New American Bible Revised Edition
New American Bible Revised Edition | |
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dynamic equivalence. | |
Reading level | High School |
Copyright | Confraternity of Christian Doctrine |
Webpage | bible |
In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth—and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters— Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. |
The New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) is an English-language Catholic translation of the Bible, the first major update in 20 years to the New American Bible (NAB),[4] which was translated by members of the Catholic Biblical Association and originally published in 1970.[5] Released on March 9, 2011, the NABRE consists of the 1986 revision of the NAB New Testament with a fully revised Old Testament approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2010.[4]
The NABRE is approved for
Background
The first edition of the New American Bible was published in 1970.[5] The New Testament had been updated in 1986, and the Psalms in 1991,[9] but the rest of the Old Testament had not been revised. In August 1990, the Catholic Biblical Association passed a resolution urging revision of the remainder of the Old Testament.[10]
In a press statement, the
- Aims to utilize modern scholastic advances in biblical study and adapt to changes in linguistics in order to render a more accurate translation in contemporary English.
- Takes advantage of recently discovered ancient manuscripts like the Dead Sea Scrolls which provide better access to the historical textual tradition.
- Uses the best manuscript-translating traditions available in order to translate more literally and accurately than previous translations.
The press statement said that the New American Bible Revised Edition would in many ways be a more literal translation than the original New American Bible.[4]
Translation history
This revision was begun in 1994 by scholars of the Catholic Biblical Association, and was completed in 2002.
Psalms
The 1991 NAB Psalter had initially been approved for liturgical use by the Vatican in 1992, but this approval was revoked in 1994, after changes to the policy regarding inclusive language.[9] In April 2002, Father Joseph Jensen, one of the leading translators of that Psalter, announced a plan to revise it.[11] This revision was completed in June 2003.[10] Following further revisions, this new Psalter was approved by the USCCB in 2010.[12]
Changes to the Old Testament
Vocabulary
One of the more important changes found in the New American Bible Revised Edition is the substitution of various words and phrases for language which carries a modern connotation which is quite different from the original suggested meanings. Examples include changing "cereal" to "grain" and "booty" to "plunder."[12]
Similarly, "holocaust" has been changed to "burnt offering". The word "holocaust" in modern English has become used almost exclusively to refer to the genocide of the Jewish people during World War II. In order to capture the biblical meaning, the translators chose the phrase "burnt offering" to replace "holocaust" throughout the text in reference to sacrifices made to God.[12]
Gender-neutral language
Vatican norms for translation of the Bible direct that "[t]he translation of scripture should faithfully reflect the Word of God in the original human languages, without 'correction' or 'improvement' in service of modern sensitivities".[13] The NABRE tried to use inclusive language while still following the Vatican's guidelines for translation. However, accuracy was a greater concern than inclusivity. Robert Miller II, who helped translate the Psalms, said that while there was not as much inclusive language in the new translation, this did not come from an attempt to "backtrack on the use of inclusive language" but rather "to use language as close as possible to the Hebrew."[14] While the NABRE does use some horizontal inclusive language (referring to people), it does not contain vertical inclusive language (referring to God),[15] which is prohibited by the USCCB.[16]
Sample changes
New American Bible | New American Bible Revised Edition |
---|---|
Leviticus 2:1
"When anyone wishes to bring a cereal offering to the LORD, his offering must consist of fine flour." |
Leviticus 2:1
"When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, the offering must consist of bran flour." |
Isaiah 49:24
"Thus says the LORD: Can booty be taken from a warrior?" |
Isaiah 49:24
"Can plunder be taken from a warrior [?]" |
Joel 3:1-5
Then afterward I will pour out my spirit upon all mankind. |
Joel 3:1-5
It shall come to pass |
Sirach 51:1-4a
I give you thanks, O God of my father; |
Sirach 51: 1-4a
I give you thanks, Lord and King, |
Completion and use
In January 2011, the
The release garnered widespread press coverage by national news sources such as NPR[17] and USA Today.[18]
Future editions
In 2012, the
See also
- Catholic Bible
- Douay–Rheims Bible
- Divino afflante Spiritu
- Liturgiam authenticam
- International Commission on English in the Liturgy
References
- ^ a b "Preface to the Revised New American Bible Old Testament". 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
Where the Old Testament translation supposes the received text—Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, as the case may be—ordinarily contained in the best-known editions, as the original or the oldest extant form, no additional remarks are necessary. Where the translators have departed from those received texts, e.g., by following the Septuagint rather than the Masoretic text, accepting a reading of what is judged to be a better textual tradition, as from a Qumran manuscript, or by emending a reading apparently corrupted in transmission, such changes are recorded in the revised edition of the Textual Notes on the New American Bible.
- ^ "Preface to the Revised New American Bible Old Testament". 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- JSTOR 43718069.
- ^ USCCB Office of Media Relations. 6 January 2011. Archived from the originalon 8 January 2011.
- ^ a b Maher, John (1970-08-24). "Publication of New Bible Translation Announced". Catholic News Service. pp. 18–20. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ "Approved Translations of the Bible". USCCB. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ^ "Liturgy: Questions about the Scriptures used during Mass". USCCB.
- ^ a b Bauman, Michelle. "New American Bible to be revised into single translation". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ a b c Filteau, Jerry (17 August 2010). "New American bible: a brief chronology". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ a b c "Chronology for the New Revision of New American Bible Old Testament". cba.cua.edu. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
- ^ Hitchcock, Helen Hull (May 2002). "US Scholars Resuscitate Rejected Psalms". Adoremus. Archived from the original on 25 October 2005. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ a b c Zapor, Patricia. "Revised Bible provides 'more clarity, more detail' for today's Catholic". Catholicnews.com. Archived from the original on 2011-02-02. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
- ^ "Vatican Translation Norms Reject "Inclusive Language"". 1997-07-15.
- ^ Hays, Charlotte (18 March 2011). "Bible Gets Linguistic Makeover". National Catholic Register. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Witherup, Donald (2016). ""Biblical Translation and Pastoral interpretation"". In Senior, Donald (ed.). The Catholic Study Bible. New York City: Oxford University Press. p. RG 95.
- ^ United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Committee on Doctrine, "Response to Observations by Sr. Elizabeth A. Johnson, C.S.J., Regarding the Committee on Doctrine's Statement about the Book 'Quest for the Living God'" (October 11, 2011), p. 4
- ^ Weekend Edition Sunday (2011-03-06). "U.S. Catholic Church Rolls Out New Bible Translation". NPR. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
- ^ Grossman, Cathy Lynn. "Bishops boot 'booty' from revised Bible". USA Today.
- ^ "NAB New Testament Revision Project". Catholic Biblical Association of America. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
External links