All Bibles are not the same. The Catholic Bible contains seven books of the Old Testament which are not found in Protestant Bibles. These books include:

• Judith
• Wisdom
• Tobit
• Sirach
• Baruch
• 1 and 2 Macabees
• Portions of Esther
• Portions of Daniel

These books are sometimes referred to as the "Apocrypha" by Protestants or the "Deuterocanonical" books meaning "also canonical" by Catholics.

Bible History

During the early centuries of the Church there was plenty of debate and discussion about which books actually were authentic and inspired Sacred Scripture. The early Church councils of Hippo (393) and of Carthage (397) both declared that the books currently contained in the Catholic Bible (the canon of Sacred Scripture) were the inspired Word of God and belonged in the Bible.

During the Reformation, Martin Luther and other Protestant leaders removed these books from the Bible. Luther even argued that the Letter of St. James and the Book of Revelation (The Apocalypse) should be removed from the Bible! The Council of Trent in 1546 reaffirmed what the councils of Hippo and Carthage had proclaimed over 1000 years earlier: that the texts found in the Catholic Bible are all the authentic Word of God and comprise the complete canon of Sacred Scripture.

Catholic Bible Translations

There are several different English translations available for the Catholic Bible. The primary ones include:

• Douay Rheims - This is the oldest English translation available and is frequently compared with the King James version because of its use of "Thee", "Thou" and other older forms of words. This translation is considered highly accurate but can be more difficult to read for some people.
• Revised Standard (RSV) - This was a joint translation project between American Protestants and Catholics with the Catholic Church completing the translation of the Apocrypha. This translation is considered the most accurate modern translation but still contains "Thee" and "Thou" when referring to God. This translation along with the New American Bible was approved for liturgical use in the United States.
• Revised Standard 2nd Edition - This version is almost identical to the regular Revised Standard but updates the language by getting rid of "Thee" and "Thou".
• New American Bible (NAB) - This version is the most common American translation. It was written for an eighth grade reading level and contains the most "modern" language of the primary Catholic translations. The New American Bible is available in more versions than any other Catholic Bible.
• Jerusalem Bible - The Jerusalem Bible, completed in 1966, is very similar to

St. Matthew wrote his Gospel from his perspective as a Jew. It is with sensitivity to this perspective that Father Harrington undertakes this commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. After an introduction, he provides a literal translation of each section in Matthew's Gospel and explains the textual problems, philological difficulties, and other matters in the notes. He then presents a literary …

The Catholic Apologetic Study Bible - The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Vol.1 Robert A. Sungenis The Catholic Apologetic Study Bible - The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Vol.1, provides detailed commentary on selected biblical passages, expounding and defending Catholic doctrine from Scripture by using accepted principles of biblical exegesis. In addition, the CASB provides the reader …

A simple introduction to the background and meaning of the Gospels. Energize and enhance your personal or group Bible study as you learn the cultural and theological background of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, guided by Father Jude’s pastoral and informative text and pertinent chapter questions.  

The second in a series of Bible studies based on Proverbs 31, Graced and Gifted offers tools to help you create a home that will be a place of beauty and peace where the needs of your loved ones are met. Applying Sacred Scripture, Church teaching and pastoral wisdom, Kimberly Hahn helps you explore: Time management The art of homemaking, from creating a pleasant environment to clutter …

Jeff Cavins Jeff Cavins masterful system for untangling the complex Biblical narrative by empowering you to grasp the "big picture" of Scripture.  Includes Bible Timeline, ingenious mnemonic wristband and much more! This program features one of the most masterful blueprints of the Bible today, perhaps in over 5000 years.  The Great Adventure, created by Jeff Cavins, …

Now you can have Jeff Cavins as your personal Bible teacher in this one-of-a-kind video series. Filmed this year at a dynamic parish outside St. Paul, Minnesota, this video series offers a compelling overview of God’s plan of salvation. Beginning with the first talk, you will discover how the Bible timeline system Jeff developed unlocks many of the questions we all have about the people, …

Now you can have Jeff Cavins as your personal Bible teacher in this one-of-a-kind video series. Filmed this year at a dynamic parish outside St. Paul, Minnesota, this video series offers a compelling overview of God’s plan of salvation. Beginning with the first talk, you will discover how the Bible timeline system Jeff developed unlocks many of the questions we all have about the people, …

This handy plastic bookmark gives a historical overview of the entire Bible and color-codes the different sections of the Bible. It also lists which books of the Bible relate each time period and the dates the time period covers. Finally, it gives a color-related memory tip to help you remember the proper order of the books and what the books talk about. A great resource for Bible study groups.

Great Adventure Bible Indexing Tab These tabs for every book of the Bible are color-coded for use with the Great Adventure Bible study program.

The Great Adventure Bible Timeline Chart This exciting new product is a 33” long fold-out chart that provides a full-color overview of God’s plan of salvation, including the key people, places, and events of the Bible. Get the “big picture” of salvation history at a glance! Track the growth of God's family from creation to the establishment of the Church. Discover which …

The Bible Timeline provides a clear understanding of the underlying Scriptural narrative, which is essential to all Bible reading and study. The 24-part Bible Timeline Bible Study dives deep into the Biblical story. A combination of individual reading and study, group discussion, and lecture commentary guides participants as they read through the 14 narrative books of The Bible Timeline and …

The five items included in this educational package (Chart, Game Set, Bible Story Coloring Book, Bookmark, and Prayer Beads) are based on the color-coded system of the Great Adventure and will aid in teaching children the narrative story of salvation history. Through play, memorization, prayer, and interaction, these learning tools bring familiar Bible stories into a system where children can …

The Great Adventure Kids Bible Card Game Set is a fun-filled and beautifully illustrated system designed to teach children as young as three the “big picture” of salvation history. Kids young and old – and adults, too – will have fun while learning the story of the Bible. Instructions for five games are included, from the easier “Go Fish” and …

This 10” x 13” Bible Story Coloring Book includes 49 pages of illustrated Bible stories. There are four coloring pages from each of the 12 periods of Bible history. A brief summary of each period is included, as well as Bible stories that bring the Scriptures to life for your children. This Bible Story Coloring Book is designed to help you teach your children the story of salvation …

The Great Adventure Kids Bible Timeline Chart is a color-coded accordion-style folding chart that details the 12 periods of Bible history. With its vibrant colors and kid-friendly illustrations, the Kids Bible Timeline Chart shows children the chronology of the Bible in a way they’re sure to remember. This double-sided resource has on the back important maps, prayers, an explanation of …

The color-coded bookmark is a scaled-down version of The Great Adventure Bible Timeline Chart for easy reference. Not only can children use it to mark their spot while reading, they can reference the symbols on the card to know what period of salvation history they are reading from.

A great help to remembering the 12 historical time periods that make up the Great Adventure Bible Timeline System.

The Seminar Pack is intended for use by those attending one of the Great Adventure Bible Timeline Seminar programs.  The pack includes the 33” full-color chart, the Bible Timeline seminar workbook, the full-color bookmark, and a memory bead wristband.  These materials are essential tools you will use as you embark on the Great Adventure.  They serve as useful aids as you …

The Starter Pack with Audio includes the 33” full-color chart, the full-color bookmark, memory bead wristband, study helps/reading plan, and a one-hour overview talk Taking the Great Adventure.  In this talk, Jeff Cavins, Tim Gray and Sarah Christmyer guide you through the “ins and outs” of the color-coded timeline chart and offer you a compelling a glimpse in the …