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Zondervan is owned by Harper Collins

Was everyone aware that Zondervan is owned by Harper Collins?  Harper Collins is owned by Rupert Murdoch who also conveniently owns Fox, Fox News, Myspace.com, Wall St Journal, The Sun, Down Jones, News Corp.  That actually pisses me off quite a bit.  I don’t know what it is, but I was hoping there was a little bit of purity in the Christian publishing business.  I had no idea that it was part of a massive media monopoly.  It makes me sick.  How much Christian literature is marketed and sold as nothing more than a marketable product?

It is stuff like this that makes me glad for the internet.  I don’t have to read, if I don’t want to, anything that has a stamp on it of some empire that doesn’t care about beauty.  I don’t have to sell out, if I don’t want to, to some empire that monetizes anything, no matter what it’s selling out to.  Now if only authors looked at it the same way and refused to allow their stuff to be controlled and directed by this empire.

49 thoughts on “Zondervan is owned by Harper Collins”

  1. 1. It is not a media monopoly; a monopoly is when there is a lack of competition. None of Murdoch’s companies qualifies.

    2. If you don’t like what Zondervan produces, don’t buy it.

    3. If publishers do not make a profit (yes, even ‘Christian’ publishers), then they will be out-of-business and therefore not producing ANY Christian media. Zondervan knows this and has made their peace with it. (There are other issues which are more important on this topic than you raise here . . .)

    4. Your last paragraph is hard to follow . . . I’m not sure why you MUST read Zondervan material any more than you MUST read the internet. There is no gun to your head. For instance, I generally avoid WJK material because of a couple of titles they published quite irresponsibly a couple of years ago – and I made my position known to them. And life went on.

    1. https://wordproject.org/bibles/resources/why_kjv/

      While it bothers me that Zondervan is connected with a publisher that would publish the “unsavory” content mentioned, I see no problem with their publishing any material (Bibles) that did not contain any rewrites/ additions or commentary etc. Please go to the website preceding my comment. It’s the versions and their validity that needs to be considered.

    2. It’s funny facts don’t raise better questions? We shouldn’t put our faith in any translation if we want to be considered real students who study and show thyself approved. God tells us to test everything… it is sad that these people are not out to print truth but are controlled bye evil spirits. It is also true that God is in control and he is working all to his own will. Those he chose to know truth now will. All others will come in when he grants them the faith. I do find it disturbing that these people do what they do but I also know God wills they do for now but eventually even they will bow and confess because God’s will is all be saved each in their own erra. I don’t like what Jonna did but I understand if he didn’t Jesus never would have been crushed and we would all be lost. If we focus on the real truth. That God is the poter and he is in full control of all including deception and the adversary but for the end game of every knee bow and lounge confess so then God is all in all!! Maybe then we all mite not point the finger in the wrong direction. God is in control and he works all to his own will and his will is all be saved and come to the truth. 1timm. 2-4. It’s all for good though we mite not see or understand now. All will be saved and all is completely purposed and perfect to produce all to Love God and all. Something to consider. There is no perfect translation! God is powerful enough to still reach those he destined before the disruption of the world to hear the truth in God’s time and pick up the button and finish what God started. If God be for us who could be against us. God is for all of his creatures and he will get his will. So be at peace knowing it’s all under control and we fight not against flesh and blood but spirits and principalities. These men are only deceived for now just like Jonna was. It’s all God’s plan. Grace and peace to all. I hope you continue to test all translation and hint” “Gods” words are from Hebrew and Greek not English so a closer look into the original words is vital…

  2. I assume then that you are going to contact Google, Yahoo and Microsoft and ask them to remove your name and blog from their search engine? Or is it only corporations that you don’t like do you get mad at. And the internet that you so dearly love only exists due to money and financial backing a lot of which comes from big bad corporations like Rupert murdochs. Just some food for throughg a 2 in the morning when I can’t sleep

  3. 1. Monopoly was probably the wrong choice of word, point taken.

    2. The problem is, there are some things that Zondervan produces that I do like, but when you put it next to Bible for people who like horses, I feel like it devalues the books I do like.

    3. I never said there was anything wrong with making profit. My issue is the “selling out” factor in that they seem to be ok with also producing shit, whatever brings in the buck. When money becomes the only standard by which you judge if you would publish something or not, well that’s when I throw up some red flags for any organization.

