The Jerusalem Bible (JB) is a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible into English that was first published in 1966. The full name is The Jerusalem Bible: Reader’s Edition. It was the first major modern English Bible translation to be published after the Revised Standard Version in 1952.
The Jerusalem Bible was translated directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts into English by a group of scholars at the École Biblique in Jerusalem. The École Biblique is a prestigious Dominican school of biblical higher criticism located in Jerusalem.
The translation itself was overseen by Alexander Jones, a biblical scholar and professor at the school. Jones headed a team of editors that included many Dominican priests and scholars connected to the École Biblique. The English translation was reviewed and approved by the Catholic authorities in Rome.
The Jerusalem Bible aimed to be a dynamic equivalence translation that captured the original meaning and style of the ancient biblical texts. The translators sought to render the Bible in clear, meaningful English while staying true to the original languages. They also incorporated the latest insights from biblical scholarship at the time.
A key feature of the Jerusalem Bible is its extensive explanatory footnotes. The footnotes provide information on alternate translations, contextual background, linguistic details, cross references, and more. The footnotes offer a wealth of scholarly insight to aid personal study of the Scriptures.
When it was first published, the Jerusalem Bible stood out for its contemporary English style. Translations at the time tended toward formal, archaic language. The Jerusalem Bible used more modern vocabulary and phrasing to make the Bible more accessible to the average reader.
Here are some other key characteristics of the Jerusalem Bible translation:
- It uses the formal equivalence translation philosophy to be as literal as possible while still using natural English.
- The divine name YHWH is rendered “Yahweh” instead of LORD or Jehovah as in other translations.
- It utilizes inclusive language in places, translating “brothers” as “brothers and sisters” for example.
- The books are ordered based on the Septuagint order used in Catholic Bibles rather than the Hebrew Bible order used in Protestant Bibles.
- The deuterocanonical books endorsed by the Catholic Church are included.
- The translation is accompanied by introductions and outlines for each book to provide context.
- The poetic verses and passages are set out in poetic format.
History of the Jerusalem Bible
The idea for the Jerusalem Bible originated in the early 1950s with Dominican priest Marcel Dheilly, a biblical scholar at the École Biblique. Dheilly recognized the need for a new English translation that would incorporate modern biblical scholarship and recent archeological discoveries.
He envisioned an English Bible “born of the same climate” as the original texts. The École Biblique’s location in Jerusalem provided proximity to the land of the Bible and connection to the ancient languages. This environment facilitated an authentic translation.
In 1953, Dheilly partnered with Dominican scholar Pierre Benoit to produce a French translation of the Bible known as La Bible de Jérusalem. This served as the basis for the Jerusalem Bible in English. Alexander Jones led the team of translators who produced the English edition.
The first edition of the Jerusalem Bible was published in 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd in the United Kingdom and Doubleday in the United States. It quickly became widely used among English-speaking Catholics. It gained approval for liturgical use and became the Bible of choice for many Catholics.
The Jerusalem Bible actually started out as a translation of La Bible de Jérusalem into English. But it diverged significantly from the French edition and became its own distinctly English translation. The footnotes, introductions, and formatting were thoroughly anglicized for the 1966 release.
In the following decades, the biblical texts were revised and updated as scholarship advanced and new manuscripts were discovered. The second edition released in 1974 incorporated many of these textual revisions. The third edition in 1986 updated even more of the text.
Today, the Jerusalem Bible remains the most popular Catholic English Bible translation. It is the basis for the scriptural readings in the official lectionary of the Catholic Church’s liturgy. Millions of Catholic congregants and clergy worldwide hear Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible every Sunday.
Textual Sources for the Jerusalem Bible
For the original Hebrew texts, the translators used the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible as received in the latest scholarly editions. The Masoretic Text contains the traditional Hebrew canon of the Old Testament.
For the deuterocanonical portions, the translators used the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. These included Hebrew texts discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls as well as texts preserved in early Greek and Aramaic versions.
For the New Testament, the translators based their work on the critical Greek text published in the 1926 edition of Novum Testamentum Graece. This was the standard scholarly Greek New Testament at the time. The 1958 edition was utilized for later revisions.
