Written by Matthew A. Vogan, Editorial Director

‘Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour’ (Jeremiah 23.29-30).

This passage deals with the nature and effects of God’s Word together with how its use may be distinguished from that of those who do not handle it faithfully. No doubt these words have a number of possible applications, but we wish to focus on the matter of stealing God’s words. It is solemn to observe that it was not pagan false prophets who were guilty of this, but those who claimed to be in the service of the Lord. Andrew R. Fausset observes that it was, ‘a twofold plagiarism; one steals from the other, and all steal words from Jehovah’s true prophets, but misapply them’.¹ There was therefore a false claim to using God’s words as well as a false application of them. There is an unmistakably solemn warning pronounced against those who did this in verses 30–32; on three successive occasions the Lord utters, ‘Behold, I am against’ them.

Currently, some Christians have begun to discuss the role of Bible publishing organisations and question the use of copyright by Bible publishers as well as its wider use in Christian ministry.² Some have even accused Bible publishers of stealing the Word of God from the church. It is true that some publishers do indeed (as we will mention later) control the text of Scripture in ways that do not maximise distribution but rather serve their own interests. Yet this abuse of God’s Word does not mean that there are no Biblical reasons for using copyright to carefully preserve Scripture.

The motives of those who draw attention to the issue and criticise copyright are undoubtedly sincere. Yet, on reflection, the question is not so simplistic as to copyright or not to copyright. We need to bring these challenging issues back to the test of Scripture. What does the Word of God say on this matter? Then the conclusions to that question need to be applied in determining the Society’s approach in this area.

The following are some implications and applications of the verses quoted earlier in relation to Bible translation and circulation as well as this issue of placing a legal protection on versions of the Scriptures.

1. It is Possible to Steal God’s Words

God’s words are His property. They are from Him and for His glory alone. They are consecrated to a holy and sacred use, and to take for ourselves anything that is devoted to Him is called robbing God (cf. Malachi 3.8). Some people deny that the Bible has anything to say about what is often termed ‘intellectual property’. They say that there are no Biblical principles that would imply we should protect God’s Word from those who may be unfaithful with it, believing that we should allow a completely free and open use without regard to the consequences. However, this passage from Jeremiah 23 shows not only that it is possible to steal words and thoughts from others, but also that it is possible to steal God’s words. The false prophets were doing more than merely claiming that their own words were God’s; they were also taking God’s true words without a right to do so. They were mixing their own message with God’s words to give their own words more authority. If we are entrusted with God’s words, we have a duty to steward them faithfully or we will be detracting from His glory. This means that they are to be used and preserved with reverence to God. We strive to be able to use the words of the Saviour in all good conscience: ‘I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me’ (John 17.8). When we place a copyright on a translation we are not claiming ownership of God’s Word, rather we are acknowledging the need to be faithful stewards of it.

We owe a great debt to the temple scribes and the later Masoretes who carefully preserved the Word of God in Hebrew. They operated under strict rules and exercised careful control of the copying of God’s Word. Similarly, we owe a debt of thankfulness to the professionalism of Byzantine scribes who took such great care to bequeath to us the Greek text received from the Apostolic times, under the singular care and providence of God, so that it was kept pure in all ages in the church. Sadly, fearful damage has been caused by the corrupted texts discovered or promoted in the nineteenth century that were not carefully copied and compared, but have gone on to become the pillars of the reconstructed modern Critical Text. This text has plagued the church during the past one hundred and fifty years, and spawned multiple modern versions that present different options. The Trinitarian Bible Society’s purpose is ‘to circulate uncorrupted versions of the Word of God’ and so we wish to use all lawful means to protect the Word from corruption. As was observed in an older issue of this magazine, ‘The Lord’s sowers desire to obey Him, and not to sow ‘mingled seed’. They desire to see incorruptible fruit, and hence they sow only ‘incorruptible seed’ (cf. 1 Peter 1.23)’.³

A few chapters on from our passage in chapter 23 Jeremiah is commanded, ‘Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word’ (Jeremiah 26.2). Modern textual critics tell us that we should not get hung up on whether we actually have every single one of God’s words but that we just have to live with the uncertainty of not knowing. This is the confusion and undermining of the authority of Scripture that continues to result from a less than careful handling of God’s Word. But the Lord says ‘diminish not a word’ because He requires us to convey ‘all the words’ that He has inspired, every single word. It is a very serious matter, however well-meaning the motives, when words are omitted from translations on the grounds that the canons of modern textual criticism have determined this, and omitting one word of God means that we are stealing His words from Him.

