Bible Translations in Christian Fiction

[Multifavs]

I can't find an answer anywhere so I'll ask it here.

Is there any specific Bible translation typically used in Christian fiction, or one that is best for Christian fiction? Or is it all up to the writer's preference?

 

[Occams Barber]

I can't find an answer anywhere so I'll ask it here.

Is there any specific Bible translation typically used in Christian fiction, or one that is best for Christian fiction? Or is it all up to the writer's preference?

You might want to consider copyright issues.
Can You Quote the Bible? (thanetwriters.com)

OB

 

[Subduction Zone]

You might want to consider copyright issues.
Can You Quote the Bible? (thanetwriters.com)

OB

It looks as if the KJV would be the best source to quote without worrying about copyright issues. The Queens prerogative would probably not ever be invoked unless one was out to smear the Bible. And since the OP is Catholic I doubt if that would be the case. That may also explain why so many pieces of fiction rely upon the KJV when it comes to their quotes. Also I doubt if the Queen's prerogative would be in effect in countries outside of the UK. Hmm, "Banned in the . . ." often adds to a work's cachet.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I can't find an answer anywhere so I'll ask it here.

Is there any specific Bible translation typically used in Christian fiction, or one that is best for Christian fiction? Or is it all up to the writer's preference?

Flannery O'Connor apparently used a Douay Bible and a KJV. The Douay because she would have heard that at church and the KJV because that would have been the commonest Bible in use in the South in the 1950's and 1960's.

I think you use what you know. Problems with that now are that the NAB which is the basis for the readings at mass is hardly literary. So you might want to use a more literary version. The new ESV is better and has a Catholic edition withall the books. And the older RSV also has a Catholic edition. Both would be more literary than the NAB.

I think you use what your audience will know. Problem there is that so few know the Bible any more in any translation. So you could use any version and get that blank stare of someone who has never heard that before. It's getting to the point that using something from the Bible almost needs an introduction.

Your mileage may vary, but this isn't something where there is a wrong answer necessarily.

 

[Occams Barber]

It looks as if the KJV would be the best source to quote without worrying about copyright issues. The Queens prerogative would probably not ever be invoked unless one was out to smear the Bible. And since the OP is Catholic I doubt if that would be the case. That may also explain why so many pieces of fiction rely upon the KJV when it comes to their quotes. Also I doubt if the Queen's prerogative would be in effect in countries outside of the UK. Hmm, "Banned in the . . ." often adds to a work's cachet.

I also suspect the KJV would be the most used Bible when it comes to literary quotes but for a different reason. The venerable Early Modern English style and the poetry of the KJV makes it the most recognisable Bible translation. The KJV is the Bible which sounds most like what we expect the stereotypical Bible to sound like.

This is the American Bible Society's take on copyright in the US.
Copyrights | American Bible Society
OB

 

[Subduction Zone]

I also suspect the KJV would be the most used Bible when it comes to literary quotes but for a different reason. The venerable Early Modern English style and the poetry of the KJV makes it the most recognisable Bible translation. The KJV is the Bible which sounds most like what we expect the stereotypical Bible to sound like.

This is the American Bible Societies take on copyright in the US.
Copyrights | American Bible Society
OB

Thanks for the link. And yes, the KJV is public domain here:

"KING JAMES VERSION
The King James Version is in the public domain. Copy and distribute freely."

 

[Multifavs]

I had no idea the Bible was copyrighted...never thought about that. What I'm going to write will not be sold. I'll try looking at the KJV, ESV, and RSV first.

 

[Occams Barber]

I had no idea the Bible was copyrighted...never thought about that. What I'm going to write will not be sold. I'll try looking at the KJV, ESV, and RSV first.

When choosing a translation you should probably consider the time and place context for the quote and the character quoting.

For instance , putting a modern translation in the mouth of a character based in the 1800s would be historically inaccurate and may not sound right.

OB

 

[Tuur]

When choosing a translation you should probably consider the time and place context for the quote and the character quoting.

For instance , putting a modern translation in the mouth of a character based in the 1800s would be historically inaccurate and may not sound right.

OB

Yes. This and the copyright issues are important. It wasn't Christian fiction, but in one story I had a 14th Century European quote scripture. Ended up first consulting a translation in public domain, then put the verse into my own words.

 

[linux.poet]

I had no idea the Bible was copyrighted...never thought about that. What I'm going to write will not be sold. I'll try looking at the KJV, ESV, and RSV first.

Most translations allow you to quote a certain number of verses without penalty, as long as you cite the verses of the translation that you are using. Usually this is about 200-300.

For example:

John 3:16 (NASB)
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

or

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NASB)

However, if you are looking to quote large sections of Scripture, it is wise to obtain permission from the copyright holders of whatever translation you are looking to quote. For a fictional work, it's the author's discretion, withstanding the historical conditions that @Occams Barber mentioned.