The NAB & NABRE: Catholic Tradition and Modern Revision

The NAB & NABRE: Catholic Tradition and Modern Revision

The New American Bible (NAB) and its later revision, the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE), are the standard English translations used in Catholic liturgy and study in the United States. First released in 1970, the NAB was the product of decades of Catholic scholarship, aiming to provide a translation faithful to the original languages while suitable for public reading in Mass. The NABRE, published in 2011, represents a significant update, especially in the Old Testament, incorporating advances in textual criticism and archaeology. Together, they embody the Catholic Church’s modern engagement with Scripture: scholarly, liturgical, and pastoral.

Historical Background

The NAB grew out of a mid-20th-century Catholic desire for a fresh English translation directly from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, rather than from the Latin Vulgate. This reflected the renewed emphasis on Scripture in Catholic life leading up to and following the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), which encouraged vernacular translations and lay engagement with the Bible.

The New Testament of the NAB was published in 1970, the Old Testament followed shortly, and a complete Bible was issued the same year. Subsequent updates refined the Psalms (1991) and the New Testament (1986). The NABRE (2011) introduced a fully revised Old Testament, with attention to improved accuracy, literary style, and consistency with Catholic tradition.

ISBN examples:

• NAB (1970): ISBN 978-0-529-04042-3.

• NAB with revised Psalms & NT (1991): ISBN 978-0-529-04713-2.

• NABRE (2011): ISBN 978-1-936045-18-2.

Translation Philosophy and Method

The NAB/NABRE employ a balance of formal and dynamic equivalence, with a strong emphasis on readability and liturgical usability. The translators worked from the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, and Greek critical editions, always with an eye toward Catholic doctrinal fidelity.

Unlike Protestant-sponsored translations, the NAB and NABRE also align with the Liturgical norms of the Catholic Church. They include introductions, extensive footnotes, and explanatory commentary intended to guide interpretation according to Catholic teaching. These notes sometimes spark controversy, as they reflect modern critical methods, which some Catholic readers find too skeptical of traditional views.

Reading Level and Style

The NAB/NABRE are written at approximately a 7th–9th grade reading level, making them accessible to the average lay reader. The style aims for clarity rather than literary elegance, which makes them excellent for liturgical proclamation but sometimes less majestic than translations like the RSV or NRSV. The NABRE revision particularly improved the Old Testament, offering smoother English and closer fidelity to the Hebrew.

Strengths

The NAB and NABRE’s greatest strength is their official status in Catholic life. They are the translations most Catholics in the United States hear in Mass and find in Catholic study Bibles. Their extensive footnotes and introductions provide historical and theological context, helping readers understand Catholic interpretation of Scripture.

Another strength is their balance between tradition and scholarship. The NABRE especially benefits from advances in archaeology and textual studies, such as insights from Qumran, producing a more accurate Old Testament.

Finally, the inclusion of the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha is a major strength, reflecting the canon of the early church rather than later Protestant redactions.

Weaknesses

One recurring criticism of the NAB/NABRE is their footnotes and commentary. Many readers have found them overly academic, even skeptical, particularly when they question Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch or suggest multiple authorship theories for Isaiah. While grounded in modern scholarship, these notes sometimes jar against traditional devotional reading.

Another weakness is the lack of literary beauty. Compared to the RSV, ESV, or KJV, the NAB/NABRE often sound plain. For example, Psalm 23 in the NABRE reads: “The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.” Accurate and clear, but less poetic than the traditional “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Additionally, outside of Catholic circles, the NAB/NABRE have little influence, limiting their ecumenical reach.

Problematic or Debated Verses

• Genesis 3:15 — NABRE: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel.” Traditional Catholic theology reads this as a prophecy of Christ (the “Protoevangelium”), but “they” weakens the Christological interpretation compared to older renderings like “he shall bruise your head.”

• Isaiah 7:14 — NABRE: “The young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name him Emmanuel.” Critics argue that “young woman” undermines the prophecy of the virgin birth, though this accurately reflects Hebrew ‘almah. The Septuagint’s “virgin” (parthenos) is then cited in Matthew 1:23.

• Luke 1:28 — NAB/NABRE: “Hail, favored one!” Catholic readers accustomed to “full of grace” (as in the Douay-Rheims or RSV-CE) find this rendering insufficiently Marian.

• Psalm 23:1 — NABRE: “The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.” Theologically accurate, but less poetic and memorable than traditional phrasing.

Conclusion

The NAB and NABRE represent the Catholic Church’s definitive modern English translations. They are accurate, readable, and supported by substantial notes, making them invaluable for study and liturgical use. Their inclusion of the Apocrypha/Deuterocanon sets them apart from Protestant translations that omit these books, grounding them in the canon of the early church.

Yet, the NAB/NABRE also show their limitations: plain style, academic notes that can seem skeptical, and a lack of literary beauty compared to other versions. Still, for Catholics in the United States, they remain the standard translation—reliable, faithful, and deeply woven into the life of the Church.

In sum, the NAB/NABRE are not the most poetic or ecumenical of translations, but they are indispensable for Catholic worship and study, carrying the weight of official approval and decades of scholarship.