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Can a Bible Be Both Free and Trustworthy?

Can a Bible Be Both Free and Trustworthy?

Last updated on: September 12, 2026 at 12:17 pm by Jeff McLain

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Can a Bible Be Both Free and Trustworthy? 2026-09-12T12:17:59-04:00 Jeff McLain

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Photo by chris liu on Unsplash. Can a Bible Be Both Free and Trustworthy?

Photo by Chris Liu on Unsplash. Can a Bible Be Both Free and Trustworthy?

Recently, I began to ask the question: Can a Bible Be Both Free and Trustworthy?

I was inspired to ask this question because of the New English Translation (NET)

When the New English Translation was first being developed, it caught my attention for this reason. It seemed to be a translation unlike any other at the time. Its vision, philosophy, approach, welcoming input, and transparency made it stand out. Initially conceived in conversations at the 1995 annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) in Philadelphia, the effort involved forming a translation team that sought to represent no single insular sectarian group, be interdenominational, and be largely evangelical. Twenty-five leading scholars and translators formed a committee and shared a vision.

Its goal was to be more “free” and copyright-restricted than other translations “on the market.”

There Is Always a Need for New Translations

N.T. Wright remarks at the start of his own translation (the New Testament for Everyone) that it took almost 1,500 years for the Bible to be translated into English, a work that gained traction after figures like William Tyndale took up the cause. The New English Translation (NET) is one of the latest English translations. As I shared in my blog series Reading Shelf, there is always a need for new translations of the Scriptures. As we discover older manuscripts, uncover deeper meanings behind Greek and Hebrew words and concepts, and as our own English language continues to evolve, the need to bring the goodness and good news of the scriptures to new generations in understandable, trustworthy, accessible, and relevant ways will always remain an essential task for translators.

We are in an era of many good, maybe even great, translations, and I can say that of both the literal/formal and dynamic approaches to translation. I think the translation you choose to read should be based on intentional and invested prayer, personal conviction, peers, and pursuit. That means you should pray about it as you read a translation. The best version is the one you read because you chose it, so personal conviction matters. However, that doesn’t mean we abandon the wisdom of our peers and the pursuit of research. Those with expertise should be consulted. We should conduct research to learn about the translation team, the manuscripts used, the translation approach or philosophy, and who oversees the translation. Among my favorites to reference regularly are the New American Standard Bible (2020), New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, New English Translation, New International Version, the Complete Jewish Bible, and God’s Word.

The NET has reasons to be set apart. I will explore that. However, I also want to explore what other versions like this can be truly “free” and still good.

NET: A Unique Translation Vision

The unique vision of the New English Translation (NET) that set it apart was the translators’ aim to provide a digital version of a fresh, modern English translation from the biblical languages. It would be one of the first in quite a few years to attempt a fresh translation of the manuscripts. The New English Translation (NET) would not merely modernize an existing translation, such as the ESV, and consult the manuscripts in the process. There are many reasons this translation would set itself apart from everything else attempted recently.

NET: A Unique Translation Philosophy

Their philosophy was important. The committee looked to move beyond the common translation approaches: Formal (word-for-word), Dynamic (Thought-for-thought), and Paraphrase (Creative Retelling). The translators did not want to lean towards one end of the spectrum, as many others do. For example, the New American Standard leans heavily into the formal, the New International Version squarely in the middle of Dynamic, and The Message on the far end of paraphrase. The hope for the New English Translation (NET) was not to compromise on translating any passage, but to create a readable, understandable translation that captured a formal understanding of the strongest option in the main text.

NET: A Unique Translation Approach

The approach is what really sets them apart. They had a “Ministry First” approach, which sought to offer as much as possible under an unrestricted copyright. From the start, the hope was that this whole Bible could be downloaded for free and used in presentations and documents without the restrictive copyrights that most modern versions have. For example, the New American Standard Bible (NASB) allows only 1,000 verses to be quoted; it cannot quote an entire book of the Bible, and the quotes cannot mexceed50% of the document. The English Standard Version, which is not a fresh translation, has even more restrictions. There can only be 500 verses used by an author, and they cannot make up more than 25% of the work. The New International Version (NIV) has a matching restriction to the ESV. The NET Bible mentions in its letter “To the Reader” that “One of the major motivations behind the creation of the NET was the desire to ensure that ministries had unfettered access to top-quality modern Bible translation, without needing to embark on a complicated process of securing permission.” This especially caught my attention early on.

