Are you supposed to acknowledge that you are quoting from the NKJV?
Question:
If you quote from the New King James Version aren't you suppose to include a proper acknowledgment? I think it can be found near the preface if there is one in your NKJV. If you don't include the proper acknowledgment they want is that not breaking copyright law?
Answer:
Thomas Nelson Publishers ask:
The text of the New King James Version® (NKJV®) may be quoted or reprinted without prior written permission with the following qualifications:
- Up to and including 1,000 verses may be quoted in printed form as long as the verses quoted amount to less than 50% of a complete book of the Bible and make up less than 50% of the total work in which they are quoted;
- all NKJV quotations must conform accurately to the NKJV text.
Any use of the NKJV text must include a proper acknowledgment as follows:
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson,
Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."However, when quotations from the NKJV text are used in church bulletins, orders of service, Sunday School lessons, church newsletters and similar works in the course of religious instruction or services at a place of worship or other religious assembly, the following notice may be used at the end of each quotation: "NKJV."
I put this as a request because the rules for use of copyrighted material are actually controlled by the government. In truth, Thomas Nelson is loosening some of the restrictions so that their work will be used more often and won't unduly burden their staff with requests for permission to copy.
I tend to quote from the New King James Version because many people are familiar with the wording style of the King James Version, but the NKJV is easier to read, more modern terms. The web site falls under the last paragraph since this is being produced by a church. All quotations are distinctly marked with quotation marks and longer quotations are indented. Notice that in the footer you will find NKJV as the quoted option. Also if you place your mouse over a verse reference, it says "NKJV." Having those there, I don't repeat the information in the plain text where it can distract.
Please notice that the use of NKJV with each verse reference is not required. It only says that it "may be used." Most magazines and bulletins don't add the NKJV since space is limited.
