Hello all,
It is time now for me to get a new Bible. I have only the NAB that was given to me by the Roman Catholic Church (it is the version used by English-speaking Catholics in the USA) and my mother's old NIV Bible, which I have never used but keep because it was her most cherished personal possession.
I have been told that the only English translation that is officially sanctioned by the Coptic Orthodox Church is the NKJV. Is this true? How are the "apocryphal" books handled, then? Are they included in the NKJV somewhere? I had been told that they are not, but I don't own it, so I don't know.
If this is true, I will buy one as soon as I can. But it also confuses me, because so many Coptic Orthodox websites I have seen also sell the "Orthodox Study Bible". Is this also acceptable? Is one preferred over the other?
Also, I have been told by some EO friends that the Orthodox Study Bible has some problems, mostly in the footnotes that are in some places a little questionable. I don't know why that is, but those who don't like it have recommended to me the RSV ("Common Bible" with apocrypha, published by Collins). Do any of you have experience with the RSV? Is it acceptable? Would it be acceptable or helpful to perhaps buy a few Bibles -- the NKJV (as it is in common use), and perhaps also the RSV or OSB for comparative or other purposes?
Finally, what do I do with the old NAB that was given to me by the RCC? I don't really want to keep it, as I've never liked it to begin with (no, not even when I was RC), but I don't know what to do with it. Do I give to charity? Do I keep it anyway even though it is not reliable or helpful to me?
Thank you and God bless you for any help. Please pray for me, a sinner.
Comments
there will probably be a better one coming out in the next few years, but don't wait.
as for the other Bible, you could donate it to a church, hospital, hotel, homeless shelter etc. it's better to have a slightly inaccurate translation than none at all.
While the Orthodox study bible is a very good translation (at least in my eyes) and it has some very valuable commentaries, it makes it difficult to have a bible study of some books. The problem is that they used different sources when prparing books like proverbs and the book of Jeremiah. Their are a lot of parts that are placed differently within books then they are in other bibles, so if you are the person who likes to have group bible studies, and is itending to use your bible for such meeting, i would not go with the orthodox study bible.
Im not of much help as to hwat to buy, i personally would not buy the orthodox study bible if you meet the above conditions. Other than that, its a great bible.
ReturnOrthodoxy
God Bless
It would be a good idea for all members of a Church Bible Study to be encouraged to use the Orthodox Study Bible, or other Orthodox Bible rather than a protestant one.
Father Peter
If I understand correctly, the OSB is NKJV so there would no point in buying both because they're the same. Is that right? The OSB is essentially the NKJV plus the apocrypha, with (generally) Orthodox footnotes? If that's the case, I suppose I could just buy that.
If I were to buy the OSB and show up to liturgy or Bible study and find everyone using the NKJV, would I be able to follow along? (I'm thinking of possible problems in such a situation like ordering of the books, pagination issues, etc.)
Also, is there anything that might be objectionable in the OSB from a non-Chalcedonian standpoint? I was listening to Fr. Thomas Hopko's podcast on Bible translations last night (he recommends the RSV) and he mentioned the fact that Roman Catholic bibles have a very "Catholic" slant to them. Since the OSB was prepared (I think) for Eastern Orthodox, not necessarily Oriental Orthodox, I worry about getting into a similar situation. I know that the faith shared by the OO and EO is much more substantial than whatever is shared between RCs and Orthodox of either position, but I just don't want to be nudged away from my path in the process of trying to follow it more closely.
Sorry for all these questions! I figure this is an important enough issue that I should ask everything I can think of before I make a decision. Thanks again for all of your help.
The OSB uses the NKJV for the new testament and the Septuagint for the Old Testament. In the Septuagint the Chapters are sometimes arranged differently than in Hebrew manuscripts and some verses present in Hebrew aren't there in the Septuagint (Greek) and vice versa.
On the most part you would be able to follow along, but there is always some points where a verse isn't in the Hebrew and then the whole numbering for the Chapter is different. Also in the Psalms all of the verse numberings are 1 higher, because they include the introduction line (like: "A Psalm of David" or "A Psalm of the Sons of Korah"). On the most part, it is quite easy to follow along as you can usually use common sense to figure out which verses correspond to which.
[quote author=dzheremi link=topic=11235.msg135755#msg135755 date=1302464674]
Also, is there anything that might be objectionable in the OSB from a non-Chalcedonian standpoint? I was listening to Fr. Thomas Hopko's podcast on Bible translations last night (he recommends the RSV) and he mentioned the fact that Roman Catholic bibles have a very "Catholic" slant to them. Since the OSB was prepared (I think) for Eastern Orthodox, not necessarily Oriental Orthodox, I worry about getting into a similar situation. I know that the faith shared by the OO and EO is much more substantial than whatever is shared between RCs and Orthodox of either position, but I just don't want to be nudged away from my path in the process of trying to follow it more closely.