Welcoming Input in the New English Translation

The input welcomed was also a unique model. This was the other approach that caught my attention. As the well-accomplished and renowned translators worked on this, beta releases were opened to the public in 2001 and 2003, welcoming input from hundreds—if not thousands—of scholars, academics, pastors, and other experts. The “To the Reader” mentions “Throughout the NET’s translation process, every working draft was made publicly available…Bible Scholars, ministers, and laypersons from around the world logged millions of review sessions.” That means that, in addition to the many scholars from Dallas Theological Seminary, Cambridge University, the University of Aberdeen, and other top universities, other experts were allowed to offer their thoughts on translations, readability, and more. This had never been done—as far as I can tell, at this level—ever before or again. Through these beta releases, the translation team then considered these reflections and released the first full copy. At the start of the NET, readers are introduced to the NET Bible Translation Team, which lists the translators, editors, and consultants, along with their education.

NET: A Unique Translation Transparency

Perhaps the transparency is what sets it apart the most. The NET translators noted the many tense decisions presented in the translation and wrote informative commentary explaining their decisions in these cases. The Full Notes edition of the New English Translation (NET) features over 60,000 translation notes. Many of which might have come out of the beta releases. This is, as they describe it, a way of looking “over a Bible translator’s shoulder” as they worked. I have the New English Translation (NET) Full Notes version in a hardback cover that I have come to love and reference often.

Inspiring A Better Way

In a similarly inspired Bible translation philosophy, the editors behind the Open Source Bible—who seek to publish a translation with freely available layouts, fonts, and the translation itself—argue for a Bible free from the restrictions and limitations of copyrights, licenses, publishers, and corporate interests. They warn that the scriptures could be turned “into a product rather than a free gift.” The New English Translation (NET), as I see it, and at least for me, helped to inspire a better way of viewing our translation work.

Can that happen? Could a good translation become truly accessible rather than a commodity on the market?

I do not mean to insinuate that there are impure motives among translators, editors, consultants, or publishing companies. I am grateful that publishers have made many of our Bibles readily available and affordable. Many deeply concerned scholars and academics have contributed, out of conviction, to the good translations we have today. The copyrights help reward and protect such investments. There are many Gospel-focused committees and organizations working to develop and refine the Bibles we use. Yet, I want more. Unfortunately, I have felt that many of the more unrestricted and open bibles we currently have have lower accountability, grammatical perfection, and translation scholarship invested in them. I think f, for me, the more concerning fact is that a large percentage of Bible translations are controlled by major publishers, who are themselves owned by large corporations. I am in agreement with the Open Source Bible editors that the Scriptures should be freely received and freely given, without unnecessary restrictions, paywalls, and permission slips.

So much of our faith has been shaped by what the Open Source Bible calls the “walls of capitalized and proprietary control.” That is true of much more than just our Bible translations, our world of worship, and church resources; all of it has become greatly monetized. The New English Translation (NET) is certainly not in the public domain, but it did give us a faithful, new translation with a new philosophy of seeing and doing translation, while remaining largely accessible, available, affordable, and usable. Around the same time, and in the years since the NET, many translations have continued to develop ministry-first practices, public-domain licenses, and more open-use policies.

This made me think. What other English translations of the bible are open, free, and low-copyright Bible translations that are fairly accessible? Can a Bible Be Both Free and Trustworthy? There are many English translations available online that may not be readily available, such as the Revised Version, the Geneva Bible, and many others. What other English Bibles are highly accessible, remain faithful translations, and have few restrictions or limitations from copyrights, licenses, publishers, or corporate interests?

Eight Public Domain or Lower Copyright Regulation Bibles

Through my research, I have compiled a list of eight translations that are either in the public domain or subject to fewer copyright restrictions. I arranged these translations based on my research and others’ suggestions, from more formal/literal to more dynamic. I avoided all paraphrases on this list and would encourage others to do the same.

Again, based on commonly cited translation-philosophy spectrums and my own research, these eight are arranged in the way that I see as fitting. This ordering is intended as a general guide rather than a technical linguistic classification.

