4 ms·

Currently I've added ESV, NIV, NRSV, KJV, and a few other public domain translations. Getting access to translations has been a challenge due to licensing costs

Currently I've added ESV, NIV, NRSV, KJV, and a few other public domain translations. Getting access to translations has been a challenge due to licensing costs.

michaelsbradley 5y ago
Nice work! Any possibility for an option to list/read/explore the deuterocanonical books, i.e. for translations that have them, e.g. the RSV[1]? Also, there are freely accessible texts of the Knox translation[2] and Douay-Rheims (Challoner revision of 1752)[3] online, the latter from multiple sources: https://www.newadvent.org/bible/ https://www.newadvent.org/bible/ https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1581/1581-h/1581-h.htm https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1581/1581-h/1581-h.htm The Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text is certainly in the public domain. As for the Knox translation, I'm aware newadvent.org arranged permissions with the Westminster Diocese who hold the copyright; maybe they'd be open to giving similar permissions for your app? [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Standard_Version#Post-1952_developments https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Standard_Version#Post-... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox_Bible https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox_Bible [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douay%E2%80%93Rheims_Bible#Challoner_Revision https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douay%E2%80%93Rheims_Bible#Cha...
- theoblank 5y ago
  Thanks for pointing those out! I'll add to the todo list. Yes, I definitely plan to add deuterocanonical books at some point, although I think it's low priority for the average Bible reader. It does add a good bit of technical complexity since there's conditional logic involved if you expand outside the Protestant canon.
  - michaelsbradley 5y ago
    > It does add a good bit of technical complexity since there's conditional logic involved if you expand outside the Protestant canon Indeed, and best wishes in figuring out a good approach if you go down that route! It's very understandable that tackling such complexity is not at the top of your todo list. > I think it's low priority for the average Bible reader. I'm not looking to debate the point, or anything like that, but wanted to suggest that "average Bible reader" might have a broader scope, depending on one's perspective. At any given time there are millions of Catholics and Orthodox Christians around the world who are reading the Bible; consider also that there are readings (and other spoken/sung elements) in the liturgies of both East and West that originate from the deuterocanon, so it would be quite natural for someone to want to "read at home" and explore a text they heard read/sung aloud during Holy Mass or the Divine Liturgy.
    - theoblank 5y ago
      That's a good point; I appreciate that perspective.
  - zzo38computer 5y ago
    In addition to the Catholic deuterocanonical books, some Orthodox denominations include many more books. Also, another public domain translation is World English Bible. And, if you do not have footnotes, perhaps to add it, since things can be lost in translation, or be due to the culture of the time and place, or units of measurement which are no longer common, political boundaries change, etc, you might want to know whatever notes there are of it.
Turing_Machine 5y ago
One thing to keep in mind if you're selling or distributing your app in the UK: the KJV is still under copyright there. While copyrights held by mere mortals expire in the UK the same as they do elsewhere, copyrights held by the monarchy ("Crown copyright") are perpetual. https://www.cambridge.org/bibles/about/rights-and-permissions/ https://www.cambridge.org/bibles/about/rights-and-permission... It's good to be the King. Or Queen.
xjlin0 5y ago
Nice! Could you add Chinese Union version? It's public domain and still the most popular version in Chinese speaking area. FYI there are Traditional Chinese version and Simplified Chinese versions. Thanks! https://github.com/scrollmapper/bible_databases https://github.com/scrollmapper/bible_databases
lolinder 5y ago
Is NIV public domain? I was just looking for a free Kindle version the other day and my understanding is that it's still copyrighted by Zondervan. Edit: it's definitely still copyrighted, and they're explicit that using the translation in full requires a license [0]. [0] https://www.zondervan.com/about-us/permissions/ https://www.zondervan.com/about-us/permissions/
- theoblank 5y ago
  No, from my list I’m currently paying for licensing on the NIV, ESV, and NRSV.
  - theoblank 5y ago
    Sorry, just realized that my comment above had confusingly poor grammar.
  - lolinder 5y ago
    Ah, okay, got it!

