Why doesn't this site show NIV verses?

The NIV is copyrighted by Biblica, and displaying its text requires a license we do not hold. Instead of using it without permission, we use the Berean Standard Bible, a modern English translation in the public domain, so we can show full verse text freely and legally.

How close is the Berean Standard Bible to the NIV?

Both are modern English translations that aim to balance accuracy with readability, so they feel similar for everyday reading. Wording differs verse by verse, as it does between any two translations. If you want to compare, take any reference from our tool and look it up in the NIV on biblegateway.com or bible.com.

Random NIV Bible Verse

The NIV is copyrighted, so this tool draws from the Berean Standard Bible, a modern-English public domain translation.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11BSB

TranslationFrom

Drawing from 31,086 verses

A lot of people arrive here looking for a random verse from the NIV, the New International Version. It is one of the most widely read modern English Bibles, and for good reason. So let us be upfront about what this page can and cannot do.

Why we can't show NIV text

The NIV is a copyrighted translation owned by Biblica, with publishing handled by Zondervan in the United States. That copyright is what funds the ongoing translation work, and websites need a license to display NIV verses at scale.

We are a small free tool, and we do not hold that license. Rather than display the NIV without permission, we simply do not show it. We think that is the right way to treat the people who produced the translation.

What we offer instead

Our random verse tool uses the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), a modern English translation that has been dedicated to the public domain. That means we can show you every verse, in full, completely free.

If you enjoy the NIV's clear, natural English, the BSB will feel familiar. It aims for the same balance of accuracy and readability, and it was translated directly from the Hebrew and Greek texts. For everyday reading, the two sit close together in tone.

So the experience you came for still works here. Click, get a verse in plain modern English, click again for another. The translation label is different, but the goal is the same: Scripture you can actually understand on the first read.

Where to read the NIV legitimately

If you specifically want the NIV, there are excellent free places to read it with full permission:

BibleGateway (biblegateway.com) offers the complete NIV online, searchable by verse, with reading plans.
The YouVersion Bible app (bible.com) includes the NIV free on web and mobile, along with its own verse of the day.

A good pattern some readers use: draw a random verse here, note the reference, then look up that same reference in the NIV on one of those sites. You get the serendipity of a random verse and the translation you prefer, and everyone's work is respected along the way.

Frequently asked questions

Why doesn't this site show NIV verses?: The NIV is copyrighted by Biblica, and displaying its text requires a license we do not hold. Instead of using it without permission, we use the Berean Standard Bible, a modern English translation in the public domain, so we can show full verse text freely and legally.
How close is the Berean Standard Bible to the NIV?: Both are modern English translations that aim to balance accuracy with readability, so they feel similar for everyday reading. Wording differs verse by verse, as it does between any two translations. If you want to compare, take any reference from our tool and look it up in the NIV on biblegateway.com or bible.com.