New American Bible

The translation of the New American Bible has been a long project. The NT translation, based on the Latin Vulgate, was published as Confraternity Version in 1941. When Pope Pius XII recommended translation from the original language in 1943, this work had to be redone. By then, work on the OT translation had begun, based on the original text. Translation of the OT was completed in 1969, including the Apocrypha. The NT, retranslated from the Greek text, was published in 1970. With the release of the entire text, the NAB represented the first American Catholic Bible translated from the original languages.

The use of "thou", "thee", "thine", and other archaic verb forms have been dropped in the New American Bible translation. Unlike the JB, with its use of "Yahweh", the NAB uses "Lord."

The translation is simple, clear, and reads very smoothly. Although not as colorful as the NEB, it is good American English. The translation is conservative in that it doesn't stray far from the original. While not a literal translation, it is faithful to the text.

A comparison of the NAB with the KJV, from the Psalms 23:1-3:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he give me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths for his name's sake.

1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3. He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

The New American Bible has been well received by American Catholics. It is read in the churches and in the homes. The New American Bible is the most popular American edition of a Catholic Bible.