CHAPTER III: On Vernacular Versions of Sacred Scripture

7. "Since it is manifest by experience that, if the Sacred Bibles in the vernacular tongue are permitted everywhere without discrimination, more detriment than utility arises thence on account of the rashness of men; all versions in the vernacular language, even those made by Catholic men, are altogether prohibited, unless they shall have been approved by the Apostolic See, or edited under the vigilance of Bishops, with annotations drawn from the holy Fathers of the Church and from learned and Catholic writers."

1. Therefore versions in the vernacular language, even those made by Catholic men, are altogether prohibited, unless either condition is verified, either that, adorned with the prescribed annotations, they are edited under the vigilance of Bishops, or that, if they lack notes, the approval of the Holy See is present. Yet they are permitted to those who give work to theological or biblical studies (under the restriction placed in n. 5); for we think the faculty made through the second paragraph of art. 8 is to be applied to them.

2. That they can be published under the vigilance, or with the approval, of the Bishop, they must be enriched with annotations drawn from the holy Fathers of the Church, etc.; yet it does not seem to be required on that account that all annotations be drawn from this source, but some can be drawn even from learned non-Catholics, for example those looking to geography or archaeology, not however to faith or morals (A. S. S., 30, p. 184). Paraphrastic versions seem to be assimilated to versions with annotations.

Note. The article does not touch sacred histories drawn from the Sacred Bible; or those parts which are inserted in prayer books; or Epistles and Gospels of the liturgical year, if they are printed separately.

8. "All versions of the Sacred Bibles, in whatever vernacular language, made by any non-Catholics whatever, are interdicted, and especially those which are spread abroad through Biblical Societies, condemned more than once by the Roman Pontiffs, since in them the most salutary laws of the Church concerning the editing of divine books are fundamentally disregarded.

"Nevertheless these versions are permitted to those who give work to theological or biblical studies: those things being observed which are established above (n. 5)."