The Original Douay Rheims Bible

In early 2007, I decided to reprint the original 3 volume Douay Rheims Bible. I did this for 3 primary reasons.

#1. It is out of print. A bible of this historical significance should be in print and accessible to the general public.

#2. It is important for students of the bible and of Latin to be able to have access to such a work. The original Douay Rheims bible is the most literal translation of the Latin Vulgate ever produced. it is an excellent resource for students of the Vulgate.

#3. This may be a superficial reason, but think it is a really fine bible to read and appreciate. The format and typography are truly a work of art.

This is not the Challoner revision of the Douay Rheims bible. This is the bible that Bishop Challoner used as a base text for his translation. While most complete bibles come in at about 1000 to 1200 pages, this one is almost 2900 pages. It is filled with tons of notes, annotations, historical texts and tables, and a lot of other information. I have provided some page samples below so you can look at them and judge for yourself. At first, my intent was to only produce a printed edition but due to the cost of it to the consumer and the diversified needs of the consumer, I have made it available in 3 different formats. A printed version, a CD ROM version, and a download.

A few notes on this edition

This edition was scanned from a 3 volume set that was printed in the mid-eighties. The mid-eighties reprint was offered in a 5” by 8” page size, which was a 10% reduction from the original. The scan quality of the mid-eighties edition could have been better, but is acceptable. There are a few isolated places where the text that is printed in a smaller font is very difficult to read. This applies to the notes and annotations. The biblical text is in a larger font and is much clearer. I had second thoughts about reprinting this edition because of these faults. Then I realized the fact that offering a slightly inferior edition is better than not having this bible available at all. I had this edition professionally scanned and converted it to an 8 ¼” by 10 ¾” page size. To my knowledge, this is the largest facsimile reprint of the original Douay Rheims Bible.

Why is this bible printed in 5 volumes?

Since the publisher I use has a page limit of 800 pages for their hardcover books, and each volume of the Old Testament has around 1000 pages, I had to split the original 2 volume Old Testament into 4. This made the cost go up since you have to buy more books get a complete set, but there wasn’t much I could do about it. One good thing, the divisions turned out to correspond with the 4 major divisions of the books of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Wisdom Books, and the Prophetical Books). It turned out that the New Testament has exactly 800 pages, so I was able to keep it a single volume.

Is there an inexpensive alternative to the printed edition?

Due to the cost of the printed edition, I produced a fully bookmarked .PDF available on CD-ROM or by Download that are a fraction of the cost (available below).

Is there any advantage to ordering the whole set?

I am also offering a substantial discount if you purchase the complete Douay Rheims Bible (all 5 volumes) as a complete set (see below). Also note the other “perks” when buying the whole set. (see the listing for the whole set below).

Why did you reprint the 1635 edition of the Old Testament and not the original (first) 1609 edition?

The reason why I reprinted the 1635 edition and not the 1609 edition is because this was the edition that was used in the facsimile that I scanned. There are very few differences between these editions, even though they were printed over 25 years apart. The spelling and format varied slightly but content is the same.

A few comments and information about the 1980’s reprint that was used to create the facsimile that we are offering.

The reprint that we used to make the scans for our edition has an interesting but odd background. A man by the name of Gordon Winrod who was a Pastor residing in Gainesville, Missouri is responsible for the whole reprinting process. Entirely with his own funds, he acquired an original 3 volume set the Douay Rheims Bible and had it reproduced. I’m not sure what method he used to scan the original. He used the word “photographically reproduced”. He had 2000 sets printed and offered them for sale. Although not a Catholic, this man was a staunch defender of the Vulgate as an authoritative translation of the original languages. He believed, as did the translator’s of the Douay Rheims Bible, that the Greek and Hebrew manuscripts were corrupted, so that they could not be relied upon as being solely authoritative. The Vulgate had not suffered the corruption that the other manuscripts did. It was preserved in the Church by its use in liturgical texts and official prayers. That’s the interesting part. The odd part is that this man was a flaming anti-Semitic. He was a conspiracy theorist who believed that the Jews were behind nearly everything evil in this world. The purity of the Vulgate was not the only reason he reprinted the original Douay Rheims. He believed that the notes and annotations in the original Douay Rheims supported his doctrines. This is a classic case of mis-interpretation of Catholic teaching on the Jews. We are not going to get into detail about the doctrines and teachings that this man formulated nor will I carry on about his involvement in the Christian Identity Movement and Mr. Winrod’s current state, which is in prison. But we will say that this is proof that something good can come out of something bad. Even though it was reprinted for all the wrong reasons, we can read, study, cherish, and enjoy the first complete English translation of Latin Vulgate thanks to his efforts. Why did we go to all of the trouble to explain all of this? We have received inquires about our reprint that express concern over using a Bible that was produced by such a controversial man. Implying that Mr. Winrod modified or changed the text of Scripture in some way. This is not a concern because this edition is an exact facsimile of the original printings. We must stress that it was not changed or modified in any way. This is an exact facsimile of the original texts.

