Douay-Rheims Bible [Pocket size, black flexible cover]

Incredible purchase given the quality and the price. The size is perfect to carry around and travel with, though the lettering is small, it is really crisp and clear. I really like the two ribbon placeholders, really helps me personally to keep place in the Old Testament and the New Testament. I really also enjoyed reading the three Papal Encyclicals on Holy Scripture in the beginning after the Preface of Providentissimus Deus by Pope Leo XIII, Spiritus Paraclitus by Pope Benedict XV, and Divino Afflante Spiritu by Pope Pius XII. These Encyclicals really help you understand the importance of Scripture and Magisterial interpretation. Another great thing is the artwork of different scenes throughout the Bible in between the Old and New Testament. I find the text's readability very well done, and well suited to Scripture (Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the NRSV-CE, NAB, and NJB versions) in a sense of authenticity. There are going to be many archaic words, which you can easily Google, but I found that most of it can be understood by context (such as adjectives and adverbs). All in all, very beautifully written and revised from a solid heritage of the Church's translation. I also found the annotations at the bottom giving brief interpretations in line with the Church's tradition very useful, especially for certain verses or phrases difficult to understand. I would highly recommend this version of the Bible, especially this Baronius Press Edition, for those who really enjoy reading, praying with and reflecting on Scripture. I can't really much express how much I personally enjoy this Bible, just that I'm reading it nearly everyday.

I ordered this bible because I wanted the beautiful poetic language that you get with the King James Version (the language is similar), but I also wanted a Bible that included the Deuterocanonical books. As many of you know, only Catholic Bibles consider them as part of the official canon (and rightfully so). I also wanted to be able to compare the scripture word for word alongside the Protestant King James Version because of the fact that the Douay-Rheims influenced the translation of the KJV to a great degree. The construction is superb! The binding is stitched, not glued. The edges of the Bible are gilded in gold foil evenly and, it seems, with great care! It possesses two ribbon markers made out of some kind of nylon or synthetic fiber. One is gold and one is red. The ribbons seem to unravel at the ends so I suggest that you take a match, lighter, or some kind of flame and LIGHTLY singe the ends to prevent further distortion. The pages are thin but nothing thinner than you would expect for a bible. In the beginning before the book of Genesis there are three Papal Encyclicals: Providentissimus Deus by Pope LeoXIII, Spiritus Paraclitus by Pope Benedict XV, and Divino Afflante Spiritu by Pope Pius XII. In between the Old Testament and the New Testament contains drawings/engravings of many famous Biblical scenes such as "The Adoration" "The Crucifixion of our Lord" and "The Transfiguration." The engravings are printed on thicker pages which are glossed over. Immediately after the engravings is the family register. For ease of writing, it is not glossy but rather resembles the rest of the pages. The only gripes I have about this bible are the fact that the leather is a bit stiff and that the ribbon markers unravel. Even then, the problems are so minuscule that they would not greatly affect the star rating that I give it. Overall, this bible is a great addition to anybody's library especially if you want ALL of the books that have been a part of the Bible since before the 1500's and the Protestant Reformation. I commend Baronius Press for creating such a beautiful work of art!

This is a beautiful, and very well thought out Bible. The fact that it is a reprint of the venerable Douay/Rheims Bible makes this bible extra remarkable! It is 6-7/8" tall and loaded with antique style engravings illustrating the Bible stories. It has two ribbons for place markers. The text is in two columns per page, and not at all difficult to read (with my glasses.) There are many full color map pages at the end of the Bible. It is what might be called a small 12mo. The only smaller Catholic Bibles available (to my knowledge) is the compact New American Bible at 6" tall, and the Catholic Truth Society's "Compact New Catholic Bible" which is only 5-3/4" tall. The CTS bible is an excellent Bible, being the Jerusalem Bible and Grail Psalter translations, which are approved for use in English Liturgies. Anyway, this Baronius Press Douay Rheims is a welcome size and version. It will make an excellent traveling bible, since it is smaller than the Gideon bibles, and Catholic, so therefore being a complete unabridged canonical Bible.

