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

“ Come and See ~ Catholic Bible Study: GENESIS ” presents the 50 chapters of Genesis in a 22 chapter format as the second in the series following the study of John. The intriguing adult commentary offers a view of creation with respect to natural science, biological science, geology and anthropology. Pope Benedict XVI’s writings augment the commentaries. About the Series: …

Now Available! DVDs to compliment the “Come and See” Bible study series. These videos present material that expands upon the text and provides important background information. Each presentation contains artwork, maps, and photographs that are not available in the books. These images bring the commentary to life and enhance the students’ understanding and appreciation of …

Now Available! DVDs to compliment the “Come and See” Bible study series. These videos present material that expands upon the text and provides important background information. Each presentation contains artwork, maps, and photographs that are not available in the books. These images bring the commentary to life and enhance the students’ understanding and appreciation of …

Now Available! DVDs to compliment the “Come and See” Bible study series. These videos present material that expands upon the text and provides important background information. Each presentation contains artwork, maps, and photographs that are not available in the books. These images bring the commentary to life and enhance the students’ understanding and appreciation of the …

The third installment in the “Come and See” Catholic Bible Study Series, The Synoptics invites you on a journey through the Holy Land and the Gospel texts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Drawing insights from biblical archeology and the writings of the early Church Fathers, this study compares parallel passages from the three Synoptic Gospels to construct a vivid picture of the life …

The third installment in the “Come and See” Catholic Bible Study Series, The Synoptics invites you on a journey through the Holy Land and the Gospel texts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Drawing insights from biblical archeology and the writings of the early Church Fathers, this study compares parallel passages from the three Synoptic Gospels to construct a vivid picture of the life …

Is there a book of the Bible more often discussed and yet less understood than the Book of Revelation? The “seven seals.” The “dragon.” The “beast.” The “sea of glass.” The fantastic imagery found in the Book of Revelation has long captivated Christians but remains mysterious to many. In the midst of so much discussion about the end times, what does Revelation teach us about living in the …

Commentary on the Book of Psalms by St. Robert Bellarmine After being called to the Cardinalate by Pope Clement VIII, Robert Bellarmine, one of only two Jesuit Doctors of the Church, found need for a reprieve from what were often tiresome temporal duties. Therefore, to exhaust his intellectual and devotional energies in writing, he prepared for posterity his very own commentary on each of the …

Hebrew (Masoretic Text) · Revised Standard Version Bible · The New English Translation of the Septuagint · Greek (Septuagint) The Book of Psalms has occupied a central place in Jewish and Christian worship for millennia. This authoritative volume brings together the Psalms in a quartet of versions that is certain to be an invaluable resource for students of this core book …

  "Priests have long been hoping for a Catholic Concordance. Here is one-and a good one." Ecclesiastical Review, 1942   "For many years there has been a wide, urgent demand for an English work ... which provides the reader with every passage of the Bible containing a given word. But the labor involved is so nearly prohibitive that the demand has remained unsatisfied …

The Navarre Bible , an edition of Sacred Scripture prepared by members of the Faculty of Theology of Navarre University, consists of the New Vulgate, the Revised Standard Version, and commentaries. The commentaries provide explanations of the doctrinal and practical meaning of the scriptural text, drawing on a rich variety of sources-Church documents, the exegesis of Fathers and Doctors, and …

Stacy Mitch "Finally, a Bible study for women that draws upon the richness of our Catholic tradition!  This study promotes an authentic Christian feminism by calling women to holiness in all walks of life." - Mary Cunningham Agee , Executive Director, The Nurturing Network Having been in a number of prayer groups over the years, I can readily see how very helpful this Bible …

Stacy Mitch Courageous Virtue, the second bible study of Stacy Mitch's popular Courageous series, offers practical ways to grow in Christian virtue. Questions throughout each chapter offer material for discussion and new insights. Those who seek God's grace to grow in faith, hope, and love will find this book an inspirational guide. Imprimatur: Gilbert Sheldon, D.D., D. Min., Bishop of …

Courageous Women, a Bible study by Stacy Mitch, will help you see the women of the Bible as elder sisters in faith. As Stacy unfolds the stories of these heroic women through insightful reflections and questions, you will understand salvation history more deeply, be challenged to grow in godliness, and discover that the struggles these women faced are strikingly similar to those we face today. …

"A superb introduction to the way in which the theology of Pope Benedict XVI has been shaped by the Bible. Hahn's crisp and clear analysis puts the reader at the very center of this remarkable pope's thought."--Gary Anderson, University of Notre Dame Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's election as Pope Benedict XVI brought a world-class biblical theologian to the papacy. There is an …

Adrienne von Speyr A profound contemplation of the Seven Last Words of Our Lord on the Cross with specific application to the Seven Sacraments instituted by Christ.

Edward Sri Perhaps the story of Christ's birth has become almost too familiar.  We've heard the story so many times that it fails to shock us: the appearances of the angel, a virgin giving birth, a child placed in a manger, the arrival of shepherds and magi. Today's reader, unfamiliar with the ancient Jewish world, misses the significance of many details in the Gospel accounts of the …