2. It is Possible to Steal God’s Words in Translation

No doubt there was something of God’s words in the messages given by the prophets competing with Jeremiah, but they were stolen and presented in a distorted way. To translate in a way that does not give full access to God’s Word is also very serious. There is a danger of stealing God’s words, inadvertently or otherwise, through a translation that does not fully give God’s true words but instead denies the reader access to them. This withholds from God’s people and others that to which they have a right. A popular approach to translation, called dynamic or functional equivalence, focuses not on translating the words on a page so much as attempting to reproduce the thoughts of the author as he himself would have expressed them had he been writing in the language and culture into which the translator is translating. Yet God’s Word is ‘a hammer and a fire’, it has its own force and we do not need to reinterpret or rewrite it—we simply need to translate it faithfully.

There is also a danger of mixing a wrong interpretation of the Scriptures in with God’s true words in the translation process, and so stealing God’s words. It is particularly egregious when it undermines the true message of God’s Word and promotes unbiblical doctrines. The result may be to ‘corrupt the word of God’ (2 Corinthians 2.17) or to use man’s wisdom in place of God’s words (1 Corinthians 2.13). It is especially solemn to read later in Jeremiah, ‘And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man’s word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God’ (Jeremiah 23.36). How dangerous for anyone to be offering their own message in place of God’s!

3. It is Possible to Steal God’s Words by Denying the Publication of the Scriptures

Those who are concerned about the impact of copyright have a genuine and valid motivation, and we should seek to have the Scriptures circulated as much as possible. This is a Biblical principle. Very sadly there are examples of publishers and other organisations who make considerable money from the royalties derived from the copyright of a translation. Bible circulation should not be approached with any kind of commercial motivation.

We can also think of examples of organisations holding copyright to a translation with no intention of allowing it to be printed lest it hurt the sales of a newer version. This strategy of monopolising translations, where it exists, clearly withholds God’s words. This is entirely contrary to the goal of the Trinitarian Bible Society, as we aim for the widest possible circulation of the Holy Scriptures. We seek to make Scripture translations as freely available as possible to churches and individuals (particularly in the developing world) through an extensive grants programme. We also seek to serve the church as a handmaid and therefore give particular discounts to help them distribute the Scriptures freely. This is in line with the Biblical principle that we ought not to be chargeable to others or to insist upon our rights where it would impede the work of God (1 Corinthians 9.12–18).

With this in mind, we are working to ensure that all of our translations are also freely available on our online Bible (tbsonlinebible.com), which can be used on mobile devices online or offline. It is also good to be able to work with other digital platforms that make them freely available.

We also do not charge for our published articles, magazine, and website content which explain our principles, uphold the doctrine of Scripture, and help to promote faithful translations. Currently we are exploring a more open type of license for this type of content. This is because up until around fifteen years ago the traditional approach to copyright was the only option; but there are now more open alternatives. However, while these are appropriate for this sort of content, we need to preserve the Scriptures uniquely from corruption as far as possible. If we desire accurate translations (and we must) we must also recognise that this demands curated translations (Latin accuratus meaning ‘having been take care of’).

4. It is Possible to Steal God’s Words by Stealing a Translation

Someone may take the translation work of others without having any moral or civil right to it and publish it as though it were their own. It is a serious matter when Bible translation work is stolen and then amended in a way that is inconsistent with Scripture in terms of its message and the way that it requires us to translate.

In some countries the first person to bring a printed copy to the ‘copyright office’ of the country, fill out the paperwork, and pay the fee is considered the copyright owner. There are sad examples shared with us by others such as one Bible translator working alone in an Asian country who spent more than twenty years working on a Bible translation. He was not fully aware of the copyright law, and a group from another religion took it in its first printing and copyrighted it. They then demanded that the translator never print the work again and his work could never be used again for any derivative use.

Similarly, making a translation available without restriction could help to promote cults who take it up and change it to suit their teachings. Through using the greater resources that they have available to them they are able to use it to promote their false teaching. Confusion results when the distinction between the corrupted and uncorrupted words of God is removed in this way. It becomes hard for people to distinguish this when the integrity of the text is thus compromised. If we are not to defraud others by removing our neighbour’s landmark (Deuteronomy 19.14 and 27.17; Job 24.2; Proverbs 22.28 and 23.10), it is also a duty to maintain the boundary of God’s pure Word. It is our duty to prevent such stealing which involves adding to and taking away from the Word of God (Deuteronomy 4.2; Revelation 22.18–19). Part of our duty in keeping the eighth commandment is also to prevent others from stealing if it is within our power to do so. How much greater a duty is this when we are speaking about God’s Word! Copyright can of course be violated; it is not a failsafe way to protect Scripture. But it does assert the moral rights of those involved in producing the text. It is a legally recognised way of seeking to warn and prevent others from stealing a translation.

