The Douay-Rheims (DRA) and the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) are both Catholic translations, but they were made in very different eras and follow very different philosophies. The DRA is an older, literal English Bible rooted in the Latin Vulgate, with a formal, traditional sound. The NJB is a twentieth-century translation that aims to read naturally in modern English while keeping close to the original Hebrew and Greek. The DRA suits readers who value historic continuity and a stately, traditional register. The NJB suits readers who want clear, contemporary prose and helpful study notes.
Background
The Douay-Rheims began as the work of English Catholic scholars who were exiled on the Continent during the sixteenth century. The New Testament was published at Rheims in 1582, and the Old Testament followed at Douai in the early seventeenth century, which is where the name comes from. For centuries it was the standard English Bible for Catholics, and it went through a major revision in the 1749 to 1752 period by Bishop Richard Challoner, whose changes shaped the text most readers know today.
The New Jerusalem Bible grew out of the French Jerusalem Bible, produced in the mid-twentieth century by French Dominican scholars at the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem. The English edition appeared in 1985 and was prepared under the direction of Henry Wansbrough. It was published with a full set of notes and introductions, and it reflects the reforms in biblical scholarship that followed the Second Vatican Council.
Translation Method
The DRA is generally described as a formal, quite literal translation. Its English tends to follow the Latin word order and vocabulary of the Vulgate closely, so a reader can often see the structure of the original Latin behind the English sentence. This keeps close to the source but can make some passages awkward or archaic to a modern ear, and it sometimes carries older choices of wording that later scholarship has revised.
The NJB takes a different path. Its translators worked from the original Hebrew and Greek and aimed for sense-for-sense clarity, adjusting grammar and idiom so the English reads as a natural modern sentence. The result is easier to follow in long narrative and in poetry, though it means the reader is further from the exact shape of the original sentence. Both methods involve trade-offs, and neither is simply the “correct” way to render Scripture.
Reading Level and Style
Reading the DRA feels like stepping into a formal English of an earlier age. Sentences are often long, the vocabulary is traditional, and the rhythm carries the cadence of older devotional literature. Many readers who grew up with it find this beautiful, and it can slow a casual reader down. Its style rewards patient, unhurried reading.
The NJB reads at a more contemporary level and is generally smoother for someone reading through a book for the first time. Its notes and introductions add context that the DRA, in its standard editions, does not provide to the same degree. For a reader approaching a difficult prophetic book or a complicated letter, that scholarly apparatus can be a real aid.
A Verse to Compare
Psalm 23:1
The LORD is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.
(WEB)
The Psalm 23 opening is a good test of how the two translations approach the same line. The DRA keeps the older, more formal construction of the Latin-based tradition, with its traditional phrasing about the Lord as shepherd. The NJB restates the sentence in plainer contemporary English, giving the image of the shepherd and his care without archaic grammar. A reader comparing the two will notice the same confidence in God’s provision, expressed in two very different registers of English.
Who Should Use It
Choose the DRA if you want a historic Catholic English Bible, you value formal, traditional language, and you are comfortable with older grammar. It is well suited to liturgical memory, to prayer in a traditional style, and to readers interested in the Vulgate tradition. Its limits are the age of its English and the fact that it lacks the modern scholarly notes that many readers now expect.
Choose the NJB if you want a clear, readable Catholic Bible with scholarly introductions and notes. It works well for personal study, group discussion and first-time readers of difficult books. Its limits are that its fluid style moves further from the exact wording of the original, so careful students may want to consult a more literal text alongside it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Douay-Rheims still used in Catholic churches?
The DRA is still used by some readers and in some traditional settings, but the Catholic Church in English-speaking countries now mainly uses modern approved translations for Mass and study. It remains valued for its historic role and its formal style. Many Catholics read it alongside a newer version for comparison.
Does the New Jerusalem Bible include study notes?
Yes, the NJB is published with introductions to each book and explanatory notes on the text. These notes draw on modern scholarship and help readers understand historical and literary context. This is one of the main reasons it is popular for personal study.
Which should a beginner read first?
A beginner will usually find the NJB easier to follow because its English is contemporary and the notes explain difficult passages. Readers who want to experience the traditional Catholic English style can add the DRA later. Reading both over time gives a fuller sense of how the translations differ.
