What you need to know before quoting Bible verses

God’s Word belongs to everyone! However, copyrights of English translations of the Bible belong to the translators or Bible publishers unless the text is in the public domain. This means we cannot quote more than X number of Bible verses from most of the contemporary translations without requesting permission from the publisher.

Most translations of the Bible will let you know in the front pages exactly how many verses you’re allowed to use in one manuscript. To give you an idea, I opened my New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and saw we can quote up to 500 verses – IF that constitutes LESS than half of what we’re writing. The New Living Translation (NLT) and New International Version (NIV) also allow up to 500 verse, but those quotes must comprise less than one-fourth or 25 percent of the manuscript.

Regardless of the translation used, each must be acknowledged at the end of a quotation.

For example, here’s a quotation taken from The Jerusalem Bible.

“Yes, God loved the world so much
that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.
No one who believes in him will be condemned,” John 3:16-18a, The Jerusalem Bible.

If you need to use more verses than the publisher allows, contact the company, describe your project, and request permission to quote your expected number of verses.

Another option is to find a translation in the public domain. With rare exception, this usually means an English translation published before or by the beginning of the 20th century since, by now, the copyright has most likely expired and not been renewed.

A quick search on the Bible Gateway website provided the following list of Bible translations in the public domain, which you can find in their online library – a real plus if you want to copy/paste large portions of scripture instead of retyping.

Some English Translations of the Bible in the Public Domain:

American Standard Version (ASV)
Darby Translation (DARBY)
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
King James Version (KJV)
World English Bible (WEB - a contemporary translation)
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
Reina-Valera Antigua (RVA)
Biblia Sacra Vulgata (VULGATE)

If you’re concerned about quoting scripture in your project, another option is to paraphrase, which is what I often do. Since quotation marks wouldn't be appropriate in such instances, I usually set the text apart with linebreaks and/or italics.

In my search on Bible Gateway for texts to paraphrase, I seldom seek translations in the public domain but am more apt to read at least a half-dozen or more contemporary versions of the many choices they have available on their website. Then I mix, mingle, and paraphrase those scriptures into a text I call “prayer-a-phrased” since I’m prayerfully counting on the Lord to give me discernment and whatever else is needed to be true to the meaning of the verses.

Why do I do this? I love it! I love the Bible in all of its English renditions. And I love translating passages of scripture into a poem, prayer, paragraph, or conversation that seems immediate, placing God’s Word in the now.

This process also helps me (and, hopefully, you as reader and/or writer) to internalize Holy Scripture, making it more “real” as though we’re there in person, experiencing the Bible as it unfolds. If, however, you’re unsure how scripture unfolds from Genesis to Revelation, I urge you to first read, read, read the Bible from cover to cover in several translations to prepare you for a lifetime of Bible-based writings in Jesus’ Name.


Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2017, with praise for God’s Word and many thanks to Bible Gateway 

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Praying with Hannah and Mary

In today’s Daily Bible Reading from 1 Samuel 2:1-10, this poem of prayer and praise by Samuel’s mother, Hannah, most likely evoked Mary’s exquisite praise-poem, known as the Magnificat. You can find that in today’s Gospel reading in Luke 1:39-57, but here's my prayer-a-phrase of Hannah's prayer:

Praying, Hannah said

In the LORD, my heart rejoices.
In the LORD, my strength is strong!
Against my enemies I speak only
because I celebrate victory!

No one – no
One Holy but You LORD –
and You stand beside me!

No one – no
Rock like our God.

Never again will I speak proudly!
Never again will arrogance slip
from my mouth
for the LORD alone is The One Who Knows
and by God’s knowledge
are my words weighed.

Mighty bows may be broken,
but the lowly wear God’s strength.

Someday well-fed people might
hire themselves out for food, while
those who hungered are filled.

Someday people with many children
might feel as though they had none, while
childless ones bring forth –

for the LORD alone brings us to life –
brings us to the doors of death
and raises us up again.

The LORD alone brings highs and lows –
brings lack and plenty.

From the dust, God raises us.
From the ash heap, God sifts us –
and lifts us to a place of honor.

O, Pillars of the Earth, you are the LORD’s!
On you, God has set the world.

God guards the feet of the faithful
from a veil of darkness.

Not in our strength but in the strength
of the LORD we will prevail.

The Most High thunders from heaven,
shattering and scattering our adversaries.

The LORD sees what’s going on and alone
knows what to do.

The LORD views the ends of the earth,
giving strength and power to God’s anointed.


©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase from today’s Daily Bible Reading in1 Samuel 2:1-10

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Promising the Kingdom of God

Jesus gave us glimpses of the Kingdom of Heaven by comparing what we do not see with what we do. By using literary devices of metaphor and simile, Jesus gave us poetry, which, in any form, can help us to remember what’s said.

In today’s Gospel readings, two tiny parables quickly slid into syllabic verse that’s technically not the traditional haiku from ancient Asia. Nevertheless, these English versions seemed to want that pattern of 5/ 7/ 5 syllables, respectively, on each line.

And Jesus said:

To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?

Look at it like this:

Sow faith as small as
a mustard seed, and branches
will grow into nests.

And again, He asked:

How shall I show you the Kingdom of God?

Stir a bit of yeast
with many pounds of flour –
Wait! Much bread will rise.


©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrased poems from Luke 13:18-20 in today’s Bible readings in the Gospels



...

Praying for God to get speedy

O God! Please hurry!
O LORD, please hurry to my help.

People make so many demands
on me and my time,
they ought to be ashamed!

If they intend to bring me any hurt, let
their words become mumble-jumble.

Let them stop such behavior!
Let them stop saying “Ah” and Aha!”
or else be disgraced and ashamed
of their own words.

As for those who seek You and know
their need for You, LORD,
let them rejoice in You and be glad.
Let them say, again and again,
“How great is our God!”

But, as for me, O God, I’m feeling
pitiful and needy today,
so I speedily need Your help.

You are The One I count on
to release me from all harm,
so please hurry! Please!
O God, don’t linger too long.

©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrased poem of Psalm 70 from today’s Daily Bible Reading

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Waiting for God

This prayer-a-phrased poem from today's Daily Bible Reading in the Psalms gives a glimpse of the Psalmist's prayer stance as he awaited a response from God:

Psalm 62:1-2

For God alone
in silence waits
my soul.
From Him alone
in strength waits
my salvation.
My Rock! My Fortress!
I shall not be moved.
In God alone
my soul shall not be shaken.

© 1998, Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved. The poem first appeared in 1998 in UpSouth and the Saints Alive chapbook then the Letters to a Priest anthology in 2010.


©2013, Mary Sayler

Update from the Apostle John

Okay. Here’s how we can know
we’re of the Truth.

Here’s how we can be sure
our hearts are pure and surely
in God’s presence:

Our hearts torment us
when we feel guilty. Why?

We’re in God –
the Almighty God, Who is far above us
and greater than our hearts or anything
our hearts might try to hide.

Beloved, if our own selves
do not accuse us, then great!
Celebrate!

And come before God
with confidence,
ready to receive whatever we ask,
knowing we obey the LORD
and follow God’s good plan.

For the plan of God
commands us to believe
in the Anointed Name of Jesus,

and God commands us to believe
in the love shown by Christ –
love that must be shown by us
to one another.

So, let’s do it and live!

Let’s stay with God, living
in the LORD Who gives us
Christ as our home and Who
gives you and me to be
the earthed home of Christ Jesus.


©2013, Mary Harwell Sayler, prayer-a-phrase of today’s Bible reading in 1 John 3:19-24

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