American Bible Society
A U.S.-based Christian nonprofit that translates, publishes, distributes, and supports engagement with the Bible in the United States and around the world.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
American Bible Society is a Christian nonprofit organization headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Established in New York City on May 11, 1816, it was created to make the Bible broadly available through translation, publication, distribution, and education. The organization is the United States member of the United Bible Societies and works with national Bible societies, churches, ministries, humanitarian organizations, and other partners in many countries. The society is interdenominational rather than affiliated with a single Christian denomination. Its stated theological basis is Trinitarian Christianity as expressed in the Nicene Creed. Its work has historically combined physical Bible distribution with translation, literacy, Scripture engagement, support for military chaplaincy, disaster response, and assistance for people affected by conflict or displacement. In the digital era, it has also supported online Bible resources, digital text repositories, web initiatives, and domain infrastructure intended to broaden access to Scripture. During the nineteenth century, the society expanded beyond English-language publishing. Its first translation project, completed in 1818, produced a version of the New Testament in Lenape, a Delaware Indigenous language. The organization circulated editions and portions in languages including French, Spanish, German, Gaelic, Welsh, Dutch, Mohawk, Hawaiian, and Seneca, and undertook large-scale domestic distribution campaigns. It also developed services for blind readers, supporting raised-letter and other accessible formats. The society became a major distributor of pocket Bibles and Scripture portions for soldiers, including during the American Civil War. Its history also includes debates over slavery, translation policy, textual accuracy, and the appropriate relationship between religious publishing and social reform. In 1834, it declined a donation from the American Anti-Slavery Society intended to support Bible distribution among enslaved people in the United States. Although the society distributed Bibles internationally, including in Liberia, domestic distribution was largely handled through state auxiliaries, some of which did not distribute directly to enslaved people. The episode contributed to criticism that the organization was insufficiently active in the abolitionist cause. In the twentieth century, American Bible Society increasingly worked through partner printers and international Bible societies. It stopped using its own printing presses in 1922 while continuing to publish and distribute Scripture. Its translation and distribution programs included influential contemporary-language editions such as the Good News Translation and, later, the Contemporary English Version. The society also created or supported programs addressing literacy, trauma healing, military ministry, disaster relief, and Scripture engagement research. American Bible Society occupied several prominent New York facilities, including the nineteenth-century Bible House and a Brutalist headquarters at 1865 Broadway. In 2015, it sold the Broadway property and moved its headquarters to Philadelphia, citing the high operating costs and renovation requirements associated with the New York building. The relocation also reflected the organization’s historical connection to Philadelphia through Elias Boudinot. The organization has experienced leadership changes and internal controversy in the twenty-first century. Its 2017 Affirmation of Biblical Community required employees to agree to specified Christian beliefs and conduct standards, including a traditional definition of marriage. Critics argued that the policy excluded LGBTQ employees and some unmarried heterosexual employees; the organization reported substantial staff attrition in 2018, while leadership disputed that the departures represented an unusual loss. After several interim and permanent leadership transitions, Jennifer Holloran became pre…
History
American Bible Society was founded in New York City on May 11, 1816, by prominent American Protestant leaders seeking to make Christian Scripture more widely available. Elias Boudinot became its first president, while figures such as John Jay and Francis Scott Key were associated with its leadership. The society initially operated from Lower Manhattan and built its work around the publication and distribution of Bibles and New Testaments. The organization’s early activity extended beyond English. In 1818 it produced a translation project in Lenape, and during the nineteenth century it circulated Scripture in languages including French, Spanish, German, Gaelic, Welsh, Dutch, Mohawk, Hawaiian, and Seneca. It used stereotype plates and partner printers to support multilingual distribution. Beginning in 1835, it also developed services for blind readers and helped fund raised-letter Bible production. By the end of the century it was using systems such as New York Point to provide complete Bibles in accessible formats. American Bible Society undertook repeated nationwide distribution campaigns in the United States in 1829, 1856, 1866, and 1882. The fourth campaign involved visits to millions of families and the distribution of hundreds of thousands of Bibles. It also supplied pocket Bibles and Scripture portions to soldiers, including during the Civil War. Internationally, its work expanded through relationships with missionaries and national Bible societies. China became a particularly important field: the society supported Chinese Scripture printing in the nineteenth century and later reported distributing tens of millions of volumes there. The society’s nineteenth-century record also involved controversy. In 1834 it refused a contribution from the American Anti-Slavery Society intended to fund Bible distribution among enslaved people in