Biblical software

Biblical software or Bible software is a group of computer applications designed to view and study biblical texts and concepts. Biblical software programs are similar to e-book readers in that they include digitally-formatted books, may be used to display a wide variety of inspirational books and bibles, and can be used on portable computers. However, biblical software is geared more toward word and phrase searches, accessing study bible notes and commentaries, referencing various modern translations, cross-referencing similar passages and topics, biblical dictionaries, original language texts and language tools, maps, charts, and other e-books deemed relevant to understanding texts from a philological approach.

Bible software varies in complexity and depth, depending on the needs of users, just as the purposes of the users vary from devotional reading and personal study to lesson and sermon preparation, inspirational publishing and even further research tools and translations. Basic bible software is typically aimed at mobile phones, and is designed to simply display the text of a single Bible translation, with word and phrase searches as the only available tool. More advanced packages run on personal computers and boast far more features, display a wider variety of theological resources (see above), and may offer features such as synopses and harmonies of the Gospel narratives, morphological and syntactical searches of original texts, sentence diagramming, user notes, manual and dynamic highlighting, lectionary viewers, etc.

History

Interest in using computers to quickly search the Bible and copy sections of the text quickly into lessons and sermons emerged in the early 1980s.

Verse Search is said to have been "the very first Bible study program available for home computer users", around 1980 or 1981, released on the Apple II.

In 1988, John W. Ellis, M.D. or "Doc Ellis" of Oklahoma City introduced The Bible Library 1.0, the first electronic compilation of multiple Bibles and reference texts. The original CD-ROM contained 9 Bibles and 21 References and was fast and powerful at a time when there were only a couple of slow single Bibles requiring multiple 5¼ floppy disks.

Bible software was much faster than traditional study tools in a book forms. Early bible software was aimed simply at word and phrase searches in different modern translations. Later, as computers improved in handling foreign language fonts, the original Hebrew Old Testament and Koine Greek New Testament texts of the Bible were added. When working with the original biblical languages, one of the first capabilities was morphology or parsing, providing information on the parts of speech of various words to assist in understanding the intent of the text. At this point many bible software programs emerged which are still in publication today.

Library building

Most Bible software publishers offer a variety of initial packages from basic, to intermediate, to advanced levels, ranging in price from a free, to well over the price of the computer it runs on. Bible software producers commonly offer customers expandibility—that users can build on their initial monetary investment with the purchase of additional resources such as dictionaries, commentaries, translations, and other inspirational books. Initial packages normally include many bundled works, while add-on titles represent a more significant investment. Normally, the advanced packages include all the features of the more basic packages, though a customer may stand to benefit from two or more bundles by purchasing packages from different publishers—especially those which work seamlessly in the same format.

Desktop Bible software

Windows

• Bible Analyzer – A freeware Bible study and analysis application with Advanced Searching, Bible Statistics, Parallel Text Generator, Text-To-Speech, Audio, and more.
• e-Sword – Free Bible software. Includes STEP Library compatibility along with extensive search functions, thousands of available Bible translations, commentaries, dictionaries, maps, and other religious books.
• LOGOS Bible Software – Producer of the Libronix Digital Library System which they also license to other publishers. Extensive library of titles by Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft.
• Online Bible – Bible Software Package around since 1987. Extensive library of material in English and other languages;
• QuickVerse – This was the first organization to utilize the STEP file format. QuickVerse was acquired by WORDsearch in 2011 and is now based on the WORDsearch CROSS format.
• SwordSearcher – An inexpensive but simple bible study program. Includes mostly public domain modules. Suitable for original languages study (Textus Receptus).
• The Word – free comprehensive Bible study software with features including Bibles in many languages, non-Bible study resources (including maps), cross-referencing system, more.
• WORDsearch – Offers a large library of English resources for free and for additional purchase. Greek, Hebrew and other languages are searchable. Bible Explorer is a free, light version of WORDsearch.