We have included below a few downloads of interest. I must stress that these are provided for informational and study purposes only. We at churchlatin.com do not support, agree with the teachings of, or are connected with the authors of these texts in any way.

This download is the preface that was composed and added to volume one of the Douay Old Testament by Gordon Winrod. (I did not include this in my reprint)

Preface

This download is a flyer that he created to advertise and promote his reprint.

Flyer

This download contains two charts that compare how a few different translations of the bible render Christological passages in the old and new testaments.

Charts

Is the Original Douay Rheims bible available anywhere else?

Yes, but not as a facsimile. I have reprinted the actual historical text. There is another edition out there that is the fruit of a man named Dr. William von Peters. After many years of re-typesetting and re-formatting, he has released a slightly “updated” edition of the Douay Rheims. He calls it the Real or Original and True Douay Rheims Bible. When I say “updated”, I don’t mean revised or edited in any way. He has typed the whole bible out using a word processor and corrected the archaic word spellings. That is it. The original text was not corrupted in any way. If you are interested in such a version, look here - http://www.realdouayrheims.com/

On ordering the Douay Rheims Bible

Note that these volumes are heavy. Shipping can be a bit expensive especially if you are ordering the complete set. Please read the “How to Order” link under the “Books” link on the homepage for detailed ordering instructions and then send your order to sales@churchlatin.com. Also note that there will be a 2 ½ to 3 week waiting period while your books are being printed. This time period is beyond my control. This is just how long it takes for the publisher to print and bind hardcover books. I have included large sample files of each volume that includes all of the front matter and the whole first book of each volume. I did this so you could carefully examine these texts before you decide to purchase.

For a full description of this offer, please visit our Douay Rheims Page. Click the link on the lower right of the homepage.

