Société biblique de Genève
A Geneva-based, non-denominational Bible society that publishes, distributes, and promotes access to Christian Bibles and related Scripture resources.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Société biblique de Genève, commonly rendered in English as the Geneva Bible Society, is a non-denominational Bible society based in Switzerland. Its work centers on publishing, distributing, and making the Bible available at no cost or at the lowest practical price. The organization presents itself as independent of political and religious bodies and has historically combined publishing activity with missionary distribution and support for Christian bookshops. The society was founded in Switzerland in 1917 by Hugh Edward Alexander, who also founded the Églises Action Biblique. Its earliest activity developed through missionary bookshops and Scripture depots. A Bible House was established in Paris in 1925, followed by activity in Zurich in 1933 and later expansion across several countries and three continents. The organization was formally registered in Geneva in 1943. By the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, its network included Bible Houses in France, Switzerland, Italy, and Côte d’Ivoire. Since 1997, its head office has been located in Romanel-sur-Lausanne. Publishing has been a central part of the society’s identity. Its publications include the Segond Bible, the Segond 21 translation, and the New Geneva Edition 1979, commonly abbreviated NEG1979. The organization also became closely associated with the German-language Schlachter Bible after the Second World War. It took over publication and revision work connected with that translation, and a revised edition known as Schlachter 2000 was published as a complete Bible in 2003. The edition has subsequently appeared in multiple formats. The society has also supported the preparation of a concordance for the Schlachter Bible. The society’s New Geneva Translation has been published since 1988. Publication initially proceeded book by book; a New Testament edition followed in 2000, and a combined New Testament and Psalms volume appeared in 2011. These projects reflect the organization’s broader emphasis on accessible editions for individual readers, churches, and evangelistic distribution. Distribution has remained an important operational pillar. During the periods documented in the organization’s reference history, annual Bible printing increased from approximately 115,000 copies between 1998 and 2006 to approximately 800,000 copies between 2007 and 2011. In 2011, the society reported total project expenditure of 650,000 Swiss francs, with 35 percent allocated to Bible projects, 17 percent to supporting Christian bookshops, and 15 percent to evangelistic purposes. These historical figures describe specified periods and should not be treated as current financial data. The society has also attracted criticism concerning its publishing strategy and theological positioning. In 2017, Nicolas-Jean Sed, director of the Catholic publisher Le Cerf, criticized the low pricing of the Segond 21 Bible and characterized the society’s approach as destabilizing to the Bible market. He also questioned its relationship to the Universal Bible Alliance. Jean-Pierre Bezin, identified in the same account as the society’s director, rejected the characterization of the organization as fundamentalist and emphasized its aim of making the Bible accessible. The exchange illustrates the tension between the society’s low-cost distribution model, its interdenominational positioning, and differing views about Bible-publishing institutions.
History
Société biblique de Genève was established in Switzerland in 1917 by Hugh Edward Alexander, the founder of the Églises Action Biblique. From its beginning, the organization combined Bible publishing with missionary distribution. Its early distribution points were described as missionary bookshops or depots of the Holy Scriptures. A Geneva base was followed by the opening of a Bible House in Paris in 1925 and activity in Zurich in 1933. The network later expanded to a number of countries across Europe and Africa. The organization was officially registered in Geneva in 1943. After the Second World War, it assumed publication and revision responsibilities connected with the German-language Schlachter Bible. A special New Testament edition was distributed in 1945 to German prisoners of war held in British captivity through the Scripture Gift Mission. That edition drew on a revised form of Franz Eugen Schlachter’s miniature Bible text, originally published in 1905. The society later commissioned a major revision of the Schlachter Bible in 1995. The resulting complete Bible, generally known as Schlachter 2000, was published in 2003 and subsequently made available in different editions. The society also developed French-language Bible projects. The New Geneva Translation has been published since 1988. Its release was staged over time: individual biblical books appeared first, a complete New Testament was issued in 2000, and a volume containing the New Testament and Psalms was published in 2011. Other associated publications include the Segond Bible, Segond 21, and the New Geneva Edition 1979, or NEG1979. Since 1997, the society’s head office has been in Romanel-sur-Lausanne. Its documented Bible House network covers France, Switzerland, Italy, and Côte d’Ivoire. The organization’s stated model is to provide Bibles free of charge or at the lowest possible price, while remaining independent of political and religious organizations. Historical operating figures indicate that it printed about 115,000 Bibles annually from 1998 to 2006 and about 800,000 annually from 2007 to 2011. In 2011, it reported project expenditure of 650,000 Swiss francs, including allocations to Bible projects, Christian bookshops, and evangelistic work. The organization’s pricing and theological identity became subjects of public criticism in 2017. Nicolas-Jean Sed of Le Cerf objected to the low price of Segond 21 and described the society’s activity as disruptive to the Bible-publishing market. He also questioned its relationship to the Universal Bible Alliance and called its approach fundamentalist. Jean-Pierre Bezin, named in the account as the society’s director, responded that the central objective was access to the Bible and rejected the fundamentalist label, noting cooperation with the Catholic publisher Salvator. The exchange is part of the documented history of the society’s public positioning, but does not establish a formal change in its organizational status.