Mac OS X

• Accordance – It is well known for its extensive library collection, extensive tools, ease of use, affordability and reliability. Accordance dynamically links ties the Biblical texts to other user works in a library, a user accessing various dictionaries or commentaries are able to search in another text, parallel passages, harmonies, automatic citation for bibliographies, complex to simple search techniques, maps, timelines, graphic resources, are all available. Charts, graphs, diagrams, and powerful analytical tools are all available in Accordances powerful search tools. Generally considered to be the high-end Bible Study software for Mac
• Bible Analyzer – A freeware Bible study and analysis application with Advanced Searching, Bible Statistics, Parallel Text Generator, Text-To-Speech, Audio, and more. Many free modules available with immediate download of premium modules. Highly rated by Download.com
• BibleReader – Olive Tree Bible Software has long been a provider of mobile Bible study software. Their BibleReader platform is now available for your Mac desktop. With customizable features, enhanced study tools and an easy to use interface. BibleReader offers excellent cross platform support with the ability to share notes, personalizations, highlights and books between their mobile and desktop offerings. Olive Tree offers a large collection of both free and pay for resources making it easy to get started in building a library within BibleReader.
• Eloquent – A free & open-source application for research and study of God and His Word. It is developed specifically for Macintosh computers running Mac OS X.
• LOGOS Bible Software – Mac version of Logos, first released December 2008;
• WORDsearch – Offers a large library of English resources. Can search Greek, Hebrew and other languages;

Linux/Unix

• Bible Analyzer – A freeware Bible study and analysis application with Advanced Searching, Bible Statistics, Parallel Text Generator, Text-To-Speech, Audio, and more. Many free modules available with immediate download of premium modules;
• The SWORD Project – (multiplatform) See below under Programming API;

Programming API

• The SWORD Project A comprehensive open source multi-lingual Bible project. The project is a programming platform and a collection of resources. Several front end programs are available for Windows, Linux, Mac OSX, various PDAs, etc.
  • Alkitab Bible Study – Cross-platform front end that is based on Netbeans platform;
  • And Bible – Front end for Android devices that is built in Java;
  • Bible Desktop – Cross platform front end that is built in Java;
  • BibleTime – Front end that is built on the Qt framework for the Windows, Linux, and BSD operating systems;
  • BPBible – Front end for Windows;
  • FireBible – Front end that installs as a Firefox extension;
  • MacSword – Front end for the Mac OS X;
  • PocketSword – Front end for the iPhone;
  • SwordBible – Simple Bible reading software for Windows;
  • SwordReader – Front end for Windows Mobile;
  • The SWORD Project for Windows – Front end for Windows;
  • Xiphos – Front end based on GTK for Windows, Linux, and BSD platforms;

Mobile platform

Mobile Bible apps can be best categorized by two primary uses - reading and studying. Most apps will offer little more than the text of the Bible designed to assist users in reading the text of the Bible. Other apps add specialized tools designed to help the student study a passage in the original Greek or Hebrew language. These tools can be as simple as links to Strong's dictionary or as in depth of offering information about parsing and searching on such information. A somewhat comprehensive list of the various Bible Reader and Bible Study apps can be found at KevinPurcell.org.

iPad tablet

• Accordance – OakTree Software
• BibleReader – Olive Tree Bible Software
• Logos for the iPad – Logos Bible Software
• WORDsearch – WORDsearch Bible Software
• e-Sword HD e-Sword for the iPad

iPhone and iPod Touch

• Accordance – OakTree Software
• BibleReader – Olive Tree Bible Software
• Logos for the iPhone – Logos Bible Software
• PocketSword – Front end for the iPhone

Google Android

• BibleReader – Olive Tree Bible Software;
• Logos for the Android – Logos Bible Software;
• Pocket Bible For Android Laridian;

Blackberry

• BibleReader – Olive Tree Bible Software;
• MyBible Laridian;

PalmOS

• MyBible: Laridian
• BibleReader – Olive Tree Bible Software (no longer supported)
• Palm Bible Plus – open source fork of Bible Reader for Palm

Windows Mobile (formerly Windows CE)

These programs are for Windows Mobile 6.5, or earlier:

• BibleReader – Olive Tree Bible Software (no longer supported);
• Pocket E-Sword – in December 2009, it was announced that official support had ceased;
• SwordReader – Front end for Windows Mobile. Support is available, but development has ceased;
• Pocket Bible For Windows Mobile Laridian;

Java

• Alkitab Bible Study – Cross-platform front end that is based on Netbeans platform and uses The Sword Project API
• Bible Desktop – Cross platform front end that is built in Java, and uses The Sword Project API
• Go Bible – for JavaME mobile phones

Online tools

• BibleGateway.com
• Bibleserver.com
• Blue Letter Bible
• Christian Classics Ethereal Library — Defined as a Christian library (like e.g. Libronix). Bible study interface with various bible versions and commentaries available.
• e-Sword Live