The New Living Translation Catholic Reader's Edition

The New Living Translation Catholic Reader's Edition (ISBN 9781496414014) is a sturdy hardback 9 5/16 x 6 5/16 x 1 7/16 inches in dimensions, printed in Italy. The text block is glued, but it easily lies open in Genesis.

The copyright page carries a Nihil Obstat and an Imprimatur. The volume includes all of the Deuterocanonical books in the order they are normally found in Catholic Bibles.

This edition features a dark, somewhat bold 9 point font. Line spacing is generous. The line-matched text is formatted into two columns, organized into paragraphs. There are no references, but the New Living Translation provides numerous text and translation notes in a 7 point font. Some of these notes alert the reader when a New Testament author quotes from an ancient translation, like the Septuagint, rather than follow the Masoretic reading.

The approximately 36 gsm paper is sufficiently opaque, and show-through (ghosting) is not troublesome. The paper is relatively matte (i.e., no waxy coating), so glare is minimal.

The words of Christ are printed in black ink.

The volume includes nine (9) color maps on heavy, glossy paper. One dark blue ribbon marker is provided, as are attractive white head and tail bands.

The New Living Translation is a relatively free or loose translation. It employs modern gender inclusive language.


Detailed Contents

00:00 Dimensions, margins, layout, font ... 3 charts
00:38 Size compared to medium size St. Joseph NABRE
00:48 Size compared to the Augustine Bible (ESV-CE)
01:00 Size compared to an Ignatius RSV2CE
01:11 Page layout
01:55 The text is line-matched
02:14 Margins
02:43 The 9 point font in the text
04:03 The 7 point font in the page-bottom text and translation notes
04:42 Paper characteristics (thickness, weight, color, reflectivity, opacity)
05:21 Print non-uniformity (fading)
05:44 Book introductions
06:53 The words of Christ are in black ink
07:53 The nine color maps
08:30 The textured paper liner
08:45 The dark blue ribbon marker
09:38 The copyright page
09:45 The Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat
10:14 The table of contents
11:02 The Hebrew and Greek source texts
12:05 Some unique aspects of this translation
13:53 The use of modern gender inclusive language
15:29 A note about the Deuterocanonical books
15:58 The translation team
16:34 A close-up look at the font
17:04 The font compared to that in the Ignatius RSV2CE
17:29 The font compared to that in the Augustine Bible (ESV-CE)
17:49 The font compared to that in the medium size St. Joseph NABRE
18:23 How free is this translation?
18:39 How often does the translation follow various Greek New Testaments?
19:36 How often does the translation depart from the Masoretic Hebrew?
20:08 Old Testament footnotes sometimes provide the Septuagint's rendering when the New Testament
follows the Septuagint. Isaiah 29.13 and Mark 7.7.
21:09 Sample passage -- Psalm 23.1-4
21:27 Sample passage -- Isaiah 11.2-9
21:49 Sample passage -- Isaiah 53.1-4
21:57 Sample passage -- Daniel 3.46-52 (The Song of the Three Young Men)
22:02 Sample passage -- Tobit 1.1-9
22:25 Sample passage -- Luke 1.46-52 (The Magnificat)
22:33 Sample passage -- John 21.13-25
22:39 Summary
23:05 This Bible lies open and fairly flat in Genesis
24:04 Modern gender inclusive language in Revelation 3.20-21