There has been much discussion recently about the translation of the Bible to be used in a new edition of The Lectionary for Mass. This is an important issue. Most commentators are agreed that the new edition needs to use a translation which is accurate, inclusive and suitable for listening to in church. It seems to me, however, that more is needed. The contents of the Lectionary need to be revised as well as using a new translation. The typical edition of The Lectionary for Mass was published by the Vatican in 1969.1 Vernacular editions appeared the following year, including two versions in English for use in Ireland, one using the RSV and the other using The Jerusalem Bible. After five decades in use, this is a good time to assess its strengths and weaknesses.