    4. The point about my last paragraph was that I’m glad that the internet has allowed the average writer to have a voice and they aren’t forced to having to be published by a massive publishing company for their voice to be heard.

    I’m saying that it is unfortunate that such a massive part of Christian books (especially the Bible) is controlled by someone who doesn’t care about the message and is willing to sellout to make a buck.

    1. In doing my own research, I find that there are much more serious things to be concerned about with Zondervan/Harper Collins Publishing…for instance they also publish the satanic bible and The Joy of Gay Sex. How is that for a disturbing and disgusting conflict of interest? A company that could handle both of these genres of publishing is not an organization I want to support or do business with…I realize in some cases I realize like with certain search engines and media outlets there is corruption…pretty hard to avoid it, but when you think of someone handling the holy word of God and selling it side by side with perverted and satanic material it tells me that it’s just strictly a business proposition for them and not something they offer out of principle and belief. Would they be happy to have the consumer know that they handle both of these types of material. I don’t think so, I think they’d rather have you be under the impression that they are themselves followers of God but they can’t be and do that kind of business.

      1. Yeah! I just learned about this the other day. I already was doing a little digging around about the publishers just because i have the NIV version they published and had been hearing some things about that one. But yeah i definately wouldnt completely trust a bible published by the same publishers that published the satanic bible. With all the agendas and manipulations to lead people astray.one must be vigilant

  4. So, you’d prefer that publishers pick and choose what they’d publish based on content? Which would essentially mean that the publisher becomes a de facto censor.

    1. NOOOO JOHN!!! I would not prefer that entirely :)
      I would argue now that they are already censoring content now strictly on what makes money or not. Find me one thing that Zondervann would publish that would break even or cost them money and they are doing it because they believe in it. I realize businesses need to make money, but I want to have a bit of hope in organizations and that there is something deeper going on than pure profit seeking. I just want some balance, that’s all I’m asking for. But knowing Zondervann is part of a larger initiative to make billions in publishing books (for one man especially), it doesn’t seem to have that much merit.

  5. I hear where you are coming from. While I think your questions are important and need to be addressed, one thing that has somewhat helped me with this issue: A pagan Empire helped rebuild Jerusalem from it’s ill gained wealth (see Nehemiah).

    Peace,
    Jamie

  6. Oh man everyone is giving you a hard time here in the comments.

    One thing I would like to add. Zondervan publishes an amazing about of the Christian literature nowadays. So anyone who has power over Zondervan has a lot of power and influence over modern day Christian thought. I think its important to at least be aware of the issue. It is interesting to think about it…

  7. This is something that I found out today for the first time. I’m glad that you’re blogging about it. Did you know that Zondervan owns Biblegateway.com as well? They bought it out from a small non-profit about a year ago. Biblegateway is now a for profit website. I agree with Marvin as well that it is important to remember that “anyone who has power over Zondervan has a lot of power and influence over modern day Christian thought.” News Corporation (owned by Rupert Murdoch as well) is the largest producer of porn.

  8. I agree with you about not being happy about finding out that Zondervan is a division of Harper Collins. The owners
    of Zondervan, however, sold their Christian company to a secular company for profit.

  9. I also agree completely with you, I don’t like that Zondervan is owned by HarperCollins. It does detract from what I think of the NIV, knowing it is owned by the same company that published the Satanic Bible and the largest amount of porn in the world ,etc.

    It seems sad that whoever owned it originally (presumably Christians) would sell out to that extent.

    There must be a lot of Christian publishers that are non-profits, so it does not seem true to me at all that Christian materials (especially the most popular Bible translation in the world) could only ever exist to make a profit for its owners. Didnt most of the original translators of the KJV do their work knowing that they most likely would be tortured and executed for what they were doing. I don’t think that counts as making a profit (at least not a financial one, which is what we are talking about here).

    Even the internet was originally created and paid for by non-profits, government, military and universities. That is probably why it is so good and works so well.

    Now that the Bible is another “information resource”, that of course must be kept regularly updated, we had better keep up with the latest versions of all the important recent translations, lest we be caught out on the day of judgement reading a version of God’s word that has gone out of date!

    1. “Didnt most of the original translators of the KJV do their work knowing that they most likely would be tortured and executed for what they were doing.”

      First of all, I think you meant to put a question mark at the end of the sentence.

      Second, no the KJV is also called the Authorised Version because there was an explicit royal mandate by King James to produce a standard English language version. But you are right that earlier translators, printers and publishers in the Protestant tradition did their work in fear of persecution.