the United States. Domestic distribution was left largely to state auxiliaries, some of which declined to distribute directly to enslaved people. Abolitionist organizations consequently criticized American Bible Society as insufficiently committed to antislavery work, even as it supported Bible distribution in Liberia and other locations. The organization occupied an imposing Bible House in New York beginning in 1852. It later moved to a six-story building on Park Avenue in 1936 and consolidated its offices in a twelve-story headquarters at 1865 Broadway in 1966. Although it continued publishing, it stopped operating its own printing presses in 1922 and increasingly relied on outside printers and partners. Its translation work in the twentieth century helped establish the Good News Translation, a contemporary-language Bible intended for broad readability, and later the Contemporary English Version. From the late twentieth century onward, American Bible Society broadened its service model. It supported Christian children’s media distribution, launched the ForMinistry.com church web-building service in 1999, and developed programs related to literacy, military ministry, disaster response, and trauma healing. After the September 11 attacks, it distributed Scripture resources to affected communities and rescue workers. It also responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and partnered with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and The Salvation Army. In 2008, the society issued a five-language polyglot Bible containing Hebrew, Greek, Latin, English, and Spanish text. In 2010 it launched the State of the Bible research program and a Bible search service, and it began Bible-based Trauma Healing work in East Africa. In 2013 it helped establish the Digital Bible Library with the United Bible Societies, creating a repository for digital Bible translations. In 2014 it contracted with ICANN to operate the .BIBLE top-level domain registry, supporting websites intended to facilitate online Bible engagement. A major institutional transition occurred in 2015, when the society sold its 1865 Broadway property for approximately $300 million and moved its headquarters to Philadelphia. The organization said the sale would reduce the burden of maintaining the New York building and provide resources for its mission. In 2021 it opened the Faith and Liberty Discovery Center on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, a museum focused on connections between the Bible, faith, and American liberty; the museum closed in 2024. The organization faced internal and public criticism after adopting its Affirmation of Biblical Community employee policy in December 2017. Critics said the policy excluded homosexual employees and imposed traditional sexual and marriage standards on staff. The organization was reported to have lost roughly one-fifth of its workforce in 2018, while its leadership said the level of attrition was consistent with normal turnover. Leadership changed repeatedly from 2019 through 2023, including permanent and interim appointments. Jennifer Holloran became president and CEO in January 2024. American Bible Society continues to operate as a U.S. member of the United Bible Societies, supporting translation, publication, distribution, literacy, trauma healing, and Scripture engagement.
- 2021
Faith and Liberty Discovery Center opens
[1]The society opened a Philadelphia museum examining the relationship between the Bible, faith, and American liberty.
- 2015
Headquarters move to Philadelphia
[1]American Bible Society sold its Broadway headquarters and relocated to Philadelphia.
- 2013
Digital Bible Library launched
[1]The society and United Bible Societies created a digital repository for Bible translation texts.
- 2010
State of the Bible program begins
[1]American Bible Society launched an annual study of U.S. attitudes toward spirituality, Bible use, and Scripture engagement.
- 1999
ForMinistry.com launched
[1]The society introduced a free web-building service for churches and ministries, which operated until 2013.
- 1966
New Broadway headquarters opens
[1]The society consolidated its New York operations in a twelve-story building at 1865 Broadway.
- 1922
Organization-owned printing ends
[1]The society ceased printing Bibles on presses it owned, while continuing publication and distribution through partners.
- 1852
Bible House opens in New York
[1]A large headquarters known as Bible House was completed in Manhattan.
- 1835
Accessible Bible outreach begins
[1]The society began supporting Bible access for blind readers through raised-letter printing initiatives.
- 1818
First translation project
[1]The society produced a Scripture translation in Lenape, an Indigenous language of the Delaware region.
Products and positioning
An interdenominational Christian Bible society positioned around universal access to Scripture, translation into contemporary and minority languages, practical Bible engagement, and mission-oriented humanitarian partnerships.
Bible translation
Good News Translation
The Good News Translation is a contemporary-language Bible designed for accessible reading. It became one of American Bible Society’s best-known translation offerings and reflects the organization’s long-standing emphasis on making Scripture understandable to broad audiences rather than limiting distribution to traditional literary forms.
Bible translation
Contemporary English Version
The Contemporary English Version is an English Bible translation associated with American Bible Society’s focus on clear, modern language. It is intended for general readers, congregational use, and Bible engagement settings where readability is a central consideration.
Research and engagement program · 2010
State of the Bible
State of the Bible is an annual U.S. research program tracking patterns in Bible reading, spirituality, well-being, church participation, and Scripture engagement. It functions as both a public research resource and a planning tool for organizations working in Christian ministry and Bible access.
