Bibles International

What Bibles International does

Bibles International (BI) is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based nonprofit religious organization founded in 1981 by Paul Versluis as the official Bible Society of Baptist Mid-Missions. The organization produces reliable Bible translations—complete Bibles, New Testaments, and Scripture portions—for unreached and under-reached language communities, supported by literacy training, Scripture engagement programs, and publishing services. Its work is delivered through four affiliate offices (Myanmar, Chad, Peru, and Southern Asia), a network of national translation committees, and Baptist Mid-Missions missionaries deployed globally; as of 2026 BI has completed 47 Scripture projects, has 48 language projects in progress across 19 countries, and estimates potential reach of approximately 215 million people.

BI's core products include Bible translation services, literacy primers and storybooks, Scripture engagement curricula for national churches, the BI Briefings tri-annual magazine (now print and digital), and a suite of children's missions materials (Daniel's Journey, The Toolbox, Walk In The Dark, People Plain & Tall, Creole's Cookin'). The technical backbone consists of Paratext translation software and desktop publishing tools, with organizational structure divided into Text Production, Projects Management, and Scripture Engagement departments. All materials and services are provided free of charge to language communities; BI does not generate commercial revenue.

The business model is donation-driven, with no commercial pricing. Funding flows through five giving programs—Lifeline Partners (sustained giving), Adopt-a-Language (project sponsorship), Equip for Excellence (staff/operations), Living Legacies (planned giving), and the Children's Missions Project—and is augmented by events such as the annual Harvest Dinner and Bible Translation Day. The organization markets through content (BI Briefings, website articles, children's materials), events, church partnerships, and prayer mobilization, with no paid customer acquisition channels. BI is operationally and governance-wise embedded within Baptist Mid-Missions, which supplies the missionary workforce and shared donor base.

Name

Bibles International

Legal name

Bibles International

Website

https://biblesint.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bibles International is a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit Bible translation ministry affiliated with Baptist Mid-Missions, producing complete Bibles, New Testaments, and literacy materials for under-reached language communities across 19 countries through four regional affiliate offices, funded entirely by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bible Translation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Bible translation services
• Scripture engagement programs
• Christian missions ministry
• Religious publishing services
• Literacy training materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: Bibles International operates as a non-profit Bible translation ministry funded through donations from individuals, churches, and organizations. They offer giving programs including Lifeline Partners (ongoing support), Adopt-a-Language (project sponsorship), Equip for Excellence (staff/operations support), Living Legacies (legacy giving), and Children's Missions Project.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bibles International is a non-profit Bible translation ministry that produces reliable Bible translations (full Bibles, New Testaments, and Scripture portions) in minority and unreached languages worldwide. Its work is supported by literacy training, translator training programs, and publishing services, delivered through affiliated offices and national church partnerships. All translations and resources are provided free of charge to recipient language communities, funded entirely through donations from individuals, churches, and partner organizations.

Product overview

Bibles International (BI) is a Bible translation ministry of Baptist Mid-Missions offering a portfolio of interconnected products and services. The core offering is Bible Translation Services, producing complete Bibles, New Testaments, and revisions for language groups worldwide. This is supported by Literacy Materials and Primers (helping people learn to read in their mother tongue) and Scripture Engagement Programs (helping national churches use translated Scriptures effectively). BI publishes BI Briefings Magazine (now available in print and digital), provides Children's Materials including Daniel's Journey, The Toolbox, Walk In The Dark, People Plain & Tall, and Creole's Cookin', and offers Bible Reading Plans. Fundraising programs include Adopt-a-Language, Lifeline Partners, Equip for Excellence, and Living Legacies. The organization operates through regional affiliates in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BI Briefings: Triannual publication highlighting the work of BI in Bible translation, linguistics, literacy, and Scripture engagement, available in print and digital formats
• Daniel's Journey
• The Toolbox
• Walk In The Dark

