www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology What is the official English translation for Byzantine Catholics?

Hi,
What is the official English translation used in the Byzantine liturgy? NAB? Jerusalem? RSV? Or something else?

Thanks!

There is no official English translation for all Byzantine Catholics. In the USA, the Ruthenians and to some extent the Ukrainians use the "New American Bible"; others are not required to use any particular edition - there is an Epistle Book and a Gospel Book in print from the RSV. There are also such books from the King James Version, and there may be one or two from the "New King James Version" (which is a horror).

Fr. Serge

Thanks, Fr. Serge,
What about the Melkites?

Archbishop Joseph Raya and Baron Jose De Vinck produced both the Byzantine Altar Gospel and Apostolos which use the Confraternity Version corrected to the Greek Byzantine Text. Baron De Vinck also produced a Psalter translated from the Septuagint. I would assume this is the official version for the Melkites.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Melkites - there is considerable variety from one parish to another. Archbishop Joseph (Raya) of most holy memory published the Gospel Book twice, in two different translations - and it is wildly unlikely that any significant number of parishes threw away altar Gospels (which tend to be expensive) to replace one with the other!

The Antiochian Archdiocese had, and may still have, a nice Gospel Book using the RSV.

Fr. Serge

The Melkite church has not yet designated an official English translation of the scriptures for use in prayers and liturgies--although the time is coming soon.

We are just about to finalise a translation of the Divine Liturgy, which the patriarch will make incumbent upon all, who celebrate in English.

That said, Fr Serge and Deacon Lance are correct. The Apostolos and Evangelion produced by Archbishop Raya and Baron de Vinck are the books we use.

In Australia, we use the NSRV translation on Sundays and major feasts, attended by large numbers of people. This is so that the people hear the readings in the same or similar translation as they would in the Latin churches, which many attend from time to time (travel, holidays, Catholic school celebrations, etc.).

I thought the NRSV was no longer permitted for liturgical use among Catholics: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-15921801.html

Hello to all on this most magnificent forum.

I've been reading it for many months. I am honored to be here and hope to contribute to our edification if He so wills it.

I have always had many reservations in the NAB which the Catholic Church uses from the pulpit, mostly because of oversimplification and short-sighted assumptions in it's rendering. Of course i can only base this on previous versions which some here will say are perhaps even more erroneous.

My question is what is a good version to read?

I have been using the NKJ and the Douay Rheims.

THank you!

The NRSV is not. However, last year Rome approved a corrected NRSV Lectionary for Canada, just as Rome approved a corrected RNAB Lectionary for the US.

The Maronites in the US also use the NRSV for their Lectionary, I don't if they made any corrections to it though.

Fr. Deacon Lance