It follows a similar plan-daily readings from the Old Testament, Wisdom Literature, and New Testament, arranged sequentially so you don’t have to flip around-followed by a short reflection.įinally, there’s the Catholic One Year Biblewhich uses the Catholic Living Bible translation, a less-then-literal translation but one that many readers find breezier and more accessible.
Or there’s the Bible in a Year, recently published by the Augustine Institute. The best part is that the readings are all grouped together sequentially so you don’t have to flip back and forth each day between the Old and New Testaments. It features two small readings for each day, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament, along with an insightful quote from a saint. For instance, there’s the My Daily Catholic Bible (NAB) which divides all of Scripture into 365 segments, one for each day of the year. It’s a trusted version preferred by many traditionalist Catholics, but while some readers find the language elegant, others find it a bit turgid, especially for daily reading.īeside just buying a standard Bible, you might make things easier on yourself with a study Bible that is specifically designed for a one-year reading plan. Douay-Rheims Version (DR) – This was the standard Bible for English-speaking Catholics from 1609 until the twentieth century.It tones down some of the more formal “thees/thous,” which some people find off-putting, however it also contains gender-inclusive language, changing “brothers” to either “friends” or “brothers and sisters.” The vertical language is fine, as God is never referred to with feminine or gender-neutral pronouns, but the horizontal language has been adjusted so if that bothers you, you might want a different translation.( New Revised Standard Version (NRSV-CE) – This is a solid, very readable translation and the first one I usually recommend to people new to the Bible.But if you want to sync your reading to the liturgy, this is your best choice. New American Bible – Revised Edition (NAB-RE) – This is the Bible translation used at Mass, so you’ll read the same phraseology as heard in the liturgy, but it does contain some questionably translated passages and some dubious footnotes.
Protestant translations such as the New International Version (NIV), the English Standard Version (ESV), and the King James Version (KJV) do not contain the seven deuterocanonical books that the Catholic Church accepts as Sacred Scripture. There are a few things to keep in mind with translations.