Bible Verse Copyright?

[Colin2000]

Hi Admin.,

How are we on quoting Bible verses from various translations? Have you got any special permission re this or are we using and relying on that which is at the beginning of the Book, (Risky perhaps!)?

I know this is not a good start but it pays to get it right from the beginning! You may have discussed this already but cannot see it anywhere! So what's new?

Yours in His Name,

Colin2000.

 

[Eve]

Hi Colin,

I think here referencing sources accurately is the key. When I was doing my degree we were taught the appropriate way to reference our quotes in our essays. There are different referencing techniques/guidelines depending on the institute. Copyright is there to protect the publishers interests, it is perfectly acceptable to make reference quote passages from books with copyright. Many publisher's are very happy to be made reference to, as it draws attention to their publication.

I believe King James is out of copyright anyway. As for the others it is all to do with the percentage you copy. The publishers aren't going to be too thrilled if you copy 90% of the entire publication without permission for instance.

God Bless

:rose:E:rose:

 

[Colin2000]

Hi Eve,

Yes that was my understanding, a slight doubt when I saw quotes without source referenced here. It was possibly King James I was reading. New revisions of it would slide it back into copyright again. A few verses in a normal Thread-posting should be all right with the source quoted as you suggest!

Yours in His Name,

Colin.

 

[Eve]

Hi again Colin,

Chad and the moderators all encourage us to quote responsibly and accurately when using the site but let us not forget the source we are quoting from. The word is intended to be shared!

'May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere' Psalm 67:2 (God et al, New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Wheaton, 1996)

God Bless

:rose: E :rose:

p.s. The bible we use is in our profile, so if you want a bibliographical reference that can be a good pointer.

 

[Nigh]

The King James is not in copyright, and I'm not sure about this but wasn't it printed long before copyright law existed? Anyway, back on topic. You can freely quote the King James w/o reference if you wish for it is not under copyright law. Other translations however are under copyright protection and should technically be referenced appropriately. The thing is you could always argue in court, that you were merely paraphrasing the King James version even if it very closely resembled say, the NIV, and you would most likely win. Also if the publishers for the NIV could take you to court, so could 10 other publishers, saying that "it is so close that it is really no different." Of course they could all say that about each other couldn't they? And who has more money? And who has the potential to cost another publisher money?

If you were to do a book report on "Huckleberry Finn" (a 376page book), and your report was 368 pages long and 80% of the words were identical do you think the teacher would say you plagiarized it? I would think so. You'd get an F for sure. Most translations are so incredibly close to one another that they are essentially the same. Making it impossible to take any legal action whatsoever. Not only that, but the original authors are not being harmed financially, which is what copyright law was meant to protect against anyway.

Now that I have completely wasted the last 7 minutes of your life while reading this mumbo-jumbo, I must humbly apologize.

Have a blessed day,
Nigh

 

[Colin2000]

Hi Nigh,

Yes agreed, and NIV. gives you 1,000 in 50% of the whole as long as you cite them! I'm sure citing as Eve described with you is the norm, full and accurate will do! Did not mean raise heat here over this but out of respect for the publisher it does not take long to add at the end of their work, good advert. for them when someone reads it! So you have made payment anyway!!!

I'm sure I had got my eye on King James verses now that I think back and that was the reason for the nagging doubt! I'm sure no harm done but thank you for your interest and kindness to a stranger Nigh and Eve also!

Quoting a verse now that is something that I must remember to do here, usually that is to be avoided on initial encounters as it has in my neck of the woods got the label of Bible basher on it! Just shows, change the environment and you change the way you think and act.

What is it Lord? "The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation: this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him."
[Moses, Ex.15:2, Amplified Ed.1965 Zondervan Publishing House.].

Yours in His Loving-tender-kindness,

Colin.