AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY COPYRIGHT POLICY

 

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS GUIDELINES

  1. Policy for use of the Contemporary English Version (CEV):
    1. General Statement.
      The CEV text may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without written permission, providing the verses quoted do not amount to 50% of a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses account for twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted. This permission is contingent upon an appropriate copyright acknowledgment (see below).
    2. Use of the CEV beyond above limits requires written permission.
      1. Commercial Use: Commercial use means use in any product offered for sale, lease, rental or barter on any level. Rights and permissions requests for the CEV in media intended for commercial use should be addressed to The American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, NY 10023, USA . Request shall contain the following information: (1) exact portions to be quoted, (2) the medium in which those portions will be quoted, (3) estimated percentage of the total text of the work made up of the CEV text, (4) any additional material to be included in the work, such as additional text, illustrations, photos, etc., (5) the purpose, number of copies or reproductions, and distribution of the use in which the CEV is quoted, and (6) the sale or lease price of the work, or other income to be received. For commercial use outside of North America , please send your requests as detailed above to the American Bible Society. If the CEV is used as the lyrics for a song, you must obtain permission prior to production of the same.
      2. Non-Commercial use (Ministry, Church, educational, etc.): Non-commercial use is any use other than commercial use as defined above and generally means free provision of the medium in which the CEV is quoted. Most usages by local churches would fall into this category. Rights and Permissions requests for the CEV in media intended for non-commercial use should be addressed to the American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, 10023 and the request should contain the above requested information. If the CEV text is used as the lyrics for a song, you must obtain permission from the American Bible Society prior to the production of the same.
  2. Acknowledgment and copyright notice

    Any quotation from the CEV text must include copyright notice and acknowledgement. The form the acknowledgment takes will depend, in part, upon the medium in which the quotation is used.
    1. Written use: Use whichever of the following notices is most appropriate:
      1. The following notice for the CEV may be used on each page where material quoted from the CEV appears:

        Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
      2. When the CEV is identified at the end of each Scripture quotation from the CEV, the following notice may be used on the title page or verse thereof of each copy:

        Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
      3. If appropriate, the following notice may be used on the title page or verso thereof of each copy:

        All scripture quotations in this publication are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
    2. Visual and electronic use: “Visual” use includes videos, films, slides and overhead transparencies. “Electronic” use denotes the use of an interactive computer. Quotations from the CEV text in visual and electronic media must include the appropriate copyright notice from section II-A on (1) the product (medium itself), and (2) the product’s wrapper or packing, and (3) in an acknowledgment section, if one exists.
    3. Audio Use: This category includes cassettes, compact discs, and similar media. Quotations from the CEV in audio form must include the appropriate copyright notice from section on (1) the product (the medium itself), and (2) the product’s wrapper or packaging. If the CEV is used as the lyrics for song, you must obtain permission from the American Bible Society prior to production of the same.
    4. Church use: Any use of the CEV by a local church in or on non-commercial media such as bulletins, orders of service, bulletin boards, posters, overhead transparencies, recordings of worship services (for which a small fee may be charged), or similar materials used in the course of religious instruction or services at a place of worship or other religious assembly requires the following notice at the end of each quotation: (CEV): Audiocassettes may include (CEV) acknowledgement of label only. Contacting ABS for permission noted herein is not required.