Bible verse slides
A verse slide has one job: let everyone read the words and know where they come from. Readable type, a clear reference and the right to show the translation cover almost all of it.
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Make the words readable
Use large type and short lines. If a verse needs more than three or four lines at a size the back row can read, split it across two slides, and break at a natural pause in the sentence.
Put the verse on a quiet background: a text-safe still, or a loop with slow motion and low detail. White text on a mid to dark background is the safe choice on most projectors.
Reference and translation on the slide
Show the reference and the translation's initials together, smaller than the verse, for example "Luke 1:37 · BSB". People can then find the passage in their own Bible or app, and many publishers ask for the translation to be named wherever their text is shown.
Public-domain and licensed translations
Some translations are free for anyone to show. The Berean Standard Bible and the World English Bible are in the public domain, and so is the King James Version in most countries.
Most modern translations are under copyright. Their publishers set how many verses a church may show and how to credit them, and some ask churches to hold a license. The copyright page of each translation lists its rules. BeforePreach verse slides use the text you paste, so you stay with what your church is licensed to show.
Languages and scripts
BeforePreach supports 48 output languages, including Khmer, Arabic, Korean and Chinese, with fonts that fit each script. Scripts need different care: Arabic runs right to left, and Khmer needs extra line height for the marks above and below each line.
For a bilingual congregation, put both languages on one slide only when both are short. Otherwise alternate the slides, or give each language its own screen.
Questions
- Which translation should we show?
- The one your preacher reads from, so the room sees the same words it hears. Put its initials next to the reference.
- Can I make verse slides in BeforePreach now?
- The verse slide maker is part of the Studio, which is coming. Today, download a text-safe still or loop and type the verse in your presentation software.
- How do we credit a verse on a slide?
- Put the reference and the translation's initials under the verse, such as "Luke 1:37 · BSB". Check the translation's copyright page for any extra wording it asks for.
- Can we show verse slides on our livestream?
- Our license covers livestreams. Bible publishers can have their own rules for streaming, so check the translation's copyright page as well.
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