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ignorance of the bible is ignorance of ChrisT St. Jerome

Bible, also called the Holy Bible, the sacred book or Scriptures of Judaism and of Christianity. The Bible of Judaism and the Bible of Christianity are different, however, in some important ways. The Jewish Bible is the Hebrew Scriptures, 39 books originally written in Hebrew, except for a few sections in Aramaic. The Christian Bible is in two parts, the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. The Old Testament is structured in two slightly different forms by the two principal divisions of Christendom. The version of the Old Testament used by Roman Catholics is the Bible of Judaism plus 7 other books and additions to books (see the accompanying table); some of the additional books were originally written in Greek, as was the New Testament. The version of the Old Testament used by Protestants is limited to the 39 books of the Jewish Bible. The other books and additions to books are called the Apocrypha by Protestants; they are generally referred to as deuterocanonical books by Roman Catholics. The term Bible is derived through Latin from the Greek biblia, or books, the diminutive form of byblos, the word for papyrus or paper, which was exported from the ancient Phoenician port city of Biblos. By the time of the Middle Ages the books of the Bible were considered a unified entity.
While there are a number of versions to the Bible. There are 8 primary versions found in history: Septuagint - 250 A.D. Written in Greek Vulgate- 400 A.D. First version of the Bible which is canonized at the Council of Carthage in 400 A.D. Written in Latin Luther's German Bible- 1534 A.D. King James Version- 1611 A.D. This is the most widely used versions however it has large number of errors given that none of the writers had a decent understanding of Hebrew. Revised Standard Version- 1952 A.D. Literal translation into American English which used the earliest possible text New International Version- 1960's & 70's A.D. This is a very good contemporary English version. Another good contemporary English version is New King James Version (NKJV) The Youngs Literal Translation is as close to the originals as you can get, translated by Robert Young in 1898 A.D.
Jewish Bibles

Jewish Bibles differ from Christian Bibles in that they do not contain the New Testament. Contrary to popular belief, a Jewish Bible is not simply called a Torah (which is the first five books of the Bible). In Judaism, the full Bible is called the Tanakh. These Bibles are not Christian Bibles minus the New Testament, as most of them have been translated just a bit differently than other Christian Bibles. Most of these Bibles are published bilingually with the Hebrew text facing the English text. The most popular version of the Tanakh is the Jewish Publication of America Society's version (JPS), which was first published in 1917 and continues to be published to this day. King James Version

The King James version of the Christian Bible is the most widely read and most highly regarded for conservative Christians. This particular Bible was authorized by King James and took 47 translators four years to complete this task. This version was authorized by King James I of England as the one and only correct translation of the Bible. Since its completion in 1611, it has become the most widely used Bible among English-speaking Christians.


New International Version

The New International Version (NIV) made its debut in 1973 and is constantly being revised (with a new revision due out in 2011). A team of 100 translators from all over the English speaking world came together to translate this Bible and aimed to preserve theological points of Christianity that the Revised Standard Version seemed to lack. When translating this Bible, the group of translators used the Tanakh and the Novum Testamentum Graece (the Greek version of the New Testament). Revised Version

The Revised Version is a Bible that was first published in 1881 (in its entirety in 1894) that was meant to be a revision of the King James Bible, which at the time, was the only Protestant Bible available to the general public. This version was meant to make the Bible more accessible to the average reader. In this Bible, the word LORD is substituted by the word Jehovah. This Bible was then adapted in 1901 to the American Standard Version, which is still in use today. Although it was the only competition to the King James Version at the time, it was regarded as going against Evangelical philosophy such as not proclaiming Mary as a virgin. Roman Catholic Versions

Today, the New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, is the version that is widely accepted among Catholics. This version of the Bible is essentially the same thing as the newest edition as the Revised Standard Version, except the books are in the Catholic order (the inclusion of the books Tobit and Judith, as well as the books of Wisdom and Sirach). Previously, the Douay-Rheims version of the Catholic Bible was the most widely used Bible among Catholics. This version was borrowed heavily from the King James Version. From 1750 to 1941, this was regarded as the official Catholic Bible. In 1941, major changes were made to the Bible and it was then identified as the Confraternity Bible.

