Copyright for Biblework & Strongs Number Index?

Question

Greetings,

I am going to publish a study Bible using PTXprint. What would I use for copyright information for using BibleWorks and Strongs Numbers?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi Kevin, great to hear that you're creating a study Bible. The question of copyright information for these two lists is simple for Strongs, and more nuanced for BibleWorks, or its derivative called "The Works" which was created by someone mentioned in this post and has been included in PTXprint's list of options.

ChatGPT's Deep Research looked into the copyright status and usage rights for:

1. Strong’s numbers that were downloaded from a public domain list and used to generate new cross-references.

2. The cross-references from the discontinued BibleWorks software package, including whether any copyright applies or if they are safe to use.

Strong’s Concordance (1890) and Derived Cross-References: Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance is long in the public domain. In fact, Logos’ documentation explicitly states “Strong’s is public domain and no permission is needed to use it”. Under U.S. law, bare facts and simple data compilations are not protected by copyright. A list of verse cross-references generated purely from Strong’s numbering (itself public-domain data) is essentially a factual index. As the Supreme Court noted in Feist, “no one may copyright facts or ideas” and obvious arrangements of facts (like alphabetizing listings) lack the creativity needed for protection. Conclusion: Strong’s numbers and any cross-reference lists you generate from them are not copyrighted. You may freely publish them without needing permission or a copyright notice. (For academic courtesy you could note “based on Strong’s Concordance (public domain)”, but legally it’s not required.)

• Public domain status: Strong’s Concordance (1890) is in the public domain. The numbering scheme and word-index data are facts.

• Cross-references from Strong’s data: A mechanistic cross-reference list drawn from Strong’s data is likewise uncopyrightable fact‐based material. It can be reused freely, and no new copyright attaches.

BibleWorks (“The Works”) Cross-Reference List: BibleWorks was proprietary software created by BibleWorks, LLC (owner Michael Bushell) until its 2018 shutdown. Its built-in cross-reference compilation (often called “The Works”) was created by that company’s staff. We found no open license or public-domain notice for this data. In fact, Paratext documentation shows someone adapted the BibleWorks master list “with permission” – implying BibleWorks held exclusive rights. Since BibleWorks LLC owns that content and has not released it, it remains under copyright. Discontinuation of the software does not void copyright. Without an explicit statement to the contrary, you must assume the BibleWorks cross-reference list is copyrighted by BibleWorks (or its authors).

• Ownership and copyright: The cross-reference list was authored by BibleWorks staff and owned by BibleWorks, LLC. A forum post notes the list was used only “with permission” from BibleWorks, confirming it was not free content. BibleWorks closed in 2018, but there’s no indication the data became public domain.

• License and attribution: No license for the BibleWorks list is published. Thus, you cannot freely reuse it without permission from the rights holder. At minimum, if you must quote it, provide a credit line (e.g. “Cross-references from BibleWorks’ consolidated list”), but note that credit alone doesn’t substitute for permission. (If a publisher sees this, they would typically require a license or use of an alternative source.)

Recommendations: You may freely use the Strong’s-based cross-references without restriction or the need for a copyright notice. For the BibleWorks-derived list, exercise caution: unless you obtain permission, assume it’s copyrighted. Ideally replace it with a public-domain equivalent. For example, the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, 1879) is a classic cross-reference work in the public domain, and modern projects (e.g. OpenBible.info) use PD cross-references (notably TSK) as their data. If you do include BibleWorks material, clearly cite it as such and, if possible, credit the owner (“BibleWorks, LLC” or similar), though the safest legal route is to obtain rights or use an alternative PD source.

Summary: Strong’s Concordance and any cross-references you generate from its public-domain data carry no copyright. By contrast, the BibleWorks cross-reference list was proprietary. It likely remains copyrighted by BibleWorks LLC (Michael Bushell), so you should not treat it as free content. No special copyright notice is needed for the Strong’s-based data, but any use of the BibleWorks-derived list should at least attribute the source and ideally be cleared with the original rights holders.

Sources: Authoritative statements and guides (Logos content permissions, Sword Project, Feist v. Rural decision) confirm Strong’s Concordance is PD. User-contributed documentation and forum posts (PTXprint, Paratext) indicate the BibleWorks “The Works” list was proprietary and used only by permission. (See also OpenBible and TSK documentation for examples of PD cross-reference data.)

Comments

I'd like to add to Mark's reply that in most parts of the world a a database  IS copyrightable if a lot of creative selection / curation of  data went into it (which probably doesn't apply to a DB made from Strong's monumental work, but surely would have done to the original!). BUT that the UK, EU and Russia even if it's a mechanically processed collection of non-copywritable data there are also database rights that are gained, if there has been 'a "substantial investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents" of the database'  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_right). UK and EU database rights last 15 years since last edit.

I don't know who made the DB of Strong's data, where, or how much work went into it. It *may* still be covered under EU/UK  database rights, if it was done after 2010.

Answer 2

Further research has shown:

The file at github.com/drwwww/Paratext/blob/master/LICENSE confirms that “The Works” cross-reference list from BibleWorks has been released under the MIT License. Here’s what that means for your use:

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✅ MIT License Summary

The MIT License is a very permissive open-source license that allows you to:

• Use the material for any purpose, including commercial projects like a published Study Bible.

• Modify the content (e.g., clean up or adapt the cross-references).

• Redistribute the material, including in printed or digital form.

• Include it in proprietary works, as long as you include the license text.

What You Must Do

To comply with the MIT License:

1. Include the license text somewhere in your publication or documentation. A simple acknowledgment like this is usually sufficient in print:

   “Cross-references derived from The Works, originally from BibleWorks, used under the MIT License.
   © BibleWorks / TheWorks contributors. Source: https://github.com/drwwww/Paratext”

2. Do not claim exclusivity over the content. You're free to publish it, but you cannot prevent others from doing so.