- 2011
New Testament and Psalms volume released
[3]A combined New Testament and Psalms volume in the New Geneva Translation was published.
- 2003
Schlachter 2000 published
[3]The revised Schlachter 2000 Bible was published in complete form.
- 2000
New Geneva New Testament released
[3]The New Testament of the New Geneva Translation was published as a complete volume.
- 1997
Head office moves to Romanel-sur-Lausanne
[3]The organization’s head office was established in Romanel-sur-Lausanne.
- 1995
Third full Schlachter revision commissioned
[3]The society commissioned a third complete revision of the Schlachter Bible.
- 1988
New Geneva Translation program begins
[3]Publication of the New Geneva Translation began, initially with individual biblical books.
- 1951
Schlachter Bible publication
[3]The society published the Schlachter Bible after taking over related publication and revision work following the Second World War.
- 1945
New Testament distribution to prisoners of war
[3]A special New Testament edition was distributed to German prisoners of war in British captivity through the Scripture Gift Mission.
- 1943
Official registration in Geneva
[3]The Geneva Bible Society was formally registered in Geneva.
- 1933
Zurich activity begins
[3]A further Bible House was established in Zurich.
Products and positioning
An independent, non-denominational Bible publisher and distributor focused on broad affordability, Scripture access, missionary distribution, and publishing in multiple Christian translation traditions.
French Bible translation
Segond 21 Bible
A French Bible translation published by Société biblique de Genève. It is one of the organization’s principal modern French-language offerings and became associated with a deliberately low-cost distribution approach intended to make Bible ownership and reading more accessible.
French Bible edition · 1979
New Geneva Edition 1979 (NEG1979)
A French Bible edition included among the Geneva Bible Society’s publications. It forms part of the society’s continuing catalog of Scripture editions for French-speaking readers.
French Bible translation · 1988
New Geneva Translation
A French translation program whose publication began in 1988. The project was released progressively, first through individual biblical books, then through a complete New Testament in 2000 and a New Testament-and-Psalms volume in 2011.
German Bible revision · 2003
Schlachter 2000
A complete revision of the German-language Schlachter Bible commissioned by the society in 1995 and published in 2003. The edition followed earlier postwar publication and revision work connected with the Schlachter Bible and has been issued in multiple formats.
French Bible edition
Segond Bible
A Bible publication associated with the society’s French-language catalog. It represents the organization’s broader role in distributing established Scripture editions alongside newer translations and revisions.
Brand decisions
2011
Publication of the New Testament and Psalms volumeProduct launchBackground
The society’s New Geneva Translation had previously appeared in individual books and as a complete New Testament.
Action taken
It released a volume combining the New Testament and Psalms.
Aftermath
The publication extended the translation’s availability in a consolidated format for readers and distribution programs.
2000
Publication of the New Geneva New TestamentProduct launchBackground
The New Geneva Translation had been released progressively in individual biblical books since 1988.
Action taken
The society published the New Testament as a complete volume.
Aftermath
The translation program later expanded with a combined New Testament and Psalms volume in 2011.
1995
Commissioning of the Schlachter 2000 revisionGeneration changeBackground
The society had taken on publication and revision work connected with the Schlachter Bible after the Second World War and later initiated a third full revision.
Action taken
It commissioned a comprehensive revision in 1995, which was ultimately published as a complete Bible in 2003 under the name Schlachter 2000.
Aftermath
The revised Bible became available in various editions and remained one of the society’s notable German-language publishing projects.
Sources3 sources
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