The Catholic Message Board

The NABRE is being revised again, this time focusing on the New Testament, with the notes fully revised. There were also changes; we won't know how much the OT and OT notes have been revised until it is published in February.

The Bible is being rebranded for the first time in 56 years as the Catholic American Bib the original 1970 edition was called the "New American Bible" no doubt for several reasons, but clearly one of the reasons was to downplay the Catholic nature in the hopes it might prove popular with non-Catholics. So the fact that the word "Catholic" is in the title indicates an end to that.

Now, very little is known about the revisions, but selections of the new edition of The Liturgy of the Hours that use the CAB have been released, and someone has compiled all the selections and compared them to the 1986 NT in the NABRE I think everyone can agree that the rendering in the CAB is a significant improvement.



Acts 11:1-5a


CAB Now the apostles and the brothers and sisters who were in Judea heard that the gentiles also had received the word of God.

NAB Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God.


CAB So when Peter went up to Jerusalem the circumcision faction confronted him,

NAB So when Peter went up to Jerusalem the circumcised believers confronted him,


CAB saying, “You entered the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

NAB saying, “You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them.”


CAB Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,

NAB Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,


CAB “I was at prayer in the city of Joppa, and while in ecstasy...”

NAB “I was at prayer in the city of Joppa when in a trance...”


Romans 8:37-39


CAB No, in all these things we are supremely victorious, through the one who loved us.

NAB No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.


CAB For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels, nor principalities, neither what is present nor what is to come, neither powers,

NAB For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers,


CAB nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord

NAB nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.


1 Corinthians 15:3-5, 8


CAB I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures;

NAB For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures;


CAB that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures;

NAB that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures;


CAB that he appeared to Kephas, then to the Twelve.

NAB that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.


CAB Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me.

NAB Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me.


2 Corinthians 5:6-8


CAB Therefore, we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,

NAB So we are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,


CAB for we walk by faith, not by sight.

NAB for we walk by faith, not by sight.


CAB Yet we are confident, and we would rather be away from the body and go home to the Lord.

NAB Yet we are courageous, and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.


Philippians 2:12b-15a


CAB Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

NAB Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.


CAB For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good purpose.

NAB For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work.


CAB Do everything without grumbling or arguing,

NAB Do everything without grumbling or questioning,


CAB that you may be blameless and pure, children of God.

NAB that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God


1 Thessalonians 5:23-24


CAB May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

NAB May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.


CAB The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.

NAB The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.


1 John 1:1-2


CAB What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and our hands have touched concerning the word of life—

NAB What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life—


CAB and the life was revealed, and we have seen and we testify and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.

NAB for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us.


Hebrews 7:24-27


CAB Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away.

NAB but he, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away.


CAB Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

NAB Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.


CAB It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens.

NAB It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens.


CAB He has no need to offer sacrifices daily as the high priests do, first for their own sins and then for those…

NAB He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those...

Did they fix John 1?

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Sat Oct 03, 2026 3:33 pm Did they fix John 1?

What is wrong with John 1?

This is it; this is all that we know so far.

In every selection, the CAB rendition is closer to the RSV/NRSV/ESV and is both more accurate and more literary, is it not?

The one from 1 Corinthians where the NAB has Paul say he was "abnormally born", when what he is actually trying to say is that he was a latecomer, "untimely born" (RSV), is one of the most heavily criticized passages in the NT.

"A man named John was sent by God" is bad. It should be something along the lines of "There came a man from God whose name was John." The Greek word order is unusual here, emphasizing the "coming from God" over the name of John.

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Sun Oct 04, 2026 2:51 pm "A man named John was sent by God" is bad. It should be something along the lines of "There came a man from God whose name was John." The Greek word order is unusual here, emphasizing the "coming from God" over the name of John.

That seems like a bit of a nitpick; I agree your preferred wording is clearer. i thought maybe you were referencing 1:14

"And the Word became flesh[a]
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.

