Copyrighted Scripture?

[Tbonekel]

Okay, so I read that even putting scripture on screens could have some copyright problems. Supposedly everything but the King James Version of the Bible is copyrighted. Anything else we use we must get permission. Really? Wow!

[David Reddel]

Not quite. At least not for NIV, whose rights are owned by the International Bible Society. They allow use as follows ( per their web site):


3. Permitted noncommercial uses.
a) Individuals: You are permitted to reproduce the NIV® Text solely for personal, non-commercial use, as described in this limited revocable license Agreement. For these uses, the NIV® Text may be quoted in written format, up to and inclusive of 50 verses, without express written permission from IBS, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for five percent (5%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted. This limited license may be revoked and/or modified at any time by IBS in its sole and absolute discretion.



b) Churches and non-profit educational institutions: You are permitted to reproduce the NIV® Text solely for personal, non-commercial use, as described in this limited revocable license Agreement. For these uses, the NIV® Text may be quoted in written format, up to and inclusive of 500 verses, without express written permission from IBS, provided the verses quoted 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. This limited license may be revoked and/or modified at any time by IBS in its sole and absolute discretion.

I believe "written format" includes projected written text. With other versions, you should check to see who the publisher is and whether they have any non-commercial use restrictions. Regardless, we do try to place a copyright notice on the final screen of our worship services that gives credit to NIV, as well as all CCLI songs used.

Check out this web site for the New KJV quotation policy and other bible translation quotation policies:

quotation policies

[dljordaneku]

I found a FAQ for the New Living Translation for this. Go to the website and to the about this translation and at the bottom there is a link to the FAQ. The website listed earlier has the publisher of a lot of different translations and it looks like you would need to check each website for the specific translation you would want.

dj

New Living Translation

KJV is so old that it is considered "Public Domain". Other newer translations are still under copyright. The advice to check websites is a good one. What I have found in checking them is to use this rule of thumb:

1. Only quote small passages
2. Always give credit to the translation with a footnote
3 Always make sure that your use of their translation is to promote the work, not to steal it.

KK.

Ok,

I've been reading all of the copyright threads pretty closely, trying to get a handle on all of these issues, but this one floors me.

GOD wrote the Bible, I KNOW He's ok with me quoting it--I get that translators put a lot of work into it, etc. but surely they can't take credit for writing it--it seems we're giving them more due by allowing them copyright protection than we give ghostwriters.

Does anyone else think this is a little bit too much already?


Laura

Yea, I agree too.

I had no idea though that scripture fell under copywrite. With programs like Songshow Plus that come with versions of the Bible, does purchasing the program give the right to display verses too??

[adowen]

Originally posted by imperialspatula
I had no idea though that scripture fell under copywrite. With programs like Songshow Plus that come with versions of the Bible, does purchasing the program give the right to display verses too??

EasyWorship contains both the KJV & ASV (which are both public domain) free of charge. Currently, the NASB, NKJV, and NIV Bibles (with more to be added) are available for an additional fee to cover copyright charges. There is also a Spanish version (the RVA) that can be downloaded free of charge (it's also public domain).

[Brian Busch]

In EW's forum, there are many comments about EW's use of the Version Tag on each screen of text shown. For example, I use NIV, so "NIV" shows up on each slide displaying a verse. This was required of the copyright holder.

Also, EW has many UK customers and they put on EW's forum that the KJV is owned by the Crown and is copyrighted in UK.

Long live the King! No Taxation without...oh, we already won that war, right?!

[sempei13]

You may freely quote what God wrote--the original Greek, Hebrew, or Arimaic text.

This reminds me of a debate we had in seminary about whether translations were inspired. BTW, most translations say at the front that you can quote so much without any issue for church or instructional purposes, but check just to be sure.

Paul

Originally posted by Kamikaze4Christ
Ok,

I've been reading all of the copyright threads pretty closely, trying to get a handle on all of these issues, but this one floors me.

GOD wrote the Bible, I KNOW He's ok with me quoting it--I get that translators put a lot of work into it, etc. but surely they can't take credit for writing it--it seems we're giving them more due by allowing them copyright protection than we give ghostwriters.

Does anyone else think this is a little bit too much already?


Laura

O yeah! Frankly, I would not waste a scintilla of effort to comply with any copyright law that would compel you to do ANYTHING in order to quote the bible from any translation or paraphrase.

As Augustine said "An unjust law is no law at all"

[[Admin] PHugger]

INCOMING!!!!!!..........






Ducking and Covering,
PCH

[Scott]

Originally posted by Phugger
INCOMING!!!!!!..........

My thoughts exactly. Badges? We don't need no stinking badges! Laws? We don't need no stinking laws.