I don't think the Bible was every copywritten, but you'd really better stop quoting it...?

Question

without permission, or you might end up in a heap of legal trouble. In case you didn't know, science is not patentable, although scientific inventions are.

Answer 1

Well said.

Answer 2

I know your intent is to ridicule people who believe the Bible to be God's word, but you have shown your own ignorance of copywrite law. So, my answer is about that.

Whereas the stories are not copywritten, the actual translations/books are. Look on the flip side of the title page of any holy book and you will find the copywrite information. For example, the NIV was first copywrited by the International Bible Society in 1973.

And, there are indeed limits on how often it can be quoted.

Answer 3

2 Corinthians 4:4 (New International Version)

4. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Luke 12:46 (New International Version)

46. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

Romans 15:31 (New International Version)

31. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there,

Answer 4

Actually. most versions of the bible published after 1900 or so *are* copyrighted. I always try to remember to put (New American Standard Bible) with my quotes. You are quite correct - all Christians should be noting their source, unless they are using an older (e.g. King James, Oxford Revision, ASV or RSV) bible. Obeying the law is the Christian thing to do.

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com

Answer 5

The Bible has proven to be one of the best sellers from generation to generation. The books in the Bible, even though written on different dates, separated by time, harmonize with each other. It doesn't need any modern legalities since even from previous generations, it has existed and will continue to live on...

Answer 6

The canon of the Old Testament that Catholics use is based on the text used by Alexandrian Jews, a version known as the "Septuagint" and which came into being around 280 B.C. as a translation of then existing texts from Hebrew into Greek by 72 Jewish scribes (the Torah was translated first, around 300 B.C., and the rest of Tanach was translated afterward).

The Septuagint is the Old Testament referred to in the Didache or "Doctrine of the Apostles" (first century Christian writings) and by Origen, Irenaeus of Lyons, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Cyprian of Carthage, Justin Martyr, St. Augustine and the vast majority of early Christians who referenced Scripture in their writings. The Epistle of Pope Clement, written in the first century, refers to the Books Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom, analyzed the book of Judith, and quotes sections of the book of Esther that were removed from Protestant Bibles.


In the 16th c., Luther, reacting to serious abuses and clerical corruption in the Latin Church, to his own heretical theological vision (see articles on sola scriptura and sola fide), and, frankly, to his own inner demons, removed those books from the canon that lent support to orthodox doctrine, relegating them to an appendix. Removed in this way were books that supported such things as prayers for the dead (Tobit 12:12; 2 Maccabees 12:39-45), Purgatory (Wisdom 3:1-7), intercession of dead saints (2 Maccabees 15:14), and intercession of angels as intermediaries (Tobit 12:12-15). Ultimately, the "Reformers" decided to ignore the canon determined by the Christian Councils of Hippo and Carthage.

The Latin Church in no way ignored the post-Temple rabbincal texts. Some Old Testament translations of the canon used by the Latin Church were also based in part on rabbinical translations, for example St. Jerome's 5th c. Latin translation of the Bible called the Vulgate.

The "Masoretic texts" refers to translations of the Old Testament made by rabbis between the 6th and 10th centuries; the phrase doesn't refer to ancient texts in the Hebrew language. Some people think that the Masoretic texts are the "original texts" and that, simply because they are in Hebrew, they are superior.

Some Protestants claim that the "Apocrypha" are not quoted in the New Testament so, therefore, they are not canonical.
Going by that standard of proof, we'd have to throw out Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Obadiah, Nahum, and Zephaniah because none of these Old Testament Books are quoted in the New Testament.


But there is a bigger lesson in all this confusion over not only the canon but proper translation of the canon , especially considering that even within the Catholic Church there have been differing opinions by individual theologians about the proper place of the deuterocanonicals (not that an individual theologian's opinions count for Magisterial teaching!).
The lesson, though, is this: relying on the "Bible alone" is a bad idea; we are not to rely solely on Sacred Scripture to understand Christ's message. While Scripture is "given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16-17), it is not sufficient for reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.
It is the Church that is the "pillar and ground of Truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)!
Jesus did not come to write a book; He came to redeem us, and He founded a Sacramental Church through His apostles to show us the way.
It is to them, to the Church Fathers, to the Sacred Deposit of Faith, to the living Church that is guided by the Holy Spirit, and to Scripture that we must prayerfully look.

Answer 7

My copy states.
Up to 1000 verses may be quoted in printed form. ( that's a lot to have to put up with)
Up to 50% of one book. Blah blah blah.
any use of text must be sited. NKJV, blah blah blah.
No written premission nessasary.
Looks like we're stuffed.

Answer 8

1 Peter 4:1 - 6

Answer 9

what are you babbling about, the the bible has so many different versions of copy's to fill entire library's.nobody seems to care when it comes to the bible.but god sees all,and remember what john wrote(warning) concerning removal and adding to scriptures.

Answer 10

Very true.