Catholics and Protestants follow different, but very similar, versions of the Holy Bible. The Protestant Bible leaves out 12 books that the Catholic Bible includes because Protestant faiths consider them "apocryphal," or of questionable authenticity. These books include a few things Catholics believe but Protestants do not, including the existence of Purgatory and the value in God's eyes of good works, which justify certain types of Catholic penance. Disagreements about canonical texts led to the Reformation and the splitting of the Christian church.

History of the Dissention

While biblical texts have always been preserved and cherished, specific books to include in biblical canon have been debated for millennia, and sometimes books were accepted for political rather than religious reasons. In addition, copying the Bible over the course of 14 centuries gradually changed the text and translations so that the Bible no longer said what the original Greek texts said. Several early scholars and printers, including early Protestant leaders Erasmus, William Tyndale and Martin Luther, worked to translate the original Greek Bible into their own respective languages, and in so doing found differences in textual meaning that troubled them deeply. In 1582, the Catholic church finally gave up fighting the translation of the Bible into tongues other than Latin and produced their own version translated directly from the Latin text Protestants claimed had been corrupted over time, the Douay Old Testament and the Rheims New Testament. Bibles translated today are based on these two philosophies, with Protestant Bibles translated from the original texts and Catholic Bibles being translations of the original Latin Vulgate used to produce the Douay/Rheims version. In 1611, Protestants came out with one final English translation, the King James Bible, that is still in use today.

The Apocrypha

The most glaring difference between Protestant and Catholic versions of the Bible is the books considered canon, or God-inspired, books of Christian teaching. The Catholic Bible includes 12 books the Protestant Bible leaves out for various reasons. These books are referred to as the Deuterocanonical books, or "second canon," as opposed to the Protocanonical books, which are accepted with little or no dissent by all Christians. The Deuterocanonical books include the books Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, I Maccabees, II Maccabees, Judith, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Additions to Esther, Prayer of Azariah, Suzanna and Bel and the

History of the Dissention

While biblical texts have always been preserved and cherished, specific books to include in biblical canon have been debated for millennia, and sometimes books were accepted for political rather than religious reasons. In addition, copying the Bible over the course of 14 centuries gradually changed the text and translations so that the Bible no longer said what the original Greek texts said. Several early scholars and printers, including early Protestant leaders Erasmus, William Tyndale and Martin Luther, worked to translate the original Greek Bible into their own respective languages, and in so doing found differences in textual meaning that troubled them deeply. In 1582, the Catholic church finally gave up fighting the translation of the Bible into tongues other than Latin and produced their own version translated directly from the Latin text Protestants claimed had been corrupted over time, the Douay Old Testament and the Rheims New Testament. Bibles translated today are based on these two philosophies, with Protestant Bibles translated from the original texts and Catholic Bibles being translations of the original Latin Vulgate used to produce the Douay/Rheims version. In 1611, Protestants came out with one final English translation, the King James Bible, that is still in use today.

The Apocrypha

The most glaring difference between Protestant and Catholic versions of the Bible is the books considered canon, or God-inspired, books of Christian teaching. The Catholic Bible includes 12 books the Protestant Bible leaves out for various reasons. These books are referred to as the Deuterocanonical books, or "second canon," as opposed to the Protocanonical books, which are accepted with little or no dissent by all Christians. The Deuterocanonical books include the books Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, I Maccabees, II Maccabees, Judith, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Additions to Esther, Prayer of Azariah, Suzanna and Bel and the

Best Known Versions

American Standard Version (ASV)

The American Standard Version, also known as the Standard American Edition, Revised Version, is a revised version of the KJV. It was completed in 1885 and newly edited by the American Revision Committee in 1901. word-for-word

