The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern-English revision of the 1611 King James tradition, built on the Greek and Hebrew texts that stand behind that older English Bible. The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) is a Catholic translation produced for English-speaking Catholics, with a Catholic canon that includes the deuterocanonical books. The NKJV suits readers who love the cadence of the King James style and want a text close to the older English Bible without its archaic vocabulary. The NABRE suits Catholic readers, students using a Catholic lectionary or study notes, and anyone who wants the books that Protestant Bibles omit.
Background
The NKJV was published in 1982 by Thomas Nelson, with a team of several dozen evangelical scholars working from the same underlying Hebrew and Greek texts used for the King James Version. Its aim was to keep the familiar sentence structure and reverent tone of the older English while replacing words that have changed meaning or fallen out of use. The complete New Testament came first, and the full Bible followed. It has been revised in later editions, but its core remains the King James line of translation.
The NABRE is the American Catholic Church’s revision of the New American Bible, first published in 1970 and revised over subsequent decades, with the Psalms and New Testament among the sections updated most recently. It was prepared under the authority of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Its notes and introductions reflect Catholic teaching and scholarship, and it includes the books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and the additions to Esther and Daniel, along with the longer Catholic text of several other books.
Translation Method
The NKJV leans toward essentially literal rendering, so it tends to follow the word order and sentence shape of the original languages as closely as English allows. Readers who study phrase by phrase often find it helpful for noticing repeated words and grammatical emphasis. The trade-off is that some passages read stiffly, because English does not always sit comfortably in the structures of Hebrew or Greek.
The NABRE is generally described as a dynamic-equivalence translation, which means it aims to convey the meaning of each passage in natural modern English rather than mirroring original wording exactly. That approach makes long narratives and letters easier to follow in one sitting. Its drawback is that a reader cannot always see the exact connection between a key Hebrew or Greek term and the English word chosen for it, so comparing with a more literal version can be useful for detailed study.
Reading Level and Style
The NKJV keeps the rhythm of the King James Version, with formal pronouns for God and a sense of solemnity in its poetry. Most readers find it accessible, but it still uses some older grammatical patterns, and Psalms and prophetic books can feel dense to a first-time reader. It works well for memorization because its sentences have a steady, memorable cadence.
The NABRE uses contemporary sentences and everyday vocabulary, so narratives such as the Gospels and Acts move quickly. Its poetry is clear without being flat, and its footnotes give historical and cultural context that helps readers new to Scripture. Some Catholic readers find that its phrasing differs from the wording they hear at Mass, which is a common reason people compare it with the lectionary text.
A Verse to Compare
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
(WEB)
This verse shows the difference in method clearly. The NKJV keeps the structure of the Greek closely, so the sentence reads with the same balance and the same key terms in the same places as the King James tradition. The NABRE restates the same thought in more immediate modern English, with simpler clauses that a new reader can follow at once. Both bring out the same central claim about God’s love and the gift of eternal life, but they differ in how much of the original sentence shape they preserve.
Who Should Use It
Choose the NKJV if you want a Protestant Bible with a classic feel, you value a close link to the Greek and Hebrew wording, and you enjoy memorizing or reading slowly. Its limits are that it is less conversational and that it does not include the deuterocanonical books, so Catholic readers will need a separate resource for those texts.
Choose the NABRE if you are Catholic, if you want notes and an introduction written from a Catholic perspective, or if you want a readable modern text for narrative and devotional reading. Its limits are that a dynamic approach can smooth over details that a more literal translation keeps visible, so pairing it with another version for close study is often helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the NKJV include the Catholic deuterocanonical books?
No, the NKJV follows the Protestant canon and does not include Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, or the Catholic additions to Esther and Daniel. Readers who want those books will need a Catholic Bible such as the NABRE or another Catholic edition.
Is the NABRE an official Catholic Bible?
Yes, the NABRE is the translation approved for use in the Lectionary for Mass in the United States, and it carries the approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is widely used in Catholic parishes, schools, and homes.
Which is better for memorizing Scripture?
Many readers find the NKJV easier to memorize because its steady King James cadence creates strong rhythm and familiar phrasing. The NABRE is also memorable, especially for narrative passages, so the better choice depends on which style you find easier to recall.