I don't think that is a problem at all. Other than references to the two natures of Christ (which I would say is ambiguous terminology, but not necessarily wrong) there is little that can be objectionable. There are certain footnotes (which are very few: maybe 2 or 3) that may be debatable (about the antichrist and the abomination of desolation) but other than that I haven't found anything.
Overall having used the NKJV and the OSB, I'd highly recommended the OSB.
I am using the NKJV, but I also use a variety of translations and commentaries to get a broader patristic understanding of a passage if I am studying it with others in a Bible Study. Sometimes I will use the Greek versions, when using the Old Testament I will turn to the new LXX versions in English.
I think that the OSB is good enough until and if an authoritative OO study Bible is produced. I would say that we probably don't know the Bible well enough in ANY version and so ANY version is generally fine, except for very protestant versions and paraphases which lose too much of the meaning and present a particular non-Orthodox view point. If we all knew the Bible very well then perhaps it would be more reasonable for us to worry too much about generally equivalent translations.
I say this to myself.
which one would you guys recommend out of those two?
There is not one study Bible out there that will suffice. If you are looking for historical, geographical, archeological, .. perspective then I recomment the Nelson NKJ is an excellent resource. The caveat is that it has some protestant views like (the angels marrying human girls in Noah's story and St Mary is not an ever virgin)
If you are looking for an Orthodox spiritual Bible strudy, then the Orthodox Septuagint is good except it leans toward the Eastern dogma concerning Christology and the mention of the seven ecumenical councils
Thanks.
http://www.orthodoxanswers.org/eob/ vs the OSB
which one would you guys recommend out of those two?
Right now the Eastern Orthodox Bible only has the new testament so it isn't really a full Bible yet.
Thanks
http://www.amazon.com/Nelsons-Study-Bible-Thomas-Nelson/dp/0718014154
there are many translations out there for everyone to receive the word of God in every language... there is the same thing through the quran, and even the Torah... but for Christianity and Judaism there is a manuscript, where we can find our exact original writings and teachings.... but if you go to Islam they found the manuscript on potato sacks, in Yemen, but when they did the tests, they dated it for before Mohammad by 100-200 years, and it had previous writing and the quran was written after that... not only that but the "original" quran has not "tashkeel" or accent marks, which will give to each word about thirty meanings. so its way different.
now I have a question for you, who appeared on our church? saint mary, right? she appeared on a church which has this bible with the so many translation, so she agrees with it, and she's a worshiper of God, and Christianity... now, you tell me which other place of worship can have such an evidence that is seen by all faiths no matter what they are?!
neshkor Allah, akhadna el baraka
Orthodox Study Bible... but be careful of the footnotes...
there are many translations out there for everyone to receive the word of God in every language... there is the same thing through the quran, and even the Torah... but for Christianity and Judaism there is a manuscript, where we can find our exact original writings and teachings.... but if you go to Islam they found the manuscript on potato sacks, in Yemen, but when they did the tests, they dated it for before Mohammad by 100-200 years, and it had previous writing and the quran was written after that... not only that but the "original" quran has not "tashkeel" or accent marks, which will give to each word about thirty meanings. so its way different.
now I have a question for you, who appeared on our church? saint mary, right? she appeared on a church which has this bible with the so many translation, so she agrees with it, and she's a worshiper of God, and Christianity... now, you tell me which other place of worship can have such an evidence that is seen by all faiths no matter what they are?!
neshkor Allah, akhadna el baraka
I understand what you are trying to say.The problem is how do you make others understand, unless they are christians like you? I know that St Mary appears,but others dismiss it.I know that our bible is inerrant and inspired,but others speak of corruption and interpolation.I actually do not care what the muslims think about us or the bible ,but I have friends who throw such accusations at me.It is them I want to win back into the churchs fold. Thanks for your contribution.
if you get into discussion with people about the validity of the bible... they will 80% take you to their side... and 100% will not listen, my advice to you is study your bible to the fullest, and grow your friendship with God, my beloved, Peter ran away from God and denied Him, but when He was strengthened by the Holy Spirit He won 3000 people in one sermon.
study your bible and live close to God... and when someone tells you there is somethings taken out, and put in... show them why, and what happened... I speak to people of different faith including atheists on a daily basis, and believe me, when I was not ready it HURT me severely... and I can never say I am ready, but they teach me so much, by the things they say, and I go research it right away.
also remember Saint Mary appears and is videotaped... no atheist can give you an answer to how that happened, how can birds shape the sign of the cross... they disagree or dismiss it... show them the vidoes, the pictures.
neshkor Allah Akhadna el baraka.
God Bless