Orthodox Study Bible vs. NOAB RSV

mothra1 · Jun 21, 2011

Peace everyone,

I'm a Roman Catholic currently inquiring on East Orthodoxy. I was lurking through orthodox forums and saw threads about which bible do Orthodox Christians use? (That and other recommended readings for Orthodoxy-inquirers like "The Orthodox Church" and "The Orthodox Way")

From what I've seen, a lot of them use the Orthodox Study Bible and another bulk uses the New Oxford Annotated Bible Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha. However, despite the OSB's popularity among some orthodox Christians, there was a considerable amount criticism from other Orthodox Christians directed towards it pointing out errors and whatnot.

I read a sample of the Orthodox Study Bible on my kindle app on my iPod touch. It was really enlightening and I could see myself purchasing a copy one day. But for some reason, I'm still not totally convinced. So I turn to you. Do you guys use the Orthodox Study Bible, the NOAB RSV, or another translation? Which Bible would you recommend for me, a Roman Catholic from New York inquiring on Orthodoxy, and why?

Thanks in advance,

moth

MrJim · Jun 21, 2011

I'm a baptist inquiring into EO~~I've been using OSB particularly for the Septuaguint though the footnotes are also helpful (though I think they could have put more footnotes in)

I have a New Testament/Psalms version that I don't use anymore since I got the entire OSB; if you are interested in it I'll send it to you at no charge, just PM address.

TAW folks have sent me books/dvds/cds over the years to help me along the way, maybe this can help you

Nik0s · Jun 21, 2011

The only "criticism" I have heard about the OSB is that it states a lot of things many Orthodox Christians already know. Some Orthodox Christians think the OSB is geared too much toward those new in the faith and "states the obvious". Personally I recommend the OSB as I find it informative and his Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of my Dioscese recommends it as well. I'm personally waiting for the Eastern Orthodox Bible (EOB) being printed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The New testament is completed and is available for purchase, but the OT isn't yet.

EOB - The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible based on the Septuagint (LXX) and Patriarchal Text

Coralie · Jun 21, 2011

I use the OSB for study. And I have a pocket-size NKJV for personal/prayer use, and a KJV just because it's a literary treasure. However, the latter two don't include the Apocrypha/Deuterocanon which is a marked disadvantage.

The OSB has a lot of good information for an inquirer and also for a convert. It sets things out in a way that specifically addresses how Orthodoxy differs from western Christianity. So I think it's helpful for your purposes. I would get a copy if I were you.

The people who complain the most bitterly about the OSB tend to be cradle/long-term Orthodox, who are after something that's better suited to edify those who've already cultivated an "Orthodox mindset" or approach to Christianity. The OSB is a tool to get to that point... so it's not really as edifying for that audience.

God bless you on your spiritual journey and may He grant you many happy years

88Devin07 · Jun 21, 2011

Nik0s said:
The only "criticism" I have heard about the OSB is that it states a lot of things many Orthodox Christians already know. Some Orthodox Christians think the OSB is geared too much toward those new in the faith and "states the obvious". Personally I recommend the OSB as I find it informative and his Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of my Dioscese recommends it as well. I'm personally waiting for the Eastern Orthodox Bible (EOB) being printed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The New testament is completed and is available for purchase, but the OT isn't yet.

EOB - The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible based on the Septuagint (LXX) and Patriarchal Text

I recently had emailed EOB and the OT won't be out till 2012 I think...

Nik0s · Jun 21, 2011

88Devin07 said:
I recently had emailed EOB and the OT won't be out till 2012 I think...

Ugh........... Maybe it will be out in time for my entrance into Seminary

Knee V · Jun 21, 2011

I like the OSB. The main reason is that the OT is a translation of the Septuagint... not a perfect one, mind you, but a translation of it none the less, coupled with the NT in one volume. There are translations of the LXX that are probably better, but they're often in more than one volume. That, in and of itself, isn't problematic, but I just like to have everything in one "book", so to speak.

I don't use it as much for the study notes as I do just to have the above-mentioned criteria met, but I do find the notes helpful when I need a quick reference. Sure, they're not as in-depth as other commentary might be, but I'm not an "upper level Orthodox" yet, so the notes still come in handy to me.

The reason that I don't use the RSV w/ Apocrypha is because the OT is a translation of the Masoretic OT and not the LXX. So although all the books are there, the translations will be a little different (sometimes quite different).

I use a different translation altogether for my Psalter, also translated from the LXX.

In summary, I think that the OSB would be a worthwhile purchase for you.

Protoevangel · Jun 21, 2011

Nik0s said:
The only "criticism" I have heard about the OSB is that it states a lot of things many Orthodox Christians already know. Some Orthodox Christians think the OSB is geared too much toward those new in the faith and "states the obvious". Personally I recommend the OSB as I find it informative and his Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of my Dioscese recommends it as well. I'm personally waiting for the Eastern Orthodox Bible (EOB) being printed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The New testament is completed and is available for purchase, but the OT isn't yet.

EOB - The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible based on the Septuagint (LXX) and Patriarchal Text

88Devin07 said:
I recently had emailed EOB and the OT won't be out till 2012 I think...

Nik0s said:
Ugh........... Maybe it will be out in time for my entrance into Seminary

Don't forget, the New Testament is a free download. http://www.orthodox-church.info/eob/download/eobntpublic.pdf or Download the EOB Eastern Greek Orthodox Bible - Septuagint and New Testament (the first link... it's not marked as the New Testament, but that's what it is.)

