The Only Bible Designed to be Open—Forever.
Join the Movement
The mission of Open Source Bible is to make the Word of God open and free forever.
We fulfill this mission by publishing a translation, a font, and print layouts, that are licensed to remain perpetually open. Anyone can use our translation, font, and layout files for any purpose, without asking permission, but any updates made to them must allow these same freedoms for derivative works.
If you use our translation, font, or layout files, as the basis for updated versions in the future, the updated versions must be published under the same licensing as our files.
If we all start using the OSB as our default translation then the Word of God will never again fall under corporate control. (read: The Problem With Translations)
Our works are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Open Translation
The OSB translation is not under restrictive copyrights. It can be used for any project, anytime, without permission, whether for personal or professional uses. All derivative works just have to give people these same freedoms.
Open Font
We designed a new font called Open Source Bible Font, specifically for use in Bibles, that is legible, beautiful, and completely free for anyone to use. This is the first professional font specifically for Bibles that is open for the public to use.
Learn more about our font ➜
Open Layouts
Our Bible layouts are designed by a world class designer that is sought after in the Bible community. All of our layouts are free for anyone to print at home or adapt for publishing, as long as derivative works give others these same freedoms.
Learn more about our layouts ➜
Understanding Copyright, Public Domain, and Copyleft
Most Bibles are under copyright, which greatly restricts what you can do with their translations, fonts, and layouts. You can only quote so many verses, you don’t have access to the fonts they use, and you can’t use their layout files without a licensing agreement. This restricts Bible publishing, commentaries and books, digital apps and products, and even the ability to translate the word for non-native English speakers, lower reading levels, and children.
Some Bibles are in the public domain, which is better than being copyrighted, but there are still two distinct problems with the public domain. First, most translations, fonts, and layouts in the public domain are too dated to be useful. Second, when a group decides to update a dated work from the public domain then they can introduce their own copyright onto it since they made meaningful changes to it, locking down everything once again.
The answer is something called copyleft. Copyleft is different than copyright and the public domain. Copyleft allows anyone to use our translation, font, and layout files freely for personal or commercial use, but they must also issue their adaptations under the same copyleft license. This creates a perpetual chain of openness that no one can ever lock down.
Jesus modeled copyleft in Matt 10:8 when he sent his apostles out to preach. He said, “Freely you have received; freely give.” He didn’t lock down his words behind copyright, in fact, he forced a copyleft. He told them that since they received freely, they must give freely also.
Our works are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Our Roadmap
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This project began when a group of disciples decided that the word of God should belong to the people of God, forever.
We began an initiative to bring a trusted and readable translation to the English speaking world under a copyleft license that would ensure that all future versions based on it would also be free and open.
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As a part of this project we decided that an Open Source Bible font would be created, and also released to the public under a copyleft license.
This would ensure that future publishers and distributers of God’s word would have a legible and beautiful font for use in their derivative works.
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Our work on the translation consists of taking an already trusted translation that is in the public domain (Berean Standard Bible) and updating the sub-headings of the New Testament to better reflect the meaning of the text.
A team of scholars from multiple denominations has already created an accurate translation, and we don’t feel the need to update the core of their translation.
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As a part of this initiative we are going to typeset the Open Source Bible in a beautiful layout for everyday carry called Sword. This is the first version of the OSB that our publishing partners will be able to print.
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We are going to hire a firm to proof-read our translation to ensure that our quality is as high as possible.
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All of our materials will be released under the CC BY-SA Creative Commons license.
This ensures that all derivative works that use the OSB or it’s associated files, will be freely available, forever.
We will be releasing the OSB Font, the OSB Typeset Manuscript, and the OSB Translation, under this Creative Commons license.
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We will send the completed texts off to our publishing partners to begin printing and selling versions of the OSB.
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We will upload the digital files of our translation to the United Bible Society, so that it will be available on popular Bible apps and Bible websites.
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Our publishing partners will begin selling the OSB so that it can be used by the Christian community in practical ways.
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We will spend our time marketing and promoting the OSB to become the default translation in the English speaking world.
The more people that use this translation the more we safeguard the future of God’s word, forever.
If a generation of people start using and loving the OSB, then scholars in the future will be more likely to update the language of the OSB instead of creating a new translation that is under copyright. This ensures that the scriptures remain open.
Upcoming OSB Layouts
We are currently working with various independent Bible publishers to create 3 versions of the OSB that will be available for purchase in the next few years. These editions will also be available to download for free. You will be able to print any portion of these Bibles at home making this perfect for in-depth Bible study, highlighting, note-taking, workshops, group studies, and more.
The Story.
John Wycliffe (c. 1328-1384)
One of the earliest advocates for translating the Bible into English.
His followers, the Lollards, continued his work.
After his death, his remains were exhumed and burned as a posthumous punishment for his translations and beliefs.
Thomas Bilney (c. 1495-1531)
Preacher and reformer who supported the reading of Scripture in English.
Arrested and burned at the stake for heresy.
William Tyndale (1494-1536)
First to translate the New Testament directly from Greek to English.
Hunted for years by authorities and ultimately betrayed, arrested, and executed by strangulation before being burned at the stake in 1536.
John Frith (1503-1533)
Protestant scholar who promoted vernacular Scripture.
Burned at the stake for his beliefs.
Miles Coverdale (1488-1569)
Produced the first complete printed English Bible in 1535.
Forced into exile multiple times due to his translation work.
John Rogers (c. 1505-1555)
Edited the Matthew Bible, which combined Tyndale’s and Coverdale’s translations.
The first martyr burned at the stake under Queen Mary I for supporting English Bible translations.
Anne Askew (1521-1546)
Protestant reformer who advocated for Scripture in English.
Tortured on the rack and burned at the stake for heresy.
Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556)
Archbishop of Canterbury who endorsed the use of English Bibles in churches.
Burned at the stake for heresy during Queen Mary I's reign.
Richard Cox (c. 1500-1581)
Protestant reformer and supporter of English Scripture.
Fled to the Continent during Queen Mary I's reign to escape persecution.