The Jerusalem Bible translators consulted contemporary biblical scholars and recent biblical scholarship to inform their understanding of the original text. But they endeavored to stay rooted in the original languages and hard evidence.
Translation Philosophy of the Jerusalem Bible
The guiding philosophy for the Jerusalem Bible was fidelity to the original text coupled with intelligibility for the modern reader. The translators sought to capture the true meaning of the ancient human authors as closely as possible in readable English.
The Jerusalem Bible employs a formal equivalence translation approach. This means following the original structure, grammar, and word choices as closely as the English language allows. The translators adhered closely to the source languages to produce an accurate, literal rendering.
At the same time, readability was a high priority. The translators used clear English to convey the meaning and message effectively. They were willing to diverge from rigid literalism when needed to achieve comprehension.
Striking a balance between accuracy and intelligibility was the guiding aim. Historical context, literary devices, idioms, and nuance of meaning were all considered in translation choices. The abundant footnotes supplement gaps in conveyance of meaning.
The Jerusalem Bible has been categorized as a modified literal translation or optimal equivalence translation. It resides between very literal formal translations and freer dynamic equivalence translations.
The translation philosophy also gave attention to the literary artistry of Scripture. The biblical authors used various literary forms including poetry, parody, allegory, and more. The Jerusalem Bible attempts to reflect these genres in translation.
For example, verses and passages recognized as poetry are isolated on separated lines to convey the poetic nature. Dialogue is formatted as such with verse citation right before each speaker. Attention is given to the literary style.
Features of the Jerusalem Bible
Here are some of the most important features that characterize the Jerusalem Bible translation:
- Extensive Explanatory Footnotes – One of the hallmarks of the Jerusalem Bible is the vast number of annotated footnotes. Nearly every page features insightful notes and commentary on passages.
- Dynamic Translation for Readability – While formal equivalence was used, the translators employed English syntax and vocabulary to make the text comprehensible to modern readers.
- Inclusive Language – The Jerusalem Bible utilizes inclusive language where the sense allows it. For instance, “brothers” is rendered as “brothers and sisters” in places.
- Deuterocanonical Books Included – As a Catholic translation, the Jerome Bible contains the deuterocanonical books interspersed throughout the Old Testament.
- Traditional Spellings and Forms – Names and terms are generally rendered in their conventional spellings and forms familiar to readers.
- Poetic Formatting – Recognized poetic portions are formatted with line breaks and stanza separation to reflect the poetic nature.
- Introductions – Each book includes an introduction providing background information to orient the reader.
- Original Order of Books – The books are ordered per the Septuagint tradition used in Catholic Bibles rather than the Hebrew Bible order used in Protestant Bibles.
- Study Aids – Outlines, cross-references, interpretive footnotes, textual notes, and other study aids are incorporated throughout.
Reception and Impact of the Jerusalem Bible
The Jerusalem Bible was a huge success from its first publication, becoming highly popular among Catholics worldwide. It gained quick acceptance and unofficial approval for use in Catholic liturgy and education.
Many clergy and theologians welcomed the Jerusalem Bible as a refreshing translation that made Scripture more accessible. Its modern feel resonated with lay readers. The extensive notes proved valuable for study and teaching.
In some traditionally Protestant countries like the United Kingdom, the Jerusalem Bible helped expand the reach of Catholic biblical teaching. It became a bestselling Bible translation in Britain in the 1960s and 70s.
The Jerusalem Bible became the most widely used English Catholic translation, largely displacing the older Douay-Rheims Bible. It is still the Bible of choice for many English-speaking Catholics today, especially in Britain.
Elements of the Jerusalem Bible were incorporated into the revised lectionary read during Catholic Mass. Its balance of accuracy and intelligibility made it well-suited for liturgical proclamation.
The Jerusalem Bible also shaped subsequent Catholic Bible translations in English. Its readable style and study aids inspired both the New Jerusalem Bible and the New American Bible revised edition.
Additionally, the Jerusalem Bible helped promote interfaith understanding. It provided Protestants with accessible exposure to books and passages unique to Catholic Bibles. The notes gave context for Catholic biblical interpretation.
However, some traditional Catholics objected to the Jerusalem Bible’s modern colloquial style and felt it lacked dignity and reverence. It also drew criticism from some Protestants who disagreed with the inclusion of apocryphal books.
