0:00
/
0:00
Transcript

The Man Who Freed the Bible: One Translator’s Mission to Break Copyright Chains w/ Michael Johnson

How a Single Translation is Reshaping Global Access to Scripture

Most people assume the Bible is free to share—but that’s far from the truth. In my latest video, I sit down with Michael, a man who has done something extraordinary: He translated the entire Bible and gave it away for free. This conversation dives into the surprising world of Bible copyrights, the challenges of digital scripture distribution, and the high-risk missionary work that takes the Gospel into some of the most dangerous places on Earth.

What We Cover:

  • Why the Bible is Locked Behind Copyright Laws
    Most modern translations are owned by publishing companies that restrict how they can be shared. Michael’s journey started when he realized that finding a public domain Bible was nearly impossible—so he created one.

  • The World English Bible: A 30-Year Project
    In 1994, Michael began work on the World English Bible, using a mix of ancient manuscripts, computer-assisted translation, and the help of a global network of scholars. It took decades to refine—but today, it’s available for anyone to download, print, or distribute freely.

  • Missionary Work in High-Risk Regions
    Michael isn’t just a translator—he’s a missionary who has worked in Papua New Guinea, translating the Bible into tribal languages. But his work also extends to creative access countries, where sharing scripture can be dangerous, even illegal. We discuss the real-world risks and how digital Bibles are helping to bypass censorship.

  • How the Bible is Being Smuggled Into Closed Countries
    From VPNs to covert distribution networks, Michael shares the fascinating ways people are getting the Bible into places where it's banned. In some regions, even owning a Bible can result in imprisonment—or worse.

  • The War on Digital Scripture: Cyber Attacks & Government Censorship
    Michael’s project has been the target of denial-of-service attacks, likely from state actors trying to prevent access to his translations. He explains the technical and spiritual battle to keep the Word of God available online.

Why This Matters

The Bible is meant to be shared—but the modern world has made that increasingly difficult. If you’ve ever wanted to understand the hidden struggles behind Bible distribution, the fight against censorship, and the efforts to make scripture freely available to everyone, this is a must-watch.

📺 Please consider following me on Youtube, which is my primary platform: Subscribe Here