      1. Another point: given translators risked their life and livelihood, it is disgusting to see their work monopolized for filthy lucre and satanic agendas

    2. Just bought Darby Bible published in 1890. Awesome to find a good translation that hasn’t censored YHWH’ s name nor references to the Apocrypha

  10. What Bible version is this from?

    Even so every GOOD tree bringeth forth GOOD fruit; but a CORRUPT tree bringeth forth EVIL FRUIT. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a CORRUPT tree bring forth GOOD FRUIT. (Matthew 7:17-18)

  11. I fully agree, no Christian bible should be the work produced from a porn industry, it is enough that man translates languages (text), and may edit.

  12. What ever Bible translation you like, you better get a copy now. Publishers are getting fewer and fewer all the time. If you think your safe because you read online, think again. More controls are being put on that all the time. Even now search results are being filtered. With a click what you have access too changes. Within the next ten years things are really going to change for Bible bleavers here in the States.

  13. The only way to the Father is through the son. Since all the versions after the King James in some way diminish the deity of Christ and horrifically change the doctrine of God Himself. It is extremely dangerous to read or listen to the Devils Bibles. From the NKJV to the Queen James Version and beyond they are all blasphemous translations that are leading us ever closer to a one world church. Those who would laugh at such truths are simple minded and are in danger of spending their eternity apart from their creator! This is not a small or insignificant issue. Satan clothes himself as an angel of light. He is a master deceiver! 2 + 2 can only equal 4. There is only one truth. They aren’t all somehow equal. God’s word is from everlasting to everlasting and it is forever. It will not be undermined by these perverted unholy renditions that we have today.

    1. The KJV is NOT the most accurate translation, though it’s prose might be the most beautiful. The NIV has a bias but all translations probably do. Choose your bias and read what you choose.

      1. Hello Sue, can you give support or proof of your claim that “The KJV is NOT the most accurate translation,..”? So many people express their opinion, and even hostile anger, rather than give any true facts on an important issue. This leads the simple astray, & those who lack relative knowledge into confusion which is all satan’s ploy. It would really help if you can offer validity to your claim. Thank You much. Peace! :)

  14. HarperCollins is deleting Israel from their ATLAS brand maps sold to arab countries. So now you have to go to Palestine and not Israel to visit Bethlehem.

    Any publisher that does this is not worthy of any readers.

  15. nwobodo stanley .o.

    this is an eye openner.i never knew that the bible i have been using for long now is actually published by this corrupt and devilish organization. hmmm God help me.

  16. I know hate my bible (NIV) and it’s going direct to the bin. It lacks so many verses and I now know why. Its because of Harper Collins and Zandervan. So many Christians out there don’t know this. Someone should try a shout out!

  17. Does anyone remember the last four verses of The Holy Bible (KJV)?

    Revelation 22: 18-21

    18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

    19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

    20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

    21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

    God Is In Control, and His Word still holds true. Because of The Lord, I trust only the KJV!

    USA = Romans 1…..So Sad!

    Matthew 7: 21 – 23….Wow!

  18. They’ve taken scripture from the Bible.
    God doesn’t change his word for no man !
    Man changes the word , and for what reason ?

    Open your eyes !

    No one has authority to change the words of god!

    You have no authority in the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you Satan!

    They remove scripture and publish the satanic bible!

    In the name of the father son and the Holy spirit I rebuke you Satan!

      1. Stephen Peppin

        Avon published it “originally” in 1969. It is now published by Harper-Collins which is owned by Murdoch.

  19. Why are you using the word “piss off” when trying to make a point. I agree with you, but as a Christian watch your language

  20. thank you for sharing this helpful information…..
    I…was the one of the NIV users…..but now it directly goes to bin.

  21. Wow, I see Satan all over this thread. He is doing what he does best to to steal, kill, and destroy. I can picture him just chuckling at us.

    All I know, is God works in mysterious ways and just as He used lost donkeys to lead Saul to Samuel to be the anointed King that the people of Israel asked for. Just as He used all of these flawed Kings to lead us to the One True King, Jesus. With whatever version, He uses it is to lead the lost to Jesus.