In God’s providence, the printing of the Authorised (King James) Version within the British Isles has been controlled over the centuries through the Royal Letters Patent. The purpose of this was to prohibit the circulation of printed Bibles with serious mistakes and errors, which were all too common throughout the seventeenth century in typesetting a large volume with movable type.⁴ It did not fully prevent copies that were printed abroad being imported of course. Nor did it mean that official printers were preserved from error; but when they did print serious errors they were punished and stripped of the right to print the Bible.⁵ In a similar way, copyright helps to establish a faithful translation in a language, whereas if there were no restrictions it could be changed and amended so that translations multiply and confusion results. It does matter when there are a multitude of competing translations, and it is important not to feed this.⁶

5. It is Possible to Steal God’s Words by Failing to Give the Translators Their Due

Many years of effort and cost are associated with a translation project. If there is no restriction on the use of a translation in a way that gives due honour and recompense to the translators, translation then becomes restricted only to those who can afford to translate. It is a great blessing when translators can engage in their work freely as a service devoted to the Lord. Yet in some impoverished contexts it may not be possible for individuals to lay aside employment and engage in the task at their own expense. Neither is it always possible for it to be done in their spare time when long hours must be worked just to earn low wages. Scripture says that we are to render to everyone their due, giving honour to whom honour is due (cf. Romans 13.7). This means we should give due respect to those who have been involved and ‘not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn’ (1 Corinthians 9.9) because the labourer is worthy of his hire (cf. Luke 10.7). We glorify God when we give that honour and credit where it is due, i.e., to the people who have faithfully laboured.

It is easy to dismiss financial considerations as somehow unspiritual or materialistic, but there are spiritual principles to take into consideration in this connection. The money that has been freely given to the Society for the task of translating and circulating the Scriptures is also God’s money and we have a moral as well as a legal duty to safeguard it. If anyone could take up one of our translations unauthorised and change it at will, it would mean that the resources faithfully donated for accurate translation would have been given without fully achieving the purpose. There are often also significant printing and shipping costs to which the same principles would apply. In many languages the Society’s Scriptures are donated because the people who speak the language cannot afford to purchase Scriptures for themselves.

Why Does the Society Maintain Copyright?

We can therefore summarise these points in the following way that explains the Society’s reasons for holding copyright.

Our desire is for the widest possible circulation of the Holy Scriptures. Currently a very significant part of our Scripture circulation comes through licensing arrangements with publishers. We are thankful to be able to work with those who wish to use the text for publications which they will give away free of charge in Christian ministry. We are also glad to see the Scriptures circulate on digital platforms and in audio format. We look positively on such opportunities whilst still exercising discretion. We have no desire to withhold that which ought to be widely accessible, noting that making a translation widely available can help to establish its popular use. Likewise, we look for opportunities to license the text of faithful translations that meet our principles from others in a way that respects their rights to the text.

We recognise that the Word of God belongs to His church, and that the Society works as a handmaid, or helper, to the churches. This tends towards the principle of making Scripture translations as freely available as possible to churches and individuals for the purposes of distribution. However, on a practical level it is right and proper for the Society to retain the intellectual property of a particular translation, revision, or setting that it has developed. Retaining the copyright helps us to safeguard the text against corruption, ensure the publications are produced correctly, and recoup some of the development costs, a principle consistent with the labourer being worthy of his hire (Luke 10.7).

Firstly, we hold copyright to protect the integrity of the text, e.g., from unauthorised, unwarranted, specious and/ or malicious changes, and to ensure that it is copied correctly in each successive print run and when published in electronic form.

Secondly, we hold copyright to protect the investment of our staff, members, and supporters, and of our partners, who will have donated time, money, and/or labour to ensure that the published Scripture item can be produced and has been produced to meet the Society’s high standards.

Thirdly, we hold copyright to oversee the use of the text. We make every effort not to restrict the text and to give permission wherever we can for it to be used and quoted. However, there are instances when we will not give the text either partially or in its entirety for others to publish. For example, in recent years a request from the Watchtower Society was refused to publish/amend one of our Bibles. Additionally, sometimes we won’t allow others to print our Scriptures in a low-quality form but would rather give them a good-quality printing done by us at the lowest possible price or even free of charge.

Fourthly, we hold copyright to give credibility to the text. We have a good reputation for publishing reliable and faithful translations of the Holy Scriptures, and our copyright gives the text a level of credibility and assurance that helps aid acceptance and circulation.

Conclusion

We can sympathise with the good intentions behind the idea that removing copyright restrictions increases access to Scripture. Nevertheless, the reality is that doing so might in fact indirectly help some people to steal the words of God by corrupting Scripture in relation to text and translation. It can also steal the Word from people by undermining its authority where people seek to amend translations according to their preference and circulate them widely. Taking into account all the Biblical principles that relate to our duty of care to Scripture, it is clear that we should make judicious use of copyright, yet not in a way that would restrict the circulation of the Word of God among all nations. May the Lord grant much needed wisdom in these complex matters.

First published in Quarterly Record 647. Last updated 29 April 2025.

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