Vulgate
Jerome's Latin translation and revision of the Bible, declared authentic by the Council of Trent. The foundational scriptural text for the entire Latin commentary tradition.
Preliminaries
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PREFACE TO THE READER (1)
— Jerome's translation described as the basis of the Vulgate edition alongside the older Italic version
"the books contained in it... were received in part from the translation or emendation of St. Jerome, and in part retained from a certain most ancient Latin edition"
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PREFACE TO THE READER (1)
— Multiple Church Fathers cited praising Jerome's translation: Augustine calls him most learned and skilled in three languages; Gregory praises it; Isidore prefers it; Sophronius translated parts into Greek
"St. Augustine calls him a most learned man and most skilled in three languages, and confirms by the testimony even of the Hebrews themselves that his translation is truthful."
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PREFACE TO THE READER (1)
— Medieval scholars cited as using Jerome's version exclusively
"the most learned men who came after — Remigius, Bede, Rabanus, Haymo, Anselm, Peter Damian, Richard, Hugh, Bernard, Rupert, Peter Lombard, Alexander, Albert, Thomas, Bonaventure... have used St. Jerome's version"
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PREFACE TO THE READER (1)
— Council of Trent decreed the Vulgate be printed as correctly as possible
"the same most holy Synod of Trent wisely added by its decree that this same Old and Vulgate edition should be printed as correctly as possible"
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DECREES OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT (SESSION IV).
— Trent decree referring to "the old Latin Vulgate edition"
"if anyone does not receive the said books entire with all their parts, as they have been used to be read in the Catholic Church and as they are contained in the old Latin Vulgate edition"
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DECREES OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT (SESSION IV).
— Trent decree declaring the Vulgate authentic
"the said old and Vulgate edition, which, by the long usage of so many centuries, has been approved in the Church itself, be held as authentic"