It should be "only begotten" in accordance with the Nicene Creed

I will say that the selections we have now are signifncantly improved so I have high hopes that the rest of the NT will be similarly improved

"Only-begotten" is in the Greek: μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός

More good news confirmed by Ascension Press which has announced its editions

The notes for the New Testament have been completely revised; they focus on explanatory glosses trying to explain the meaning of the text in the light of the teaching of the Church.

Gone are all the notes about Q, the Synoptic Problem, and all that historical-critical stuff which 90% of the laity could not comprehend.

https://ascensionpress.com/pages/conten ... ican-bible

The New American Bible (NAB) and New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) took both a text-focused and scholarship-forward approach to biblical notes. The notes in these translations often introduced historical-critical questions, scholarly theories, and differing interpretations surrounding a passage. This approach can be valuable for readers who want greater exposure to the academic study of Scripture.

The Catholic American Bible (CAB) takes a more deliberately text-focused approach to biblical notes. Its notes are designed primarily to help readers understand the inspired text itself and generally do not introduce debated scholarly questions unless they are important for understanding the passage.

Such considerations are never important for understanding the passage.

Doom wrote: ↑Sat Oct 03, 2026 3:54 pm

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Sat Oct 03, 2026 3:33 pm Did they fix John 1?

What is wrong with John 1?

This is it; this is all that we know so far.

In every selection, the CAB rendition is closer to the RSV/NRSV/ESV and is both more accurate and more literary, is it not?

The one from 1 Corinthians where the NAB has Paul say he was "abnormally born", when what he is actually trying to say is that he was a latecomer, "untimely born" (RSV), is one of the most heavily criticized passages in the NT.

Revised New Jerusalem says: "as though by one born at the wrong time:".

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Sun Oct 04, 2026 2:51 pm "A man named John was sent by God" is bad. It should be something along the lines of "There came a man from God whose name was John." The Greek word order is unusual here, emphasizing the "coming from God" over the name of John.

Revised New Jerusalem says: "There was a man sent by God. His name was John."

Doom wrote: ↑Sun Oct 04, 2026 3:02 pm

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Sun Oct 04, 2026 2:51 pm "A man named John was sent by God" is bad. It should be something along the lines of "There came a man from God whose name was John." The Greek word order is unusual here, emphasizing the "coming from God" over the name of John.

That seems like a bit of a nitpick; I agree your preferred wording is clearer. i thought maybe you were referencing 1:14

"And the Word became flesh[a]
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.

It should be "only begotten" in accordance with the Nicene Creed

I will say that the selections we have now are significantly improved so I have high hopes that the rest of the NT will be similarly improved

Revised New Jerusalem says: "the glory as of an only-begotten Son of the Father"

Exactly, his birth was late, not "abnormal", whatever that could mean. Those critics who say Paul showed no knowledge of the life or sayings of Jesus need to look at that passage again; this is almost certainly a reference to John 3 and the conversation with Nicodemus, where Jesus talks about being "born again" or "born from above", otherwise Paul's reference to being "born late" makes no sense.

Doom wrote: ↑Sat Oct 03, 2026 2:06 pm CAB saying, “You entered the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

NAB saying, “You entered the house of uncircumcised people [emph. mine] and ate with them.”

I stopped reading right here. Sounds a little too much like "birthing persons." Thank you for pointing out a passage in desperate need of back-dating (as opposed to up-dating).

You apparently don't understand


CAB is the new version

NAB is the version currently have

The text is being changed from “circumcised people” to “circumcised men”

For some of us --- well, me --- the question of which Bible is which and why and how is not of particular importance. I'd just like to know which Bible is workable for Catholics. Upon conversion, I searched for such and obtained a myriad of conflicting answers. It seemed that the New Revised American Douay St. James NABRV ESV Inclusive English Modified NIV Mouse Version was often recommended. So, if a Bible comes out with Catholic in the name, I'll get a copy.

This is the newest edition authorized by the bishops of the United States for use in the liturgy, so pretty important

Doom wrote: ↑Mon Oct 05, 2026 7:04 am You apparently don't understand

I did understand. I expressed my gratitude they jettisoned that awful phrase.

Circumcised people, indeed. It's as bad as "From this day forward all generations will call me happy."