What can I say? The Challoner edition of the classic Douay-Rheims Bible. If you're Catholic, you should have one. It's true that it's not the 1582 (NT)/ 1609 (OT)translation. A laser copy reproduction of those original editions in 5 volumes is available by doing a search for "Ecclesiastical latin The Douay Rheims Bible". There is also a re-typed version available on Amazon - search for "The Original and True Douay Rheims Bible of 1610" This Bible is well constructed, comes with two ribbons, gilt edges, a family register, and three Papal Encyclicals: Providentissimus Deus, Spiritus Paraclitus, and Divino Afflante Spiritu. Spiritu Paraclitus is especially fitting as it is Pope Benedict XV's encyclical on St. Jerome, the translator of the Latin Vulgate. The typeface is large and a joy to read - no chance of eye strain with this one. However, for its size it's not too heavy or clumsy to handle, at least not for me. Baronius Press has done a great job producing this Bible. I would have liked to have seen a full contents of both the OT and the NT in the front of the book, and, on a Bible this size, index tabs would be a wonderful feature. All in all, you can't go wrong with this edition.

This beautiful volume exhibits all the quality characteristics typical of the Baronius Press...paper, bound in sewn folios, end papers, leather cover...all excellent and made to last. It makes a beautiful gift and I recommend the black hard cover edition. The Douay-Rheims Bible contains a near poetic cadence that later translations lack. Its so-called "archaic" wording has been largely exaggerated. It does use the familiar form of the second person throughout (thee, thy, thou...didst, walketh,...etc.) but for that matter so does Shakespeare. Bishop Challenor's re-working of the original pretty much eliminates earlier ambiguities and changes in shades of meaning of many basic words. It is highly readable and understandable by anyone possessing normal intelligence. In case you're interested, the Douay-Rheims Bible pre-dates the KJV by nearly a decade. In fact more verses in the KJV were taken from the D-R than the earlier Tyndale English Bible.

First, a "gold star" for the Amazon shipping process. My bible arrived ahead of schedule, and, in good condition. If you want a small size bible then this could be a good choice. This one is 7" x 4.5"x 1.5. The cover is leather , ir at least, a leather type material, which is good enough for me. I wiped the cover with a light coat of Lexol and it didn't hurt.. That's just me...Love the gold edged pages , the two markers and solid stitching to hold the book together. The print is small...you will need either good eyes, (reading) glasses, magnifier and/or decent lighting. I guess if you want a small book you will get small print. Between the Old and New Testament are 32 pictures of notable biblical events, which reminds me of the old bible history books in catholic school. Also between the Old and New Testaments is a family register for marriages, births and deaths. In the back of this bible is 6 pages of colorful maps and a histirical time line. There are several papal encyclicals in the beginning of the book. This Bible is rather costly, but, the quality is there.

It’s a nice complete Catholic Bible. It’s leather, stitched and well made. The print is 5-6 pt, which I expected. I have bifocals and it’s usually easy for me to read print that small. However, in this Bible the print is not black but more of a gray. It makes it difficult to read and gives you eye strain. I’ve read comments that all Baronius Press Bibles are like that, even the larger ones. Be aware. I made the mistake of buying a used one. It has a patchouli incense smell on it that I can’t air out. Don’t be cheap. Spend a few extra bucks and get a new one. I’m a Catholic convert. I’m used to the Old King James Bible. This is identical to it except for a different word here and there. I suspect the KJV was plagiarized from this! Lol it does have the Apocypha books the Protestants took out. If you’re old school like me (grew up in Lutheran church and school) this is wonderful. It retains the beautiful language but is for Catholics. It has the Impramater.

This is my second Douay Rheims, the other one being the Saint Benedict Press' in standard print. I love the choice of white cover and the way the middle of the book gives off a subtle golden glow when you open it. Due to its size, this isn't exactly your handy go-anywhere bible but the build quality and large print more than make up for it. I noticed that even among Catholic bibles, only the Douay Rheims contains notes, annotations and book introductions that appear sure and confident. There is less of those ifs and buts you will find in modern bibles' study aids. For this reason, I tend to treat the Douay Rheims as my bible of last resort. Also if there seem to be some apparent differences in a passage between different bible translations, I consult the Douay-Rheims to "settle the matter" so to speak. This Baronius volume is very well made, beautiful and truly Catholic. Highly recommended!