Bible Translations

Just for kicks, I decided to check out the copyright statements on many of the major English translations of the Bible. Here are some interesting excerpts regarding how much a reader can legally quote from the Bible.

NIV:

The NIV text may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio), up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, providing the verses do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted.

New American Standard:

The text of the New American Standard Bible® may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of two hundred (200) verses without express written permission of The Lockman Foundation, providing the verses do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for more than 25% of the total work in which they are quoted.

English Standard Version:

Publication of any commentary or other Bible reference work produced for commercial sale that uses the English Standard Version must include written permission for use of the ESV text.

New King James:

The text of the New King James Version® (NKJV®) may be quoted or reprinted without prior written permission with the following qualifications:

1. Up to and including 1,000 verses may be quoted in printed form as long as the verses quoted amount to less than 50% of a complete book of the Bible and make up less than 50% of the total work in which they are quoted;
2. all NKJV quotations must conform accurately to the NKJV text.

Hmm. Isn't the Bible the Word of God? Isn't this what we're told constantly? Yes, I'm pretty sure that's right. God's Word. Then how do these publishers have the audacity to place a copyright statement of any kind on their texts? Not only do they have a copyright statement, which controls who can reprint the texts, they have the absolute gall to place restrictions on how much someone can quote from it! Appalling! "Yes, read the Bible, be saved and all that, but don't quote it too much unless you are paying us a fee for the right! And make sure you credit the source of your quotations. No, I mean us, not God." These companies should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. Don't even get me started on the idea of selling God's Word for profit, like a radio or a CD.

I recently wrote that the evangelical community "ha[s] been corrupted by wealth." If even the Bible is little more than a product to be marketed and sold for profit, I think the case is pretty much proved.