Quoting the Bible in your work? Here’s how the copyrights work.
Though shalt not infringe.
In addition to start-ups and creatives, Triumph has also had the pleasure of advising several faith-based institutions on various projects. One question that often comes up, particularly in written works, is how to cite the Bible. Does anyone own it? If I use verses in my book, am I going to owe Moses or the Pope royalties? (Spoiler alert, no). If I misuse it, will I be struck down by lightning? (No promises on that one.) However, while the original Biblical manuscripts are not subject to copyright, individual translations are and must be treated accordingly. Most major translations have their own unique copyright rules. To save you the time and headache of digging around the internet for hours, we’ve included some of the most frequently cited translations below.
King James Version (KJV)
As wild as it sounds, this translation is owned by the British Crown. We don’t recommend crossing them, so we advise you follow their rules:
“Rights in The Authorized Version of the Bible (King James Bible) in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown and administered by the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press. The reproduction by any means of the text of the King James Version is permitted to a maximum of five hundred (500) verses for liturgical and non-commercial educational use, provided that the verses quoted neither amount to a complete book of the Bible nor represent 25 per cent or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted…”
Also make sure to include the proper copyright notice in your work:
Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press
New King James Version (NKJV)
“may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to five hundred (500) verses or less without written permission, provided Scripture does not make up more than 25% of the total text in the work and the Scripture is not being quoted in commentary or another Biblical reference work. If an entire book of the Bible is being reproduced, regardless of verse count, written permission is required. This permission is contingent upon an appropriate copyright acknowledgment.”
Also make sure to include the proper copyright notice in your work:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
More information available here.
The Passion Translation (TPT)
"may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio), up to and inclusive of 250 verses or less, without written permission from the publisher, provided that the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible, nor do verses quoted account for 20 percent or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted."
Also make sure to include the proper copyright notice in your work:
Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018, 2020 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com.
More information available here.
The Amplified Bible (AMP)
“The text of the Amplified® Bible may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio) up to and inclusive of 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 more than 25% of the work."
Also make sure to include the proper copyright notice in your work:
Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
or
Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible (AMPCE), Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
More information available here.
New International Version (NIV)
“Text from the NIV, NiRV or AMP Bible may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio), up to and inclusive of 500 verses or less without written permission, providing the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible, nor do verses quoted account for 25% or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted, and the verses are not being quoted in a commentary or other biblical reference work. If an entire book of the Bible is being reproduced, regardless of verse count, written permission is required. This permission is contingent upon an appropriate copyright acknowledgment.”
Also make sure to include the proper copyright notice in your work:
More information available here.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
“The text of the NASB® (New American Standard Bible®) may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to and inclusive of one thousand (1,000) 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 50% of the total text of the work in which they are quoted, nor may more than 1,000 verses be stored in an electronic retrieval system.
Also make sure to include the proper copyright notice in your work:
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
More information available here.
The Message Translation (MSG)
“The text of The Message, may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without written permission of the publisher, provided that the verses quoted do not account for more than 25 percent of the work in which they are quoted, and provided that a complete book of the Bible is not quoted.
The message has multiple copyright formats depending on how it is being used. More information available here.
Boy, that was a mouthful
While this list is far from exhaustive, we open it makes your life a little easier and sets you in the right direction to chase your next adventure. As always, if you don’t see the translation you need or have additional questions, feel free to Ask Triumph.
As always, feel free to Ask Triumph with any additional questions and consider Supporting the Team.
All views expressed in the article are opinions of the author and should not be misconstrued as professional consulting or legal advice. Users are responsible for verifying all information before taking action, and Triumph Group LLC is not responsible for any outcomes. Pursue subjects at your own risk. Seriously, man. It’s your life.
