DOUAY RHEIMS BIBLE

The Douay-Rheims Bible is an English translation of the Latin Vulgate, the version that has been central to the Catholic Church for over 1,500 years. The Vulgate itself was carefully translated from the original Hebrew and Greek by St. Jerome (A.D. 340–420).

The Douay-Rheims Bible stands as one of the most complete and precise translations of Scripture. Unlike other versions that omit certain books based on Protestant denominational preferences, the Douay-Rheims retains the full canon. Originally published in 1582 and completed in 1610, this Bible is a cornerstone for Catholics seeking an authentic English version of the traditional Catholic Bible.

In 1546, the Council of Trent affirmed the Latin Vulgate as the authentic version of Scripture, stating, “No one may dare or presume under any pretext whatsoever to reject it” (4th Session, April 8, 1546). The Douay-Rheims Bible is an English translation of the Latin Vulgate, which has been used universally in the Church for over 1,500 years. The Vulgate itself was meticulously translated by St. Jerome (A.D. 340–420) from the original Hebrew and Greek texts.

The Douay-Rheims, completed in 1609, predates the King James Version (1611), the oldest Protestant translation still widely used. Notably, the King James translators referenced the Douay version in their preface and incorporated many of its readings in preference to other English editions.

Because of its literal and reverent translation from the Vulgate, which closely mirrors the structure of the original languages, the Douay-Rheims Bible provides valuable insights into the perspectives of the sacred authors. Between 1749 and 1752, Bishop Challoner revised the Douay-Rheims to enhance readability while preserving its accuracy, adding annotations faithful to Catholic teachings. His revisions were later approved by the Church, including Cardinal Gibbons’ approbation for the 1899 edition.

For over 300 years, the Douay-Rheims was the only English Catholic translation, and it remains in official use in Catholic churches today.

The Bible is a collection of books selected by the Catholic Church to be read during Mass. Comprising works by various authors with different writing styles, these books were written over centuries for diverse audiences. The Bible is not a guidebook for establishing or managing a church—these aspects of the faith existed long before the Bible was compiled. The earliest manual for church organization is the Didache. Today, the Catholic Church is guided by Canon Law and the Catechism, both rooted in Scripture.

In Jesus' time, views on sacred Scripture varied among Jewish groups. The Sadducees, who worshiped and taught at the Jerusalem Temple, recognized only the five books of Moses as divinely inspired. The Pharisees, who taught in synagogues, recognized a broader set of texts: the five books of Moses, the writings of the Prophets, the Psalms, and some historical writings. Their collection, known as the Palestinian Canon, included 24 books.

Jews living outside Jerusalem used a Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint, which contained the 46 books of the Catholic Old Testament, known as the Alexandrian Canon. This version includes seven books not found in the Palestinian Canon: 1st and 2nd Maccabees, Wisdom, Baruch, Sirach, Tobit, and Judith. Early Christians viewed the Greek Septuagint as Scripture, and the New Testament often quotes from it. All New Testament books were written in the first century.

After the Bar Kokhba revolt in 136 AD, Jewish authorities ruled that the seven additional books of the Alexandrian Canon were no longer to be considered Scripture, partly because Christians were using them. They established the Hebrew Masoretic Text of 24 books as their Scripture, later reorganized into the 39 books of the Protestant Old Testament.

The earliest known list of New Testament books is the Muratorian fragment, an incomplete piece of parchment from around 170 AD. This list includes the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Acts, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Galatians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, Romans, Philemon, Titus, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Jude, 1st and 2nd John, Wisdom of Solomon, Revelation of John, and Revelation of Peter as Scripture.

In 360 AD, the Council of Laodicea established a canon of Scripture that included 26 of the 27 New Testament books, omitting the Book of Revelation.

In 367 AD, Bishop Athanasius of Alexandria listed all 27 books of the New Testament in his Easter letter to his churches.

In 382 AD, Pope Damasus, at the Council of Rome, officially recognized the 27 books of the New Testament and 46 books of the Old Testament as the canon of Scripture.

