The Major Catholic Bible Translations Compared

If you are shopping for a Catholic Bible, you already know that it must contain 73 books, incorporating the seven Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament (such as Tobit, Judith, and Maccabees) that are absent from Protestant editions. You also know to look for the Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat on the copyright page, certifying the translation is approved by the Church.

However, once those criteria are met, you are still faced with a complex choice. Unlike Protestant denominations, which often standardise around a single translation like the NIV or ESV, the Catholic world utilises several highly distinct, approved translations.

To help you make an informed choice, this guide compares the major Catholic translations side-by-side, evaluating their textual foundations, translation philosophies, and practical applications.

The Catholic Translation Comparison Chart

To understand where each Bible sits, we must evaluate them along the translation spectrum, ranging from Formal Equivalence (strict word-for-word accuracy) to Dynamic Equivalence (thought-for-thought readability).

Deep Dive: The Major Translations

1. The Academic Standard: RSV-CE & RSV-2CE

The Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (and its modern update, the Second Catholic Edition) is widely considered the gold standard for English Catholic scholarship.

• The Philosophy: Formal Equivalence (Word-for-Word). It translates the original Hebrew and Greek sentence structures very literally.
• The Background: Originally a Protestant translation, the Catholic Church worked with the editors to adjust a small handful of New Testament passages to align with Catholic dogmatic tradition (for example, translating Luke 1:28 as "Hail, full of grace" rather than "Hail, favoured one"). The RSV-2CE (published by Ignatius Press) updated the text further by removing archaic pronouns ("thee/thou") when addressing God.
• Best For: Serious study, theological writing, and reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church (which heavily quotes the RSV-CE).
• Shop RSV-CE & RSV-2CE Bibles →

2. The New Liturgical Standard: ESV-CE

The English Standard Version, Catholic Edition is one of the most rapidly growing translations in the Catholic world, particularly in the UK.

• The Philosophy: Formal Equivalence (Essentially Literal). It is highly precise, making it excellent for tracing theological arguments across chapters.
• The Liturgical Status: This translation is of vital importance for UK Catholics. The Bishops' Conferences of England, Wales, and Scotland officially selected the ESV-CE (paired with the Abbey Psalms) as the text for the new Lectionary. If you attend Mass in the UK, this is the exact text you will hear read from the pulpit.
• Best For: Parishioners who want their daily personal study Bible to perfectly match the readings they hear at Mass on Sunday mornings.
• Shop ESV-CE Bibles →

3. The Scholarly & Ecumenical Standard: NRSV-CE & NRSVue

The New Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition) is highly favoured in academic circles.

• The Philosophy: Formal Equivalence, with a strong emphasis on "gender-accurate" language. It translates word-for-word but replaces masculine collective terms with gender-neutral equivalents when the original Greek or Hebrew text clearly refers to both men and women (e.g., translating adelphoi as "brothers and sisters" instead of simply "brothers").
• The Liturgical Status: It is authorised for liturgical use in the Catholic Church in Canada.
• Best For: University students, seminarians, and ecumenical study groups who want a translation representing the consensus of modern, cross-denominational biblical scholarship.
• Shop NRSV-CE Bibles →

4. The Literary Masterpiece: The Jerusalem Bible (JB) & RNJB

Originally published in 1966, the Jerusalem Bible is famous for its highly poetic, engaging literary style.

• The Philosophy: Dynamic Equivalence (Thought-for-Thought). The translators prioritised the beauty, flow, and dramatic impact of the English language.
• The Background: The translation was heavily influenced by the groundbreaking work of the French Dominican biblical school in Jerusalem (L'École Biblique). The famous British author J.R.R. Tolkien was actually one of the primary stylists and translators for this project, translating the Book of Jonah! The Revised New Jerusalem Bible (RNJB) is a modern update that moves the text closer to formal equivalence while keeping the poetic flow.
• Best For: Reading aloud, personal devotion, and enjoying the Bible as a sweeping narrative rather than an academic textbook.
• Shop Jerusalem & RNJB Bibles →

5. The American Liturgical Standard: NABRE

The New American Bible, Revised Edition is the standard Bible of the Catholic Church in the United States.

• The Philosophy: A unique hybrid. The Old Testament was translated in 2011 using strict formal equivalence, while the New Testament leans slightly more dynamic to ensure ease of reading.
• The Background: This is the base translation used for the Liturgy of the Word in US parishes. It is highly valued for its incredibly extensive, historical-critical study notes. Almost every page of an NABRE is split 50/50 between the biblical text and scholarly commentary.
• Best For: Readers in the US who want to prepare for Sunday Mass, and beginners who need extensive explanatory notes to understand the historical context.
• Shop NABRE Bibles →

6. The Historic Classic: Douay-Rheims (Challoner)

For over 300 years, the Douay-Rheims was the only English Bible authorised for Catholic use.

• The Philosophy: Strict Word-for-Word.
• The Background: Unlike modern translations which are translated directly from Greek and Hebrew, the Douay-Rheims was translated in the late 1500s directly from St. Jerome’s Latin Vulgate (dating back to the 4th century). It was revised in the 1700s by Bishop Richard Challoner, who updated the vocabulary to align closely with the majestic, poetic phrasing of the King James Version.
• Best For: Latin Mass attendees, traditionalists, and those who appreciate the historic, high-church language of traditional English liturgy.
• Shop Douay-Rheims Bibles →

The Verdict: Choose a Catholic Bible for How You Read

• If you want a precise study tool: Buy the RSV-2CE.
• If you want to follow along with the new UK Lectionary: Buy the[ESV-CE.
• If you want a highly readable, classic narrative: Buy the [Jerusalem Bible or the RNJB.
• If you are studying theology in an academic setting: Buy the NRSV-CE or the updated NRSVue.

Explore our full curated collection of Catholic Bibles at Eden.co.uk

If you aren’t sure which Bible to get, there are a few ways we can help.

1. Try the Bible Finder: We’ve put together a simple way to filter down to the perfect Bible for you. Just choose a translation, pick the features you want and select a comfortable text size. You can try the Bible Finder here.
2. Read more from the Blog: We are always adding new guides, insights and articles that explore ways of understanding the different Bibles available today, as well as how to make your decision. Read our Bible posts today
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