But overall, the Jerusalem Bible has had an enormously positive impact. It effectively communicated God’s word anew to millions and made the Bible accessible like never before for Catholic communities worldwide.
Subsequent Editions and Translations Based on the Jerusalem Bible
The original Jerusalem Bible text was updated in subsequent editions to reflect advances in scholarship. Revised editions were published in 1966, 1974, and 1986.
The Jerusalem Bible served as the basis for French, Italian, and Spanish translations used by Catholics in those countries. This further expanded its reach and influence around the world.
In 1985, the Jerusalem Bible was significantly re-translated and revised under the direction of Henry Wansbrough. This updated edition was called the New Jerusalem Bible.
The New Jerusalem Bible aimed to reflect contemporary English usage and additional discoveries from biblical scholarship. It rendered God’s name as “Yahweh” throughout the Old Testament. Extensive notes were retained and revised.
The New Jerusalem Bible immediately joined the original Jerusalem Bible as a popular Catholic translation. A revised New Jerusalem Bible was released in 2019 with updated language and scholarship.
Elements of the Jerusalem Bible were also incorporated into the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE), the officially approved English translation for American Catholics. The NABRE benefits from the literary quality of the Jerusalem Bible.
Today, both the Jerusalem Bible and the New Jerusalem Bible enjoy widespread use among English-speaking Catholics, especially in private study, education, and devotional reading. The legacy of this historic translation continues.
Comparisons to Other Major Catholic Bible Translations
It is helpful to compare and contrast the Jerusalem Bible to other significant Catholic Bible translations in English:
Douay-Rheims Bible
- The Douay-Rheims pre-dates the Jerusalem Bible by over 300 years but remains familiar to some traditional Catholics.
- The Douay-Rheims is written in archaic, formal English while the Jerusalem Bible uses modern language.
- The Douay-Rheims is strictly literal whereas the Jerusalem Bible balances literal meaning with readability.
- The Douay-Rheims lacks explanatory notes while the Jerusalem Bible is annotated extensively.
- The Douay-Rheims is based entirely on Latin sources while the Jerusalem Bible draws from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic original texts.
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)
- The NABRE is the Catholic Bible officially approved for liturgical use in America while the Jerusalem Bible is not an authorized liturgical text.
- The Jerusalem Bible contains more stylized language while the NABRE uses simpler, more modern phrasing.
- The NABRE utilizes gender-neutral language for humanity while the Jerusalem Bible uses traditional male/female language.
- The NABRE is arranged per the traditional Protestant order while the Jerusalem Bible follows the Catholic septuagint order.
- Both use formal equivalent translation with some dynamic elements for readability.
Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition (RSV-CE)
- The RSV-CE is a formally ecumenical text used by both Protestants and Catholics while the Jerusalem Bible is a specifically Catholic translation.
- The Jerusalem Bible includes the deuterocanonical books interspersed throughout while the RSV-CE groups them separately.
- The RSV-CE utilizes traditional English while the Jerusalem Bible has a more contemporary English style.
- The Jerusalem Bible contains more extensive commentary notes while the RSV-CE notes are more limited.
- The RSV-CE is based on the Masoretic Hebrew text while the Jerusalem Bible draws from multiple source texts.
Significance of the Jerusalem Bible for Contemporary Readers
The Jerusalem Bible remains a significant translation for contemporary readers interested in Scripture study for several reasons:
- It provides an accurate, literal rendering of the original biblical texts in flowing, readable English.
- The extensive explanatory notes offer deep insights into the meanings and background of passages.
- It presents the traditional Catholic understanding and order of the biblical canon.
- It incorporates discoveries from centuries of biblical scholarship at the renowned École Biblique.
- The introductions and outlines aid reader comprehension of the books.
- It demonstrates that scholarship and accessibility can go hand-in-hand in biblical translation.
- It models how language can shape the feel and impact of Scripture.
The Jerusalem Bible gives readers the tools to connect with God’s word. For those desiring to drink deeply from the biblical texts, the Jerusalem Bible remains an excellent resource that nourishes mind and spirit.
Its lasting popularity is a testament to the skill and passion of the Dominican scholars who crafted this translation. Generations have encountered the splendor of Scripture anew through the illuminating pages of the Jerusalem Bible.