Ministry and humanitarian program · 2010
Bible-based Trauma Healing
Bible-based Trauma Healing combines facilitated discussion, psychological first-aid concepts, and engagement with biblical texts for communities affected by violence, disaster, displacement, or other trauma. American Bible Society began implementing the program internationally with partner organizations, including in East Africa.
Scripture distribution · 1817
Military Bible resources
American Bible Society produces and distributes pocket-sized Bibles and Scripture portions for U.S. military personnel, working with Catholic and Protestant chaplains. The initiative continues a tradition of military Bible distribution that dates back to the organization’s nineteenth-century work.
Digital infrastructure · 2014
.BIBLE domain registry
The .BIBLE top-level domain is digital infrastructure operated under contract with ICANN. American Bible Society presented it as a way to identify and support online sites devoted to Bible content, study, ministry, and engagement.
Controversies
2017
Affirmation of Biblical Community controversy
The employee policy required adherence to specified Christian beliefs and sexual-conduct standards. LGBTQ advocates and other critics characterized it as discriminatory, while the organization defended it as a statement of religious identity. Reported workforce departures in 2018 intensified the controversy.
1834
Refusal of abolitionist donation
American Bible Society declined a donation from the American Anti-Slavery Society intended to distribute Bibles to enslaved people in the United States. Critics argued that reliance on state auxiliaries allowed domestic distribution systems to exclude enslaved people and demonstrated inadequate opposition to slavery.
Marketing campaigns
- 2007Mission: Literacy
United States
American Bible Society partnered with The Salvation Army on a literacy initiative connecting reading development with Bible-related resources.
Outcome. The partnership broadened the society’s literacy work beyond conventional Bible distribution.
- 2005Hurricane Katrina response
United States
The society sent Bibles and Scripture portions to communities affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Outcome. Nearly one million Bibles and Scripture portions were reported as sent to survivors.
- 2004Indian Ocean tsunami response
Thailand · Indonesia · India · Sri Lanka
American Bible Society worked with the United Bible Societies and local Bible societies to provide Bible resources to tsunami-affected communities.
Outcome. Scripture materials were incorporated into partner-led disaster response and recovery work.
- 2001September 11 response
United States
The society distributed Scripture resources to people affected by the September 11 attacks and provided materials to rescue workers, including at Ground Zero.
Outcome. More than one million Scriptures or Scripture resources were distributed or made available in response to the attacks.
- 1882Fourth national Bible canvass
United States
Agents visited more than six million families and distributed Bibles to hundreds of thousands of households and individuals.
Outcome. It became one of the society’s largest documented nineteenth-century domestic distribution campaigns.
- 1829First national Bible canvass
United States
American Bible Society conducted one of several nationwide efforts to identify households without Bibles and expand Scripture distribution.
Outcome. The campaign established a recurring model of organized household-level Bible access work.
Brand decisions
2017
Adopt Affirmation of Biblical CommunityStrategyBackground
The organization sought to formalize the Christian beliefs and conduct expectations it required employees to affirm.
Action taken
It introduced a policy covering theological identity, marriage, and sexual conduct.
Aftermath
The policy generated criticism, was described as exclusionary toward LGBTQ people, and was followed by reported staff attrition in 2018.
2015
Sell New York headquarters and relocateStrategyBackground
The 1865 Broadway building required expensive renovation, while operating and living costs in New York had increased.
Action taken
The society sold the property to AvalonBay Communities and moved its headquarters to Philadelphia.
Aftermath
The organization described the transaction as a mission accelerator and established its principal office in Philadelphia.
Property sale price. 300000000 USD (2015)
2013
Create the Digital Bible LibraryStrategyBackground
Digital distribution required reliable rights-managed repositories for Bible translations and reusable text formats.
Action taken
American Bible Society and United Bible Societies launched a digital repository for Bible translation texts.
Aftermath
The initiative supported the reuse of Scripture texts across websites, applications, and other digital media.
1999
Launch of ForMinistry.comProduct launchBackground
Churches and ministries were increasingly seeking low-cost web tools and online communication channels.
Action taken
American Bible Society introduced a free church web-builder and online ministry service.
Aftermath
The service reportedly supported more than 180,000 churches and ministries before operations ended in 2013.
1922
End direct operation of printing pressesStrategyBackground
The society had historically used its own printing infrastructure but increasingly worked with external printers and publishing partners.
Action taken
It stopped printing Bibles on presses owned by the organization while retaining its publishing and distribution role.
Aftermath
The change shifted the society toward a partnership-based production model.
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