Common English Bible (CEB)

The Common English Bible is a translation of the scriptures intended to be a comfortable reading level for over half of all English readers. It attempts to substitute more traditional biblical terminology with more natural wording. thought-for-thought and word-for-word

Douay-Rheims (RHE)
The Douay-Rheims is the translation upon which nearly all English Catholic Bible versions are based. It includes the seven Deutero-Canonical books (also known as the Apocrypha). word-for-word from Latin Vulgate

English Standard Version (ESV)

The ESV Bible is a relatively new Bible translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty, and readability. word-for-word

GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)

GOD'S WORD Translation (GW) accurately translates the meaning of the original texts into clear, everyday language. Readable and reliable, GW is living, active, and life-changing. thought-for-thought

Good News Translation (GNT)

The Good News Translation was first published in 1976 by the American Bible Society in a "common language." The simple, everyday language makes it especially popular for children and those learning English. thought-for-thought

Holman Christian Standard (CSB)

The HCS is a highly readable, accurate translation written in modern English. It is published by Holman Bible Publishers, the oldest Bible publisher in America. word-for-word

King James Version (KJV)

The KJV is the first version of Scripture authorized by the Protestant church and commissioned by England's King James I. word-for-word

Lexham English Bible (LEB)

The LEB complements your primary translation with it's transparent design and literal rendering. It helps you see the text of Gods Word from another angle. literal

New American Standard (NAS)

The NAS is written in a formal style, but is more readable than the King James Version. It is highly respected as the most literal English translation of the Bible. word-for-word

New International Version (NIV)

The NIV offers a balance between a word-for-word and thought-for-thought translation and is considered by many as a highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English.

Combination word-for-word and thought-for-thought

New King James Version (NKJV)

The NKJ is a modern language update of the original King James Version. It retains much of the traditional interpretation and sentence structure of the KJV. word-for-word

New Living Translation (NLT)

Using modern English, the translators of the NLT focused on producing clarity in the meaning of the text rather than creating a literal, word-for-word equivalence. Their goal was to create a clear, readable translation while remaining faithful to original texts. thought-for-thought

New Revised Standard (NRS)

The New Revised Standard is a popular translation that follows in the traditions of the King James and Revised Standard Versions. It was written with the goal of preserving the best of the older versions while incorporating modern English. word-for-word and thought-for-thought

Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Revised Standard Version is a revision of the King James Version, the Revised Version, and American Standard Version. This text is intended for both private reading and public worship. word-for-word using modern American language

Other Translations
Modern Audio Bible Bible in Basic English (BBE) Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) Hebrew Names Version (HNV) New Century Version (NCV) New International Reader's Version (NIRV) Third Millennium Bible (TMB) Today's New International Version (TNIV) World English Bible (WEB) Young's Literal Translation (YLT) New Testament only Weymouth New Testament (WNT) Older Translations The Darby Translation (DBY) The Latin Vulgate (VUL) The Webster Bible (WBT) Wycliffe (WYC)
Saint Jerome (Latin: Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; Greek: ; c.347 30 September 420) was a Roman Christian priest,confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the

border ofDalmatia and Pannonia. He is best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin(the Vulgate), [1] and his commentaries on the Gospel of the Hebrews. His list of writings is extensive. The Old Testament contains 39 (Protestant) or 46 (Catholic) or more (Orthodox and other) books, divided, very broadly, into the Pentateuch (meaning "five books"), the historical books, the "wisdom" books and [3] the prophets. The Old Testament is a Christian term for a collection of religious writings of ancient Israel
[1]

that form the

major and first section of Christian Bibles, in contrast to the ChristianNew Testament which deals explicitly with the 1st century Christianity. The Hebrew canonapproved by Rabbinic Judaism included only certain Hebrew/Aramaic books but not all. Some of these scriptures vary markedly between differing Christian denominations;Protestants accept only the Hebrew Bible's canon but divide it into 39 books, whileCatholics, the Eastern Orthodox, Coptic and Ethiopian churches recognise a considerably larger collection.
[2]

