Det Norske Bibelselskap

What Det Norske Bibelselskap does

Det Norske Bibelselskap (The Norwegian Bible Society), founded in 1816 and headquartered in Oslo, is a Norwegian foundation (stiftelse) that translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible in Norwegian Bokmål, Nynorsk, and North Sami. Its core products include Nettbibelen (the online Bible reader at bibel.no), Bibel 2024 (a revised Norwegian translation), and Lydbibelen (a free audio Bible launched in 2026 in Bokmål, Nynorsk, and North Sami New Testament). The organization operates two wholly-owned publishing subsidiaries — Verbum forlag (Bibles and adult faith literature) and IKO-forlaget (children/youth materials and the largest publisher of church distribution materials in Norway, including the Biko book club). Supporting offerings include the Oioioi youth podcast, Bibelbølger adult podcast, BibleProject animated videos (localized in Norwegian), Tidslinjen (52 illustrated Bible stories, also available in Norwegian sign language), Bibelen i skolen (school curriculum resources), Dagens bibelord (daily email verse), and a nettbokhandel e-commerce store.

The business model blends earned revenue (physical Bible and book sales via nettbokhandel and Norwegian bookshops, subscriptions to Dagens bibelord, print subscriptions) with philanthropic revenue (individual donations via the bibelgaven portal, church community co-funding of projects such as the 1.7M NOK Lydbibel, and institutional funding including public Norad funds channeled via Digni for international Bible mission). Distribution spans owned digital channels (bibel.no, Nettbibelen, podcast platforms on Spotify/Apple Podcasts), reseller channels (Norwegian bookshops, church congregations), and the global United Bible Societies (UBS) network for international Bible translation and distribution across 100+ languages reaching 566 million people. The organization is governed as a cross-church foundation with no shareholders; Generalsekretær Øyvind Haraldseid leads a 14-person core team. It maintains GDPR, Norwegian data protection law, and ISO 27001-aligned supplier risk compliance via ProTenCon, and is a member of Innsamlingskontrollen for fundraising oversight.

Name

Det Norske Bibelselskap

Legal name

Det Norske Bibelselskap Stiftelse

Website

https://bibel.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1816

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Det Norske Bibelselskap is a Norwegian foundation founded in 1816 that translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible in Bokmål, Nynorsk, and North Sami through digital platforms, publishing subsidiaries (Verbum, IKO-forlaget), podcasts, and the global United Bible Societies network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Periodical Publishers (513120), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Book Printing (2732)

akta.pro primary industry

Sacred Texts & Scripture Publishing (Bibles, Qur’ans, Vedas, Torah, Sutras) (MPAJAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG), Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters) (MPAJAHAI), Religious & Spiritual Print-on-Demand (Bibles, Devotionals) (MPAJANAG)

Keywords

• Bible translation services
• Religious publishing
• Audio Bible production
• Christian education resources
• Nonprofit publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product sales (Bibles, books, resources): Sales of printed Bibles (including Bibel 2024), books under the Verbum and IKO-forlaget imprints, subscriptions, and digital content through the nettbokhandel (online bookstore) at bibel.no.
2. Donations and gifts (bibelgaven): The organization raises funds from Norwegian donors and church communities for both domestic mission work and international Bible translation/distribution. A dedicated giving portal (bibelgaven) offers options for one-time and recurring donations. Donation receipts are issued for tax deduction purposes.
3. International Bible mission funding: Through its membership in United Bible Societies (UBS), Bibelselskapet collects and channels funds to international Bible translation and distribution projects. Public Norad funds are received via Digni and transferred internationally through UBS.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Det Norske Bibelselskap translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible in Norwegian Bokmål, Nynorsk, and North Sami through free digital platforms (Nettbibelen, Lydbibelen, podcasts), physical Bibles (Bibel 2024), and supporting Christian literature via its Verbum and IKO-forlaget publishing imprints. The foundation also funds international Bible translation and distribution through the United Bible Societies network, with domestic operations supported by donations, product sales, and public grants.

Product overview

Det Norske Bibelselskap operates a portfolio of Bible-related products and publishing brands. The core offerings are Nettbibelen (the online Bible reader at bibel.no) and Lydbibelen (the audio Bible based on Bibel 2024), which are the primary digital channels for accessing Scripture in Bokmål, Nynorsk, and North Sami. Bibel 2024 is the revised physical and digital Bible translation updating Bibel 2011. The subsidiary publishing houses Verbum forlag and IKO-forlaget produce Christian books and children's materials. Supporting products include the Oioioi youth podcast and group study method, BibleProject animated videos, Tidslinjen (Timeline) — a collection of 52 illustrated Bible stories now also available in Norwegian sign language, Bibelen i skolen (school resources), Bible reading plans, and a Nettbutikk (online store) for physical Bible editions and Christian literature. The Lydbibelen and Nettbibelen are the primary free digital touchpoints; Verbum and IKO-forlaget serve the physical publishing side.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Verbum: Publishing imprint for Bibles, books about understanding and living with the Bible, and books about Christian life interpretation and faith.
• IKO-forlaget
• Nettbibelen
• Lydbibelen
• BibleProject
• Tidslinjen

