The Bible is God’s word; this may be considered principally in two polar aspects: 🌱Cause/Authority: It is inspired; God is the author (2 Timothy 3:16) 🌳Effect/Power: It uniquely has the power to convert souls (Romans 10:14-17) 🧵2/24

The Bible continues to be God’s word upon translation, regardless of human involvement. Though he read from the LXX, the Ethiopian eunuch did not attribute Isaiah 53 to the 70, but to “the prophet”—and therefore, to God. Moreover, he was converted through these words. 🧵3/24

“We do not deny, nay, we affirm and avow, that the very meanest translation of the Bible in English, set forth by men of our profession, (for we have seen none of their's of the whole Bible as yet) containeth the word of God, nay, is the word of God”—Preface to the KJV 🧵4/24

Even by modern copyright law, living authors of a joint work maintain full control of their work. The divine author of Scripture is alive and he has demanded that his message be offered “without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1). 🧵5/24

The Westminster Confession of Faith 1.8 & the 2nd London Baptist Confession of Faith 1.8 motivate Bible translation from Colossians 3:16: https://baptistconfession.org/... Upon further consideration, it becomes evident that this verse demands far more than translation. 🧵6/24

🔓ACCESS—Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you 🎁RESHARE— as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, 🦋ADAPT—and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. https://sellingjesus.org/artic... 🧵7/24

Thus, Calvin justified setting the psalms to meter: “After the intelligence must follow the heart and the affection, a thing which is unable to be except if we have the hymn imprinted on our memory, in order never to cease from singing.”—Preface to the Genevan Psalter🎵 🧵8/24

It may seem obvious to us today, but the authors of the WCF/2LBCF were making a bold statement. They lived in a time where it was illegal in most jurisdictions to translate the Bible without permission. A hundred years before, Tyndale burned at the stake for it. 🧵9/24

We likewise live in a time where the sharing and adapting most versions of the word requires a license. Publishers threaten to litigate, and on a number of occasions they have. Governments are all too happy to wield the sword in enforcing these so-called “rights.” 🧵10/24

Sure, you can link to an approved resource, but what if you want to print the Bible yourself? Make a custom app? Write a commentary on Ephesians, including the full text of the epistle? 🚫All Illegal w/o the gracious blessing of those who claim ownership over God’s word 🧵11/24

It is plain and simple. These Bible publishers are guilty of peddling the word. https://www.youtube.com/watch?... 2 Corinthians 2:17—For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God. 🧵12/24

This is why most Bible apps don’t have your favorite translation. Unless you are one of the big players, publishers have little reason to accommodate. In fact, they often determine that wider access to their translation is against their interests. 🧵13/24

Many will claim that their use of copyright is just to protect the text from corruption. But the doctrine of the preservation of Scripture has been upheld by Christians long before the invention of copyright in 1710. https://sellingjesus.org/artic... 🧵14/24

Moreover, free transmission is the primary means God has used to preserve Scripture. The idea that Scripture should be forcefully preserved represents Islam more than Christianity. https://carm.org/islam/the-ear... (See Uthmanic Recension) 🖋️>🗡️ 🧵15/24

This is the point where many will praise the King James Version for being “free.” “No problem; just use the KJV!” While there tends to be less enforcement on the KJV, it is no real exception, being restricted by the eternal copyright of the crown. https://sellingjesus.org/artic... 🧵16/24

Furthermore, KJV printers are complicit in the racket. 🧵17/24

There are a few free translations, either due to copyright expiration (e.g., ASV) or generous publishing models (e.g., BSB). But why should we be limited? Ideally, legal restrictions would not determine the purity of the bread of life with which we are sustained. 🧵18/24

And let’s not pretend English is the only language that matters. 81% of the world has a complete bible in their language, but only 54% has one they can legally share. https://fetch.bible/content/ne... 🧵19/24

So what are we to do? Not all are called to make the sacrifice, but I believe we should begin soberly considering simply ignoring these laws. Like Tyndale. Like Paul. Though sharing it be regarded a criminal activity, the word of God cannot be bound (2 Timothy 2:9). 🧵20/24

This isn’t even about avoiding payment. There are times to pay unjust/oppressive fees to avoid causing offense, even though “the sons are free” (Matthew 17:24–27). 🧵21/24

But even for those willing to pay, making full use of Scripture in an authorized fashion is often *impossible*. The channels by which one might do so remain unavailable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?... 🧵22/24

Leadership at Crossway, Tyndale House, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, B&H, etc. are all in grave error. They will one day stand before the author of Scripture himself and give an account for how they used the laws of man to restrict access to and full use of the law of God. 🧵23/24

It’s time to start holding Christian publishers accountable. Sign the Sunnyvale Statement today: http://copy.church/statement 🧵24/24