The books can be broadly divided into the Pentateuch, which tells how God selected Israel to be his chosen people; the history books telling the history of the Israelites from theirconquest of Canaan to their defeat and exile in Babylon; the poetic and "wisdom" books dealing, in various forms, with questions of good and evil in the world; and the books of the biblical prophets, warning of the consequences of turning away from God. For the Israelites who were its original authors and readers these books told of their own unique relationship with God and their relationship with proselytes, but the overarching messianic nature of Christianity has led Christians from the very beginning of the faith to see the Old Testament as a preparation for the New Covenant and New Testament.

The New Testament consists of 27 documents written between AD 50 and 150 concerning matters of belief and practice in Christian communities throughout the Mediterranean world. Although some have argued that Aramaic originals lie behind some of these documents (especially the Gospel of Matthew and the Epistle to the Hebrews), all have been handed down in Greek, very likely the language in which they were composed.

The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical". The word is originally Greek () and means "those hidden away". Specifically, is the neuter plural of , an adjective related to the verb [infinitive: ] (apocriptein), "to hide something away."
[1]

The general term is usually applied to the books in the Roman Catholic Bible or the Christian old testament, and the Eastern OrthodoxBible, but not the Protestant Bible on their claim that it is not God's word.

The Bible (from Koine Greek , t bibla, "the books") is acanonical collection of texts considered sacred in Judaism orChristianity. Different religious groups include different books within their canons, in different orders, and sometimes divide or combine books, or incorporate additional material into canonical books. Christian Bibles range from the sixty-six books of the Protestant canon to the eighty-one books of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church canon. The Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, contains twenty-four books divided into three parts; the five books of the Torah ("teaching" or "law"), the Nevi'im("prophets"), and the Ketuvim ("writings"). The first part of Christian Bibles is the Old Testament, which contains, at minimum, the twenty-four books of the Hebrew Bible divided into thirty-nine books and ordered differently than the Hebrew Bible. The Catholic Church and Eastern Christian churches also hold certain deuterocanonical books and passages to be part of the Old Testament canon. The second part is theNew Testament, containing twenty-seven books; the four Canonical gospels, Acts of the Apostles, twenty-one Epistles or letters and the Book of Revelation.

Torah
Main article: Torah See also: Oral Torah he orah cases".
[13]

) is also known as the "Five Books of Moses" or the Pentateuch, meaning "five scroll-

The Hebrew names of the books are derived from the first words in the respective texts.

The Torah comprises the following five books: Genesis, Bereshith () Exodus, Shemot () Leviticus, Vayikra () Numbers, Bamidbar ( ) Deuteronomy, Devarim ()

Nevi'im
Main article: Nevi'im

Nevi'im (Hebrew: m'N " , Prophets") is the second main division of the Tanakh, between the Torah and Ketuvim. It contains two sub-groups, the Former Prophets (Nevi'im Rishonim , the narrative books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) and the Latter Prophets (Nevi'im Aharonim , the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel and the Twelve Minor Prophets). The Nevi'im tell the story of the rise of the Hebrew monarchy and its division into two kingdoms, ancient Israel and Judah, focusing on conflicts between the Israelites and other nations, and conflicts among Israelites, specifically, struggles between believers in "the L ORDGod" gods,
[20][21] [19]

and believers in foreign

[22][23][24]

and the criticism of unethical and unjust behavior of Israelite elites and rulers;

in which

prophets played a crucial and leading role. It ends with the conquest of the Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians followed by the conquest of the Kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

NIHIL OBSTAT
lack of objection to publication: a statement by a Roman Catholic Church official that a publication is not offensive to religion or morals IMPRIMATUR approval: authority to do, say, or especially print something . OFFICIAL LICENSE: an authorization allowing a book or other work to be published, now usually confined to works sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church