Products and services

• Bible Translation Services Core service producing reliable Bible translations for language groups, including New Testaments, complete Bibles, and revisions, supported by Text Production and Scripture Engagement departments. Provided free of charge to language communities served.
• Literacy Materials and Primers Literacy primers, revised primers, and Old Testament Storybooks in multiple languages to help new readers develop reading skills in their mother tongue.
• Scripture Engagement Programs Programs and resources to help national churches engage with translated Scriptures through Bible studies, storybooks, tracts, audio Bibles, and training for pastors and church leaders.
• Bible Reading Plans Multiple Bible reading schedules including Book Order, Chronological Order, Classic, Immersion, McCheyne Reading Plan, Old Testament and New Testament, One-Year, Five-Day, and Sixty-Day Survey plans, with downloadable tracking records.
• Career and Short-Term Service Opportunities Missionary service opportunities including career positions, short-term assignments, and 2026 internships for those interested in Bible translation, linguistics, and literacy work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 47 Scripture Projects Completed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BI Southeast Asia Affiliate (Myanmar)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Affiliate office launched in 2012 in Southeast Asia/Myanmar with its own building and property. Led by national director, accountable to national executive committee. Manages multiple Southeast Asian translation projects.
• BI Africa Affiliate (Chad)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Affiliate office launched in 2012 in Africa/Chad with its own building and property. Led by national director, accountable to national executive committee. Manages multiple African translation projects.
• Baptist Mid-Missions (BMM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBibles International is the official Bible Society of Baptist Mid-Missions. BMM missionaries serve as the primary missionary force deployed globally, while BI handles Bible translation, literacy, and Scripture engagement. The organizations share personnel, resources, and strategic direction.
• Societé Biblique Horeb (Chad)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican affiliate partner in Chad that works with BI on Bible translation projects including the Sara Kaba Dem Bible. Provides local legal identity, banking, logistics, and national church connections.
• BI Latin America Affiliate (Peru)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNewest affiliate office in Lima, Peru with a smaller footprint model (rents space rather than owning property). Portable and less visible, designed for stability in changing political environments.
• Dallas International UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution providing linguistics program training for BI personnel. Anna Newcomer completed her master's degree in linguistics at this university in 2024.
• Bob Jones UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution where several BI missionaries and staff received training, including Bethany H. (graduate degree in intercultural studies focusing on Bible translation) and Daniel Gillette (Th.M. in Dallas).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Bible Society: American Bible Society is a large, established Scripture-engagement organization with broader ecumenical reach across the US, including translation, advocacy, and Scripture distribution. ABS operates at a much larger scale and broader denominational scope than BI's Baptist-focused ministry.
• United Bible Societies: United Bible Societies is a global fellowship of Bible Societies covering translation, publishing, and distribution across more than 200 countries. It is a much larger umbrella network but shares the core mission of producing and distributing Scripture translations.

Direct peers

• Wycliffe Bible Translators: Wycliffe is the world's largest Bible translation organization, operating globally with thousands of translators. It competes directly with Bibles International for donor support, missionary candidates, and language projects, especially across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• The Seed Company: The Seed Company is a Wycliffe-affiliate focused on accelerating Bible translation with a project-based acceleration model. It competes for donor dollars earmarked for specific language projects, similar to BI's Adopt-a-Language program.
• SIL International: SIL International supports Bible translation through linguistic research, literacy programming, and technical consulting to translation projects worldwide. It overlaps heavily with BI's text production, literacy, and linguistics work.
• Pioneer Bible Translators: Pioneer Bible Translators focuses on church-planting translation in unreached language groups worldwide, with similar ministry goals around heart-language Scripture engagement. It competes with BI for missionary candidates and donor funding within the evangelical ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Frontiers: Frontiers is a missionary-sending organization focused on reaching unreached people groups, with overlap in church planting and Scripture engagement among unengaged language communities in Africa and Asia.
• Word Ministries International: Word Ministries is a smaller Bible-translation-focused ministry operating in fewer languages and countries. It is comparable as a niche peer competing for similar missionary and donor relationships in the conservative evangelical space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bibles-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Bibles International