The Gideons distribute complete Bibles (which include both Old and New Testaments) as well as New Testaments on their own, some of which include the books of the Psalms and Proverbs from the Old Testament.

These Scriptures are either given directly to individuals or placed in designated public locations where large numbers of people who may be searching for answers will encounter the Word of God.

We are often asked if the Gideons use a specific Gideon translation.

The answer is No.

While we do purchase and place Bibles and New Testaments with the Gideon logo on the front, we do not publish our own version. We only use translation versions that are recognized and accepted by the general Christian church here in North America.

The most common version we distribute in English is the New American Standard Bible (NASB), but in 2011 we began distributing the New Living Translation (NLT). We also distribute the King James Version (KJV) and The New King James Version (NKJV). In the French language, we currently offer the Louis Segond, Nouvelle Édition de Genève 1979.

More information about translation versions is available in the Translation Continuum Chart on this page.

We have also added a number of unique pages in the front and back of our Scriptures simply to help people find particular references or comfort and understanding of some of the names and terms used.

It is our belief that the Bible is God's Word to us and not only teaches us how to live good lives and provides comfort for us in times of personal need but also reveals the only route to eternal life after we die. Therefore, in many of our Scriptures we have included guidance for readers who want to make a commitment to follow the way of Jesus Christ.