In 383 AD, Pope Damasus commissioned St. Jerome to translate both the Old and New Testaments into Latin. Jerome used Hebrew Masoretic texts for the Old Testament and Greek texts for the New Testament. Because the Masoretic texts did not include the Deuterocanonical books (as they had been rejected by Jewish authorities), Jerome translated these books into Latin following their confirmation at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage.

In 386 AD, the Council of Hippo confirmed the same list of 46 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books.

In 397 AD, the Council of Carthage, again led by Augustine, reaffirmed this list and sent it to Rome for approval.

In 405 AD, Pope Innocent I listed these 27 New Testament and 46 Old Testament books in his Easter letter to the Bishop of Lyon in France.

In 787 AD, the Second Council of Nicaea affirmed the decisions made by earlier, smaller councils, including the canon of Scripture established in 397 AD by the Council of Carthage.

In 1441, the Council of Florence ratified the list of books accepted by the Councils of Rome, Hippo, and Carthage.

In 1550, the list of 46 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books was officially confirmed at the Council of Trent.

This is the reason for the difference between Protestant and Catholic Bibles today. The New Testament Scriptures were not fully established until the late 300s. Early Christian writings such as the Didache, the Shepherd of Hermas, 1st Clement to the Corinthians, and the Epistle of Barnabas were widely read in the early Church. However, books like Revelation, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, Jude, James, and Hebrews were regarded as uncertain by many.

The Catholic Church, which teaches that baptism forgives sins, that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, and that the Bishop of Rome is the head of the Church, is the institution that determined which books are the divinely inspired words of God. No other church can claim this authority.

While the Bible contains divinely inspired writings, these writings need to be interpreted. The many Protestant denominations each offer different interpretations of these texts, but the Catholic Church holds the oldest and most original understanding of them. The Pope, as the successor to the minister whom Jesus left to feed His sheep and tend His flock, continues to guide the Church. Jesus promised to be with His Church until the end of time (Matthew 28:20).

Jesus did not leave us a book to rely on; He established a Church to teach us what He taught His Apostles. Our trust is placed in the Church Jesus founded, not in a book or an individual. No other church can claim to have determined the canon of the Bible; they all inherited it from the Catholic Church

COMPARING THE PROTETANT KING JAMES VERSION (KJV)

The King James Version (KJV) is often described as a "Masonic Bible." King James VI (June 19, 1566 – March 27, 1625), who was King of Scotland (1567–1625) and the first Stuart monarch of England (1603–1625), is best known for commissioning what is now called the King James Bible or Authorized Version.

English historians have often depicted him as a coward and a pedantic figure, referring to him as "the wisest fool in Christendom." A mural on the west wall of the Lodge Scoon and Perth No. 3 in Perth, Scotland, portrays James VI kneeling at their altar during his initiation. The earliest known record of the lodge, known as "The Mutual Agreement" from December 24, 1658, notes that James was "Entered Freemason and Fellowcraft of the Lodge of Scoon on April 15, 1601."

Given these associations, some argue that the King James Version of the Bible has Masonic origins and is not a faithful translation of the original biblical texts, but rather a distorted one.

FURTHER DOCUMENTATION FROM BRITANICA.COM

https://www.britannica.com/topic/biblical-translation

SEE ALSO:

https://www.traditionalcatholicpublishing.com/55-.html

A freemason was the author to the king James Bible printed in 1611

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=315052964255523&id=100072524663299&mibextid=Nif5oz

________________________________________________

What is the Douay Rheims Bible ?

https://blog.aquinasandmore.com/what-is-the-douay-rheims.../

________________________________________________

The history behind the Catholic Douay Rheims Bible https://www.britannica.com/topic/Douai-Reims-Bible

________________________________________________

Catholic Encyclopedia history of The Douay Rheims Bible

https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05140a.htm

________________________________________________

Catholic Douay Rheims Bible Latin Vulgate online https://www.drbo.org/chapter/22001.htm

________________________________________________

Catholic Douay Rheims Bible 1899 Latin

Vulgate ( PDF ) download https://ebible.org/pdf/engDRA/

DOUAY RHEIMS BIBLE

BASIC BIBLE HISTORY

https://www.catholic365.com/article/6029/a-short-history-of-the-bible.html