In addition to the list, I look at how many people served on the translation team, which New Testament manuscripts were consulted, and what copyrights they hold, while noting the diversity of experience, education, and expertise on the team. I also looked at whether they are a fresh translation or a revision. I also listed the known scholar(s) who worked on and oversaw the project.

These Bibles are still regularly available in print, in English, and online. If you would like a copy of the full list, including the translation teams, textual bases, copyright information, and notes on each translation, respond to one of the comment prompts below and let me know you want a copy, and I’ll be glad to email it to you.

Can a Bible Be Both Free and Trustworthy?

So, yes, I dug into the options.

For me, the NET still rises to the top. The NET Bible is not in the public domain, but it has unusually generous permissions for quotation and use. Churches can use and quote substantial portions of the translation within the stated permissions, but reproducing and distributing the entire Bible is a different matter and requires attention to Biblical Studies Press’s specific copyright terms. There are places where the NET can be accessed online and even downloaded as a PDF. It is available in most Bible apps for free in its entirety. There are also free Kindle and Nook versions, a free Bible app, and full-note versions available through Olive Tree and other platforms.

For me, it rises to the top because it uses both the traditional and the oldest manuscripts. The 25 translators are well known, and it has been reviewed by hundreds, if not thousands, of others. It is a completely new translation developed through conversations within the SBL, which has overseen many high-quality translations. It is denominationally diverse, far from sectarian, and diverse in experience, education, and expertise. The organization and the philosophy behind the project to produce this Bible impress me. I find it trustworthy.

There are a few times when I feel it is not as literal as it could be, and I sometimes lament certain word choices, but I have found that this is true in many translations. As I explore this translation, it continues to impress me. I do wish it were fully downloadable, had customizable layouts, and could be printed by churches as a pew Bible. However, it has very affordable editions, and there are versions that have incorporated creeds, church history, devotions, and more.

The second most open Bible I came across in my research is the Berean Standard Bible. This was a new one to me. I knew of it but had not explored it much before. It can be downloaded in Word, plain text, digital reader resources, and more. The same is true of the translation notes. The number of downloads and available versions is amazing. From what I can tell, this is in the public domain and can be printed in its entirety by a church. It is more literal than the New International Version, but not as rigid as the YLT.

The Berean Standard Bible (BSB) had a very intentional six-member advisory committee, with each member working with the team and hundreds of volunteers on translation. Like the NET, it also had public comment and evaluation. This translation, too, uses some of the oldest and most traditional texts. It has four tiers: an interlinear version, a literal version, a study version, and an emphasis-emphasized translation. It also has large denominational diversity and a diversity of experience, education, and expertise. Several notable scholars are involved, and the process is overseen by a ministry-minded committee.

A quick mention of one I want to spend more time with is the WEB. I was debating between this and the MEV as runners-up, but the WEB won out because it, too, is public domain. However, I am not ready to co-sign on it yet. It uses limited texts and is a revised translation of the ASV, not a fresh translation. Though it features some volunteers, it is mainly the work of a singular translator and editor whom I know little about. There also seems to be a need for ongoing maintenance to track minor fixes, typos, and formatting corrections. It is one I am still getting used to.

Closing Thoughts

There you have it. These are the open, free, and low-copyright Bible translations in English that I would recommend. At this point in my research, the NET and BSB stand at the top for me.

Perhaps that is what I was really looking for in this research: not simply a Bible that is free, but a Bible that is both free and trustworthy. A translation that can be freely received and freely given without asking us to sacrifice scholarship, accountability, transparency, or care for the Scriptures.

I put all of this research together in a simple reference list. If you would like a copy, leave a comment in response to my prompts below, and I’ll be glad to send it to you.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

What do you value most when choosing a Bible translation: accuracy, readability, accessibility, or the freedom to use and share it?
How does knowing who translated a Bible—and who reviewed, advised, and oversaw the work—affect your trust in a translation?
What might it look like for the Church to treat Scripture more fully as a gift to be freely received, shared, taught, and passed on?

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About Jeff McLain

Jeff McLain is a Doctor of Ministry Student on the Lord’s Prayer at Kairos University, Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission, and a pastor at River Corner Church. Mobilized by 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Jeff blogs about recovering a rooted Christian way of life through the Lord’s Prayer, ancient habits, leading a quiet life, and simple Jesus communities. You can read more about the author here.

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