Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible: Translated from the Original Languages With Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources : Medium Size Hardcover – Student Edition, January 1, 2013

It was easy to read. The price was reasonable.

The words at Catholic Mass (Roman Rite) have recently changed! I wanted to buy a new 2011 Bible ("NABRE") that would more closely reflect the new English translations. I didn't know which NABRE Bible to buy, so I bought multiple ones and will continue to add my reviews/comparisons below. (The Bible you are considering on this post is #2):(Bible #1) The "New American Bible Revised Edition - NABRE Burgundy Hardcover" by Saint Benedict Press has a very beautiful cover/binding. Direct quotations from the Lord Jesus are in Red ink, and I like that. The paper is a bit thin, but this didn't bother me; the "see-through" nature is mild and not distracting to me. The hue of the paper is stark-white, and I prefer a more relaxed hue (much like my preference for incandescent light versus florescent light). The exposed edge of the paper does not have index markings or tabs for the various books of the Bible (this is a feature I enjoy). The reason I went with 4 stars not 5 is because of the glossy nature of the paper - it feels too slippery to me. I found it a bit difficult to flip a single page... and there's no way I'm going to lick my finger to flip pages while reading the Bible!(Bible #2) The "Saint Joseph Bible-NABRE [Hardcover]" by Catholic Book Publishing Co. (says "Medium Sized Edition" on the cover) is excellent - I gave it 5 stars. The cover/binding is a bit plain looking and has a cloth-type texture. The Amazon photo of a large blue cube-shaped Bible is completely false - this one is yellow-orange (or tan) in color, on all faces. Inside, there are no Red text to highlight direct quotes from the Lord Jesus. The paper is thicker than the Saint Benedict Press Bible and does not have the glossy/slippery problem. Also, the paper is white with a nice subtle yellow hue. The exposed edge has handy black marks that indicate the various books. The illustrations are nice but are in black & white. Despite not being a perfect match to what I am looking for, I give this Bible a 5 Star rating and it will serve as my family Bible for years.(Bible #3) The "Prove It! Catholic Teen Bible - Revised Nab" by Amy Welborn is excellent, and I gave it a 5 star rating. I will be buying more of these to spread around, but will keep my eyes open for a version with different cover text & photos. I am a fan of high-quality leather binding hard cover books, so I had to judge this one for what it is: a paperback. The cover makes this book seem to be something other than a Bible. The words "Prove It!" on the cover are confrontational and might instill a defiant attitude before a single page is opened. The text and footnotes of this Bible are the same as the other NABRE Bibles (do not fear - it is not riddled with slang). The best part of this Bible is the use of inserts throughout to explain various internal questions people may have about God, the Bible, Catholic practice, etc. These questions are NOT unique to teenagers and would suit anyone who is new to religion, new to Catholicism, or fallen on tough times and are doubting "the meaning of it all". I think this Bible is well-suited for all ages and would be a wonderful gift for older people. If only there were a few options for the cover! This would be a great Bible for my mother, but it says "Teen" on the cover.(Bible #4) The Catholic Study Bible second edition by Oxford University Press is excellent, and I easily give it a 5 star rating. The cover/binding is glossy and nice looking, the overall size is nice and large, but not too large or heavy. The pages are thin and bright white, but there is no problem with see-through pages or glossy texture. Red text is NOT used in this Bible to highlight direct quotes from the Lord Jesus. The word "Shelah" DOES appear in the Psalms of this Bible (where it did not appear in the other Bibles I've reviewed). Also, the book of Sirach is titled "The Wisdom of Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus)" in this Bible; however, the edge tab still says "SIR". Perhaps my favorite feature of this Bible is the wonderful edge indented tabs that are labelled for each grouping of three books; this is very handy in locating specific books and opening the Bible to that page. This is a perfect choice for a study Bible.

Very good presentation wish letteres was bigger or have same presentation on bigger size

I’m highly recommend all Saint Joseph Catholic Bibles.

Awesome that it is large print and easy to read.

This bible is plain but built to last. It is the latest edition of the same bible that I used in high school for religion class, and that my daughter used in high school many years later. It is, for all intents and purposes, a text book, which might explain why it is inexpensive, plain, but built to withstand heavy, daily use. Frankly, I would be willing to bet that expensive, leather-bound editions of the Saint Joseph Edition of the NABRE would not outlast this one. I will emphasize, however, that it is indeed a very plain-looking book; it is made for economy and durability, not glitter and glam, but that much is probably obvious from the picture posted here on Amazon. There is a larger edition of this book that has a fancier cover but is every bit as durable for those whose eyes are no longer to able to handle the print of a medium-size bible.As for the biblical text, the NABRE translation is a great improvement over the older NAB. It is more literal, more poetic, and more traditional in diction, without losing any of its readability. The study notes have also been updated, and I am personally impressed with the depth and quality of the scholarship. They are, however, a bit on the "liberal" side, but what many call "liberal," I call "honest." There is no point in altering the notes to reflect traditional views when such views are not in harmony with verifiable facts, after all.All in all, I would recommend this book to those whose eyes are good enough to handle a medium-sized bible, and who are more interested in economy and durability than in glitter and glam. For those with weaker eyesight, the equivalent large-print edition is the better option and would get the same review from me as this one. I fully expect that either one to last two decades with daily, heavy use in the hands of those who take good care of their books, and at least a decade in the hands of those who are a bit rougher in handling them.

I recently bought two of these Saint Joseph Edition New American Bibles (NAB) in hardcover, by Catholic Book Publishing Corp., one in green cloth ISBN 978-0-89942-963-2, No. 611/67, the other in black cloth:  Saint Joseph Bible-Nab-Large Print-Illustrated , ISBN 978-0-89942-964-9, No. 611/22. I have had one of these for about two decades and it is finally falling apart. I like these editions for my own personal use. They are rugged, have nice sewn bindings, they can take quite a beating. They have large print. They open nicely and stay opened without pages flipping back or forth.The translation is the one that people hear each Sunday in the Catholic Church at Mass. I believe this makes it the preferred one to use in Bible Study in the parish. Besides the Sacred Scriptures, these editions come with what I believe is one of the essential Vatican II documents supporting the study of Scripture, the  Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation: Dei Verbum: Solemnly Promulgated by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on November 18, 1965, (Documents of Vatican II) . It also has a very nice section, "How to Read the Bible." There are a fair number of good illustrations, maps and other tables. It has a basic Bible Dictionary, lists the Readings for Sunday Mass for the entire 3-year Cycle, and has a useful Doctrinal Index wherein the Scripture texts underlying Church Teachings can be found.The Saint Joseph Edition of the NAB is very reasonably priced. Having bought both new Bibles as "used" in "very good" condition, they were only a fraction of the normal price, arrived in excellent condition looking like new Bibles, with the durability to last another 10-20 years with lots of use, I say these are a real bargain anyway you look at it.

I especially like the large print, the maps and the photographs of the Holy Land