DRB - 1899
Douay-Rheims Bible
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This is a scrupulously faithful translation into Englishof the Latin Vulgate Bible which Jerome (342-420) translated into Latinfrom the original languages. The Latin Vulgate Bible had been declaredby the Council of Trent to be the official Latin version of the canonicalScriptures. The DRB translators took great pains to translate exactly.When a passage seemed strange and unintelligible they left it alone, evenif obscure.

The translators translated from a translation for tenreasons, ending by stating that the Latin Vulgate "is not onely betterthan al other Latin translations, but then the Greeke text itselfe, inthose places where they disagree." They also state that the Vulgateis "more pure then the Hebrew or Greke now extant" and that "thesame Latin hath bene farre better conserved from corruptions."

It has the imprimatur of James Cardinal Gibbons.

John Murphy Company (1899)

[University of Texas at ArlingtonLibrary, Arlington, Texas]

When Catholics were considering a vernacular Bible, professorsat the English College at Douay, France, took up the work. Because of politicalunrest, the college was moved to Rheims, also in France. Work started in1578. The New Testament, translated faithfully into the English out ofauthentic Latin and diligently conferred with the Greek, was printed atRheims in 1582. The purpose was to discover corruptions in numerous latetranslations and to clear controversies in the religion of the day. Inmore peaceful times, the vernacular would not have been necessary. TheChurch never wholly condemned vulgar (popular or pertaining to common people)versions but warned against indiscriminate interpretation.

The groundwork was supplied by such sources as Coverdale,Bishop's Bible, and the Geneva Bible, but mostly Wycliffe. The Vulgatewas used for translation because of its ancient character, its tradition,its accuracy, its sincerity, and the decree of the Council of Trent. Theaim of the translators was a literal translation. The Old Testament waspublished in two volumes in 1609-1610. At the time of publication, bothTestament translators were criticized. Later scholars praised the accuracyof the Douay-Rheims Bible.

[Tyndale House, Cambridge, UnitedKingdom]

Genesis1: 1, 2

In the beginning God created heaven, and earth. And theearth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of he deep; andthe spirit of God moved over the waters.

 
 

John1: 1 - 3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was withGod, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was made nothing that was made.

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