	The Rheims New Testament 1582 AD  800 pages Original year of publication: 1582 Reprinted in the year: 2007 View Sample Page Ordering Options Media Type: Hardcover Book Dimensions: 8 1/4" X 10 3/4" Stock Number: BBH01 Price: $49.99 Image Gallery
	The Douay Old Testament 1635 AD Volume I Part I The Pentateuch  439 pages Original year of publication: 1635 Reprinted in the year: 2007 View Sample Page Ordering Options Media Type: Hardcover Book Dimensions: 8 1/4" X 10 3/4" Stock Number: BBH02 Price: $39.99 Image Gallery
	The Douay Old Testament 1635 AD Volume I Part II The Historical Books  589 pages Original year of publication: 1635 Reprinted in the year: 2007 View Sample Page Ordering Options Media Type: Hardcover Book Dimensions: 8 1/4" X 10 3/4" Stock Number: BBH03 Price: $44.99 Image Gallery
	The Douay Old Testament 1635 AD Volume II Part I The Wisdom Books  430 pages Original year of publication: 1635 Reprinted in the year: 2007 View Sample Page Ordering Options Media Type: Hardcover Book Dimensions: 8 1/4" X 10 3/4" Stock Number: BBH04 Price: $39.99 Image Gallery
	The Douay Old Testament 1635 AD Volume II Part II The Prophetical Books  614 pages Original year of publication: 1635 Reprinted in the year: 2007 View Sample Page Ordering Options Media Type: Hardcover Book Dimensions: 8 1/4" X 10 3/4" Stock Number: BBH05 Price: $44.99 Image Gallery
The Original, Complete, and Unrevised Douay Rheims Bible
	The Complete Douay Rheims Bible 5 Volumes  2872 pages Original year of publication: 1582, 1635 Reprinted in the year: 2007 Here is the complete 5 volume set of the original, unrevised Douay Rheims Bible. Presented in a facsimile format, this bible has been historically preserved in this edition. Presented with a free CD ROM edition and free book considering the merits of this bible. Individual volumes and a more complete description of this edition can be found at our Douay Rheims page. Ordering options (below) include a print edition, CD ROM only edition, download direct from this site (link given manually after payment), or purchase and download from lulu.com (download link provided immediately). Ordering Options Media Type: Hardcover Book Dimensions: 8 1/4" X 10 3/4" Stock Number: BBH06 Price: $209.99 Image Gallery Media Type: CD-ROM Stock Number: BCX01 Price: $20.00 Image Gallery Media Type: Download (.pdf format) Stock Number: BDX01 Price: $20.00 Notes: If you choose to download the e-version directly from this site, a download link will be emailed to you within 12 to 24 hours. If you purchase from lulu.com (link below) the download will be available instantly. Save about $10 when you buy all five volumes of the printed edition, all at once.PLUS- You will get a free book “A Historical and Critical Analysis of the Douay Rheims Translation of the Holy Scriptures” by Fr. Hugh Pope, O.P. AND the fullybookmarked CD ROM edition.I will allow an exception to this. If you only order one volume to see if this bible is everything you expected, then decide to order the remaining volumes of the set on a subsequent order, I will still give you the discount, free book and CD ROM.The discount will not apply if you order the volumes one by one or by any other method. Purchase and Download The Complete Douay Rheims Bible (5 volumes) from Lulu.com.
Testimonial(s) regarding this book... May 26, 2011 Ave,     First, thank you for making this Bible available.  The CD arrived only a couple of days after I placed my order, and the 5 volumes of the Bible arrived in less than a week.  Great service.  I am sorry I didn't contact you sooner but I have been too busy enjoying my new Bible.  Thanks again and keep up the great work.   K.H. from Aurora, IL October 27, 2010 If it's given any thought at all by English-speaking Catholics, the original Douay Rheims is usually dismissed as being unreadable.  After spending several weeks with it, I can confirm this reputation is undeserved.  On the contrary, I find the translation clear and precise; it benefits greatly by tracking so closely to the Latin of the Vulgate.  I prefer this translation to Bishop Challoner's mislabeled "revision", which takes as much from the King James as from the original DR, and ends up being less aesthetically pleasing than either. Regarding this particular facsimile, it is excellent.  The print is large and easy to read.  The orthography is initially strange, but it did not take me long to become accustomed to it.  However, the marginal notes and end-of-chapter annotations are in small print -- even in this oversize format -- and can be difficult to read.  Having said that, they are very much worth the effort needed to decipher them.  Written during the Counter-Reformation in response to Protestant heresies, it is a mistake to think these notes have lost any relevance with the passage of time.  On several occasions already the notes have shed light on passages that have puzzled me for years. In sum, the original DR is the best English version of The Holy Bible I have yet encountered.  It is a shame that it has languished in obscurity for almost four centuries.  I would very much like to see this reprinted by an established publisher, with updated orthography but otherwise unchanged (and with the notes intact).  Until that day arrives, this facsimile edition comes highly recommended. RH from Calgary, Alberta, Canada November 04, 2009 Maximus,   Here is my quite tardy testimonial.  Mea culpa.  I am enjoying the D-R Bible quite a bit, and am incorporating it into my daily reading and worship quickly.  Thanks again.   "When one hears the words "facsimile edition", one immediately thinks of nearly unreadable Shakespearean folios or a set of Paradise Lost.  This edition of the Douay-Rheims Bible has none of these flaws.  There are a few fuzzy spots and glitches, but this is head and shoulders the best facsimile edition I've ever seen of any book of antiquity.  Also, the publisher has done the Catholic Church a huge favor by bringing the D-R back into print.  At last, one can read the original Catholic Bible as it was translated into English from the Vulgate.  Any serious student of the Bible, or any Catholic interested in the true English translation owes it to himself or herself to get and read this bible.   T.H. from Florence, MS January 04, 2009 (This comment is referring to the CD ROM only)  I’ve been enjoying the CD very much.  Once one gets into the groove of reading that font, etc., the reading flows effortlessly.  And it doesn’t take all that long to get accustomed to it.  I was reading their notes for St. Thomas of Canterbury today and learned a lot from them. (After his printed edition arrived, W.A. made this comment) The Douay Rheims arrived last Tuesday, the 20th, and I have been enjoying it ever since.  They are indeed beautiful.  The study notes alone are worth the price of the volumes.  I have been using them in my daily devotions.  The print is clear and legible, the binding strong.  Best of all from a practical standpoint, the division into five volumes makes reading and studying very manageable because no volume is too bulky or awkward to hold.  Thank you so much for reprinting them.      W.A. from Grove City, PA
The Psalms of the Douay Old Testament
	The Psalms of the Douay Old Testament by none  267 pages Original year of publication: 1635 Reprinted in the year: 2010 Upon a customer's request, I created this book by extracting the book of Psalms from the Original Douay Old Testament. This is an inexpensive alternative to purchasing one complete volume of the Old Testament if you desire to only obtain the Psalms. Filled with copious notes and annotations, this historic translation of the Psalms is sure to increase your appreciation of the Holy Psalms of David. View Sample Page