Help on the Apocrypha

I'm a layperson trying to maneuver my way through the Scriptures and am interested in reading the Apocrypha. So far I've found these in my library: RSV, NRSV, KJVA, LES2, and NETS. I searched the forums and did see that there is The Apocrypha: The Lutheran Edition with Notes (https://www.logos.com/product/28436/the-apocrypha-the-lutheran-edition-with-notes) but not ready for fork up $43 for it since I have all these other options. My preferred Bible is ESV so maybe I'll purchase it if the price drops.

Below is a list of what is currently in my library and a description of how the Factbook is there or isn't. I like using the Factbook because it helps me understand the context.

Which version is the 'best' version to read when reading through the Apocrypha?

Also, why do all these versions seem to list the Apocrypha books in different order?

RSV

https://www.logos.com/product/344/the-revised-standard-version-bible

Contains Factbook tags

NRSV

https://www.logos.com/product/323/the-new-revised-standard-version-bible

Doesn't contain Factbook tags which is a bit strange to me being that this seems to be more popular than the RSV

KJVA

https://www.logos.com/product/236/the-king-james-version-apocrypha

Contains Factbook tags but only viewable in the right click menu

LES2

https://www.logos.com/product/188040/the-lexham-english-septuagint-2nd-ed

Contains Factbook tags

NETS

https://www.logos.com/product/165276/a-new-english-translation-of-the-septuagint

No Factbook tags

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Comments

MJ. Smith

why do all these versions seem to list the Apocrypha books in different order?

Because the books and their order vary for the Anglican version, the Lutheran Version, the Catholic Version, the Slavic Orthodox version, the Greek Orthodox Version, the Ecumenical canon version . . .

I think the Lexham Septuagint would meet your needs nicely. I normally use NRSV, NABRE, NETS, and LES in that order.

Jan Krohn

My "go-to" translation for the apocrypha is the CEB, which orders them by the canons in which they're included (Roman-Catholic, Greek, Slavonic etc.) It includes all apocrypha from the LXX (except Enoch and Odes of Solomon), and for example additional translations from the Hebrew versions of these books where available (such as Ps. 151).

Since the WEB has been released, I've been thinking of using that translation instead. It is as complete as the CEB.

If you plan on reading the book of Enoch too, there are better versions than the one found in the LXX, which omits a lot of material. Logos does have the Hermenia edition though, which is a critical edition of all sources of Enoch.

NB.Mick

did see that there is The Apocrypha: The Lutheran Edition with Notes (https://www.logos.com/product/28436/the-apocrypha-the-lutheran-edition-with-notes) but not ready for fork up $43 for it since I have all these other options. My preferred Bible is ESV so maybe I'll purchase it if the price drops.

You might be interested then in https://www.logos.com/product/192293/the-augustine-bible (which is the ESV Catholic Edition which includes the deuterocanonical books accepted in the Catholic Church) which is a great deal - and as far as I see, it includes morphological tagging in the deuterocanonicals, which the Lutheran Edition does not. The translation is sometimes different between these two.

Brian Davidson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1235833#Comment_1235833

Agreed. I use the ESV-CE as my default Bible and like it a lot.

Carmen Gauvin-O'Donnell

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1235837#Comment_1235837

On a related note, I took BI291 - The Apocrypha - Witness Between the Testaments taught by David deSilva and found it excellent and very helpful, along with his book Introducing the Apocrypha: Message, Context and Significance, both great resources available in Logos.

Ryan

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1235838#Comment_1235838

Thanks everyone but now am feeling a little overwhelmed I don't know where to start! [:)] It seems that some of the books such as Prayer of Azariah, Susanna, and Bel and the Snake are separated out in the CEB but included in the book of Daniel in the ESV-CE. Then, there's also Esther (Greek) in the CEB, but is included in Esther in the ESV-CE. I also took a peek of how it is laid out in the The Apocrypha: The Lutheran Edition which seems to be in line with the CEB but some of the titles of the books are slightly different like Sirach is named Ecclesiasticus (Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach). It is a little confusing for me. I suppose I could use CEB and ESV-CE side by side.