Spotlight on the New American Bible

What Catholic Bible translation took 20 years to complete and the work of over 100 scholars to finish?  The New American Bible. The New American Bible is the most common Bible translation and therefore I think it deserves a blog devoted to the facts about the great New American Bible.  The New American Bible is also the official translation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and makes a great Catholic Bible for Catholics of all ages.

History of the New American Bible

The New American Bible had its beginnings in the Confraternity Bible and was first published in 1970.  This Catholic Bible translation has undergone four revisions, the most recent being a major revision of the Old Testament.  Due to the extensive nature of the revision now we have the New American Bible Revised Edition which was published in March of 2011.  Many of the edits which have taken place on the New American Bible are due to the removal of non-traditional gender-neutral language.  The New American Bible is also one of the three Catholic Bibles approved for use in the liturgy.

As you can tell, the New American Bible is a fantastic translation of the Catholic Bible and is the translation that I use in the Bible study I lead at Belmont Abbey College.  The footnotes of the New American Bible are very helpful as well as the introductions to the books of the Bible.  I personally use a student edition of the New American Bible which includes helpful maps and diagrams in order to better understand the Catholic Bible and the Gospel story.  What is your preferred translation of the Bible?  Do you use the New American Bible?  Why, or why not?