Yea, I'm a fan of the OSB as well. Agreed that it's not perfect, but it's good.

Nik0s · Jun 21, 2011

I know the NT from the EOB is available, but I'm holding off to buy the whole thing when the OT is finished.

Kristos · Jun 22, 2011

I recommend the RSV - most of the NT liturgical texts are taken from the RSV and the Oxford edition you reference has very good footnotes for study of variant text and translations. If you want a contemporary commentary to go along with the scripture, then I recommend the series by Fr Farley:

Amazon.com: Lawrence R. Farley: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

gzt · Jun 22, 2011

I strongly prefer the RSV.

There are probably two things the Orthodox Study Bible has that other Bibles won't: conformance to the preferred Scriptural readings of the Church (where well-defined - sometimes they aren't) and Orthodox commentary. I'm kind of indifferent to both - I prefer a good translation over one that makes all the exact critical choices the Church makes and I'd rather have a separate commentary than an integrated all-in-one Bible.

For commentaries on the Gospels, I recommend Blessed Theophylact. Start there...

Lukaris · Jun 22, 2011

As a layperson, I think the OSB is good. Our parish priest (who translated part of Joshua in the OSB), and a cradle, old world Orthdox scholar & I discussed the OSB & the scholar expressed valid criticism in that the OSB project was claiming too much authority as being representative of Orthodoxy (issues re ecclesial approval). The oversight committee has canonical New World bishops listed in the preface but some say this is just a generality of sorts lacking a formal blessing from hierarchs (it confuses me but I am not trying to assume a position on this). The thing is for about a century & a half Orthodox Christians had no comprehensive Biblical overview of their faith in the English speaking world (the time period when their immigrations began) until the OSB project.

ArmyMatt · Jun 22, 2011

I use the OSB, but the best teacher are the services, so the best way to learn about the faith is to check out your local Church, and talk to the priest afterwards.

and good call on the books by Met Kallistos Ware. I would also recommend Fr Thomas Hopko's Rainbow Series.

Monica child of God 1 · Jun 22, 2011

I have the OSB, but for daily use (when I make time to read daily) I read The Bible and the Holy Fathers For Orthodox edited by Johanna Manley . A sister at a monastery introduced me to it.

http://books.google.com/books?id=YL...&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

M.

SeraphimSarov · Jun 22, 2011

EOB for the NT and Holy Dormition Monastery's "Psalter according to the Seventy" for the Psalms. That comprises the majority of my reading, though I have the KJV with deuterocanon for OT reading.

Thekla · Jun 23, 2011

I use several

*The OSB

*the EOB (NT) which has a very reader friendly translation; because of this I originally got this for my kids, but very much like it for my own use !

*The Orthodox New Testament, Holy Apostles/Dormition Skete - the 2 vol. edition has extensive notes, though is expensive; quite good, though Holy Apostles Convent - Web Store

* Apostolic Bible Polyglot - an interlinear LXX and NT (no Deuterocanon though) The Apostolic Bible Polyglot - Interlinear Greek Septuagint (LXX) & Greek New testamentt

* The Bible and the Holy Fathers (Manley) as well as the companion volume - Psalms - is very good

Dorothea · Jun 23, 2011

I use the OSB because that's the one I know about. I don't have the Oxford one, but I've heard it's great. I already have the Orthodox NT Study Bible and the Third Millenium Bible. I figure that's enough bibles for me, and I don't collect them.

Constantine_Orthodox · Jun 23, 2011

Well, I can 't vote in the poll, cause I don 't use any of them. I use the LXX and the Greek NT.

SoulFoodEater · Jun 23, 2011

Thekla said:
I use several

*The OSB

*the EOB (NT) which has a very reader friendly translation; because of this I originally got this for my kids, but very much like it for my own use !

*The Orthodox New Testament, Holy Apostles/Dormition Skete - the 2 vol. edition has extensive notes, though is expensive; quite good, though Holy Apostles Convent - Web Store

* Apostolic Bible Polyglot - an interlinear LXX and NT (no Deuterocanon though) The Apostolic Bible Polyglot - Interlinear Greek Septuagint (LXX) & Greek New testamentt

* The Bible and the Holy Fathers (Manley) as well as the companion volume - Psalms - is very good

You can actually buy an Apostles Convent edition of the NT which includes both books (but has no commentary). Here it is. Its translated from the Official Patriarchal Text just like the EOB is, and so it is a choice and accurate translation of the NT for Orthodox... It uses KJV style language which is good for liturgical reading.

I would not recommend the Apostolic Bible Polyglot for a convert to Orthodoxy; that translation is good and interesting, but it is WAY too literal of a translation, plus it has not Deuterocanonical books.

The Bible and the Holy Fathers by Manley is a great book for any Orthodox to have. What it is are commentaries from the Saints on the daily Scripture readings of the Church.

The Eastern Orthodox Bible would be your best bet especially if you are a convert...

Monica child of God 1 · Jun 23, 2011

SoulFoodEater said:
The Bible and the Holy Fathers[/I] by Manley is a great book for any Orthodox to have. What it is are commentaries from the Saints on the daily Scripture readings of the Church.

Yeah it has the commentaries plus the readings for each day.

M.

Orthodox Study Bible vs. NOAB RSV

Which Bible do you reccomend for me?

Orthodox Study Bible (OSB)

New Oxford Annotated Bible Revised Standard Version (NOAB RSV)

Other (please specify in your reply)

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