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30% of Norwegian adults have difficulty reading long texts; Lydbibel addresses this by making the Bible available as free audio
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Bible Societies (UBS) / De forente bibelselskapercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBibelselskapet is a member of United Bible Societies (UBS), coordinating international Bible translation and distribution. Bibelselskapet transfers funds internationally via UBS for Bible mission projects. The partnership includes ISP Grant Agreement, Safeguarding Children & Adults at Risk Policy, and Whistleblowing Policy agreements. UBS also controls and monitors fund usage in recipient countries.
• BibleProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBibleProject creates animated videos explaining each book of the Bible and biblical themes. Bibelselskapet hosts the Norwegian-language version of BibleProject content on bibel.no, making these resources freely available to all Norwegians. The content is funded by Norwegian donors and produced with the BibleProject team.
• Norwegian church denominations and communitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorwegian church denominations and local congregations partner with Bibelselskapet for co-funding Bible projects (e.g., Lydbibel, international mission) and serve as distribution channels for Bible materials. Church communities collectively finance the 1.7M NOK Lydbibel project.
• IKO-forlagetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIKO-forlaget publishes products and books for children and youth, educational materials for adults, and is the largest publisher of church distribution materials in Norway. It also runs Biko – a book club for Christian faith, hope, and wonder. Available through bibel.no and iko.no.
• Verbum forlagcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVerbum is Bibelselskapet's publishing imprint that publishes the Bible, books on understanding and living with the Bible, and books on Christian life interpretation and faith. Available via nettbokhandel at bibel.no.
• Oslo Døves Menighet (Oslo Deaf Church)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOslo Døves Menighet collaborated with Bibelselskapet to translate the Tidslinjen into Norwegian sign language, making Bible stories accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. The project addresses both faith formation and language/cultural preservation for the deaf community.
• InnsamlingskontrollenminorOthersBibelselskapet is a member of Innsamlingskontrollen and follows its guidelines for proper stewardship of collected funds. This provides external oversight and credibility for the organization's fundraising activities.
• NLA (Norsk Litteraturside / NLA Høgskolen)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNLA co-hosts the annual Bibelkonferansen (Bible Conference) with Bibelselskapet, the next edition scheduled for 28–29 August 2026, focusing on the Sermon on the Mount.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Bible Society: U.S. national Bible society, performing analogous translation, publishing, digital engagement and international mission activities via UBS. A direct peer in mission and product set, though operating at much larger scale and with a different (English-language) market context.
• Bible Society (UK and Ireland): UK and Ireland's national Bible society (formerly British and Foreign Bible Society), one of the oldest and largest UBS members. Performs the same translation, publishing, church partnership and international mission activities as Bibelselskapet, but at materially greater scale.
• Svenska Bibelsällskapet (Swedish Bible Society): National Bible society for Sweden, performing the same core functions as Det Norske Bibelselskap: translating, publishing and distributing the Bible in Swedish, plus operating church co-funding and international mission work via UBS. Highly comparable mandate, scale and revenue model in a neighboring Nordic market.
• Det Danske Bibelselskab (Danish Bible Society): Denmark's national Bible society, structurally and operationally analogous to Bibelselskapet: foundation-based, translates and publishes the Bible in Danish, distributes through churches and bookshops, and participates in the UBS international network. Directly comparable across product, donor and mission model.
• Suomen Pipliaseura (Finnish Bible Society): Finland's national Bible society, similarly tasked with translating and publishing the Bible in Finnish and Swedish (for Finland), and coordinating with UBS on international mission. A direct Nordic peer with overlapping products, distribution channels and donor base characteristics.
• Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft (German Bible Society): Germany's national Bible society and a major UBS member, handling translation, publishing (including Luther Bibles) and digital Bible products in German. Same foundational role, broader product portfolio and similar reliance on church and donor funding.

Emerging players

• BibleProject: Producer of animated Bible-explainer videos, currently a content partner of Bibelselskapet for the Norwegian BibleProject brand. Operates as an adjacent content/engagement player with a digital-first youth audience that overlaps with Bibelselskapet's Nettbibelen and Oioioi users.

Broad incumbents

• Crossway: Not-for-profit Christian publisher best known for the ESV Bible translation and a broad Christian books catalog. A broad incumbent in the Bible and Christian publishing space with a model that mixes publishing, donor support and digital distribution, conceptually similar to Bibelselskapet+Verbum+IKO at larger scale.
• Wycliffe Global Alliance: Global alliance focused on Bible translation into local languages worldwide, closely related to the international mission work Bibelselskapet supports through UBS. Not a direct competitor in Norwegian publishing, but a broader incumbent in the global Bible translation space that shares donor pools and field partners.
• Tyndale House Publishers: Large commercial Christian and Bible publisher producing translations, study Bibles and related content in English. A broad incumbent whose commercial Bible publishing model overlaps with Verbum and IKO's print operations, though in different language markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BibleProjectNorwegian
• Facebookfacebook.com/Bibelselskapet
• Instagraminstagram.com/bibel.no
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/norske-bibelselskapet

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Det Norske Bibelselskap