
	Bible Reviews Bible Reviews

New Jerusalem Bible

Study
Value

4 4

3 3

Reading
Rating

Analysis

Summary:

My favorite study bible, bar none.

I’ll start by listing this version’s few shortcomings. It includes only the Roman Catholic deutero-canonical additions. It also has a tendency to defend Roman Catholic teachings in the footnotes (in cases where the text may seem to defy such teachings), but shys away from actually promoting such doctrine. (Example) There is also a tendency to use what I call “high-brow” vocabulary, so you’ll definitely want to have a dictionary handy when you read this.

That’s all the bad I know to say about this wonderful version. Now for the good. The Tetragrammaton is translated as “Yahweh”, and Sabaoth (normally translated “of hosts”) remains untranslated for good reason. The footnotes and book introductions are scholarly and unbiased to the point that some might consider them irreligious. (Example) Information is given on alternate translations, source text differences and difficulties, etc. etc. The information is voluminous, it rarely delves into foreign alphabets, and it’s great (trust me). The marginal references are also wonderful, coded so that you know if a reference is a direct quote or merely a similarity, and are more nearly complete than any other version I’ve read.

As for reading, so many passages have just come across as enlightening, that I can’t help but love the translation as well as the documentation. (Example) In an attempt to be unbiased, I gave it a Reading Rating of “3” because of its occasional use of unusual and technical terms, but to me it was well worth delving into a dictionary. It seems the reason for using this unusual vocabulary is that the words are chosen with extreme care in order to convey the precise meaning of each phrase.

Enough gushing. Just get it! JEP

Examples

Example 1 - Matthew 12:46

He was still speaking to the crowds when suddenly his mother and his brothers^o were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him.

o. Not necessarily Mary’s children but possibly near relations, cousins perhaps, which both Hebr. and Aramaic style ‘brothers’, see Gn 13:8; 14:16; 29:15; Lv 10:4; 1 Ch 23:22seq.

Example 2 - Introduction to the Prophets, Section 9 (Isaiah)

The book has, however, received even weightier additions. On linguistic grounds alone, ch. 40-55 cannot be the work of the prophet of the eighth century. Not only is his name never mentioned in this section, but the historical setting is about two centuries later: Jerusalem has been captured, the people are captives in Babylon, Cyrus has already made his appearance and is about to be the instrument of their deliverance.

Example 3 - Hebrews 11:1

Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of realities that are unseen.

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This on-line version seems to be the Reader’s Edition, complete with introductions and footnotes! Unfortunately, many of the books are unavailable, and some that are present are from the RSV.

Articles

Editions

Recommendation:

The Regular Edition has a binding which tends to lose its cover with excessive use. Nevertheless, this edition is the only one available with complete chapter intros and footnotes, and I recommend it above any other bible version or edition. I recommend the Reader’s Edition for reading-not-studying.

I am unaware of the specific contents of the Saint’s Devotional Edition and the Gift Edition. If someone knows whether the complete text of the footnotes and introductions are included with these editions, please e-mail me.