Currently I've added ESV, NIV, NRSV, KJV, and a few other public domain translations. Getting access to translations has been a challenge due to licensing costs.

michaelsbradley 5y ago

Nice work! Any possibility for an option to list/read/explore the deuterocanonical books, i.e. for translations that have them, e.g. the RSV[1]? Also, there are freely accessible texts of the Knox translation[2] and Douay-Rheims (Challoner revision of 1752)[3] online, the latter from multiple sources: https://www.newadvent.org/bible/ https://www.newadvent.org/bible/ https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1581/1581-h/1581-h.htm https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1581/1581-h/1581-h.htm The Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text is certainly in the public domain. As for the Knox translation, I'm aware newadvent.org arranged permissions with the Westminster Diocese who hold the copyright; maybe they'd be open to giving similar permissions for your app? [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Standard_Version#Post-1952_developments https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Standard_Version#Post-... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox_Bible https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox_Bible [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douay%E2%80%93Rheims_Bible#Challoner_Revision https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douay%E2%80%93Rheims_Bible#Cha...

theoblank 5y ago
Thanks for pointing those out! I'll add to the todo list. Yes, I definitely plan to add deuterocanonical books at some point, although I think it's low priority for the average Bible reader. It does add a good bit of technical complexity since there's conditional logic involved if you expand outside the Protestant canon.
- michaelsbradley 5y ago
  > It does add a good bit of technical complexity since there's conditional logic involved if you expand outside the Protestant canon Indeed, and best wishes in figuring out a good approach if you go down that route! It's very understandable that tackling such complexity is not at the top of your todo list. > I think it's low priority for the average Bible reader. I'm not looking to debate the point, or anything like that, but wanted to suggest that "average Bible reader" might have a broader scope, depending on one's perspective. At any given time there are millions of Catholics and Orthodox Christians around the world who are reading the Bible; consider also that there are readings (and other spoken/sung elements) in the liturgies of both East and West that originate from the deuterocanon, so it would be quite natural for someone to want to "read at home" and explore a text they heard read/sung aloud during Holy Mass or the Divine Liturgy.
  - theoblank 5y ago
    That's a good point; I appreciate that perspective.
- zzo38computer 5y ago
  In addition to the Catholic deuterocanonical books, some Orthodox denominations include many more books. Also, another public domain translation is World English Bible. And, if you do not have footnotes, perhaps to add it, since things can be lost in translation, or be due to the culture of the time and place, or units of measurement which are no longer common, political boundaries change, etc, you might want to know whatever notes there are of it.

Turing_Machine 5y ago

One thing to keep in mind if you're selling or distributing your app in the UK: the KJV is still under copyright there. While copyrights held by mere mortals expire in the UK the same as they do elsewhere, copyrights held by the monarchy ("Crown copyright") are perpetual. https://www.cambridge.org/bibles/about/rights-and-permissions/ https://www.cambridge.org/bibles/about/rights-and-permission... It's good to be the King. Or Queen.

xjlin0 5y ago

Nice! Could you add Chinese Union version? It's public domain and still the most popular version in Chinese speaking area. FYI there are Traditional Chinese version and Simplified Chinese versions. Thanks! https://github.com/scrollmapper/bible_databases https://github.com/scrollmapper/bible_databases

lolinder 5y ago

Is NIV public domain? I was just looking for a free Kindle version the other day and my understanding is that it's still copyrighted by Zondervan. Edit: it's definitely still copyrighted, and they're explicit that using the translation in full requires a license [0]. [0] https://www.zondervan.com/about-us/permissions/ https://www.zondervan.com/about-us/permissions/

theoblank 5y ago
No, from my list I’m currently paying for licensing on the NIV, ESV, and NRSV.
- theoblank 5y ago
  Sorry, just realized that my comment above had confusingly poor grammar.
- lolinder 5y ago
  Ah, okay, got it!