    1. Stephen Peppin

      “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.” Romans 6:1-2

  22. Reading through all the comments, just confirms what I already know. Ultimate owner of Zondervan and Harper Collins – Rupert Murdoch: if this does not ring a warning bell?
    By the way, the NIV is one of the poorest translations to use. Thousands of verses were either completely omitted, words left out or changed. Should anyone want to know more about the corruption, search the net for the work of “The Scion of Zion”.
    https://www.scionofzion.com/toc.htm might help

  23. The changes you’re referring to came about as a result of earlier dated manuscripts being found. These manuscripts were almost completely identical to the accumulation of much later manuscripts from which all translations had previously been translated from. Only a few differences were found. But since these were earlier manuscripts, it indicated a possibility that these differences in the later manuscripts from which all previous versions have been translated may have been due to additions or copying errors in those manuscripts. As a result almost every translation then known including many very conservative and respect translations were updated to reflect these differences either by updating their translation or opting to add a note regarding the earliest manuscripts .

    1. Stephen Peppin

      The two “earliest” manuscripts, called the vaticanus and sinaiticus, date to more than 300 years after the New Testament was written. They are extremely corrupt, differing between each other and with all other manuscripts in thousands of places, and have been rejected by Bible believing Christians all through the centuries. Christian martyrs died to bring us the English Bible based on the received text (Textus Receptus) that has been passed down to us by our Christian forbears. Bible scholars say they have to reconstruct the Bible by applying their methods, and they will eventually give us the ‘most probable’ words. Jesus said “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:35

  24. I read most, but not all. At the end of the day we can find fault in pretty much anything. You buy gas/groceries from a place that sells beer and liquor. You can find fault with most things that are bought or services enjoyed. I’m not making excuses, just saying. We all make choices everyday in all areas of life. As long as you can rest good in knowing what you’ve chosen. Also, God is bigger than any publishing company. If Rupert or whomever is able to subvert God’s plans, after Satan failed, then we’ve God a REAL problem. Just sayin’

    1. Stephen Peppin

      “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot.” Revelation 3:15

  25. There is a pretty solid reason why Crossway pulled the rights for using the ESV translation from the Thompson Chain Reference Bible once Zondervan purchased the material to print this study Bible from Kirkbride. I’m not sure, but I believe the first TCR Bible from Zondervan will be on the market in May 2021. I will purchase one each of the translations and go through major texts to see if they were compromised. Sad to see Kirkbride go out of business.

    1. Heart greetings to you Evan from Ted Bruckner in Hawaii who is also into studying the Bible. I hope this reaches you and is of help to others who read it.

      Since you buy Bibles and I know all about the available versions of the translations of the Greek Old Testament, here is the best Septuagint translation : Brenton’s upgraded into modern English and it’s only 18 dollars. Title: The Septuagint with Apocrypha: The Greek Old Testament in English: Third by Ex Fontibus Company (link below).

      The most important thing to know on translations of the Greek Old Testament is that the NETS version is bogus; it;s absurdly based on Masoretic Text of the NRSV. I discovered by doing verse comparisons using many versions that the NRSV is almost a copy of the 1985 TANAKH and see that the 1985 TANAKH is not a literal translation where it suited the translators to “carry on in the spirit of Saadia Gaon” as they put it.

      And i know for sure by textual comparison, all English Bibles use and stich to like glue the maliciously and selfishly altered Hebrew text named “Masoretic” (which is only one around by design.)

      The evidence from Qumran that’s used to “prove” that the Bible is perfectly preserved have problems, to say it all in one word for brevities sake.

      Jews contend that there are no original copies of the Septuagint. And that today’s versions are taken from second and third century manuscripts that had been corrupted by non-Jewish writers. But regardless, copies of the Septuagint we have are more faithful in their renderings and more intelligible in their sense (as St. Augustine politely put it.)

      https://www.amazon.com/Septuagint-Apocrypha-Greek-Testament-English/dp/1635488990/ref=sr_1_5?crid=X0S2TIX4OV5Y&dchild=1&keywords=septuagint+with+apocrypha+greek+and+english&qid=1621561612&sprefix=septuag%2Caps%2C281&sr=8-5

  26. The introduction in the Zondervan Septuagint points out that “the Pentateuch is considered to be the best executed, while the book of Isaiah appears to be the worst.”

    Reason for this evaluation is Isaiah is the source of the majority of the directly quoted verses in the New Testament,

    In malice the Jews had altered this book the most out of all the revising they did in order to support and empower Talmudic Judaism over the Scripture and to war against Jesus the Messiah.

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