Understanding API.Bible Licensing

API.Bible offers access to both open-access and copyright-protected Bibles.

Open-access Bibles

Open-access Bibles include translations that are:

In the public domain, or
Licensed under Creative Commons

These Bibles may be used according to the terms of their respective open licenses.

Copyright-protected Bibles

Many popular Bible translations are protected by copyright. These may be accessed through API.Bible under one of the following license types:

Standard License – Covers many commonly used copyrighted Bibles, as described in the API.Bible Terms and Conditions.
Unique License – Required for certain Bible translations that have specific licensing requirements set by the intellectual property (IP) holder.

In addition, your applicable agreement depends on how your application is used:

Commercial Agreement – Applies to monetized applications
Non-Commercial Use Agreement – Applies to non-monetized applications

Before using any Bible version through API.Bible, you must review, agree to, and accept the license agreement associated with that translation.

Why license agreements matter

A license agreement is a legal document that governs:

Ownership of intellectual property
Integrity and accuracy of Scripture text
Permitted and prohibited usage
Other compliance requirements defined by the IP holder

Fair Use Management System (FUMS)

API.Bible uses a Fair Use Management System (FUMS) to track usage of licensed Bible content. This system helps demonstrate to publishers and IP holders that their content is being used responsibly and in accordance with licensing terms.

Compliance and enforcement

You are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations, both domestic and international, as well as all API.Bible license agreements and Terms of Use.

Failure to comply may result in review, communication from the API.Bible team, and possible suspension or termination of access.