2:1-5 or John 3:16, you will read the same thing, except for word usage (because of the translation used). Translators go back to the oldest manuscripts in Greek or Hebrew and attempt to translate into the vernacular the passages as true to the original as possible. For example, the well known, King James Protestant Bible, was translated into English in 1611 and while many Protestants swear by it, it was naturally translated in the old English of the time. The same holds true for the old Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible, translated into English in 1582. Today, these may seem a bit archaic. In reality, there is a much better understanding of language so translations of today can be even more accurate in their choice of wording and meaning. Because there are many words that can describe the same word in another language or different ways to say the same thing, translators attempt to get the understanding of the text across in the best way possible. So when a bible is published, the translation that reads well for you as well as the other tools included in that particular edition that are most useful for the reader are the main considerations.

Some things suit the purposes of the reader better in a particular edition. For example you may want to consider things such as whether in contains study guides, whether it was put together with children or teens in mind, are there discussion questions for group or self study, or are there maps, footnotes or cross references that might be particularly helpful.

Laura Broyles, Adult Faith Formation Director
laura.broyles@abecket.org

Back to Bible Questions