Three iPhone/ iPod Touch Apps for the Bible Student
There are thousands of apps in the Apple app store, and there are many, many Bible apps. There are a few that stand out from the crowd. Here are three that I use the most often. (Bonus: These apps are under $ .99.)
1. Mantis Bible is my default iPhone Bible. The app is quick and has many great features. Features include bookmarking, hi-lighting, and note taking. You don't have to sign up for an account, but if you do there are a couple free features.
App Store Description:
Mantis Bible Study is the most advanced Bible Study Tool available for any mobile platform. A long list of unique features make Mantis Bible Study stand out as the premier tool for accessing the Bible on the iPhone:
Flexible content:
• Comes with the full King James text
• Works offline -- no network connection is necessary for reading and studying [Note: A network connection is required in order to load new resources purchased from our web site or to optionally backup and restore your data.]
• Additional Bible translations, commentaries, dictionaries, devotionals and other books can be purchased and installed immediately. Check https://MantisBible.com for available titles
Great navigation options:
• Quick History
• Quick-reference chapter and section headers
• Grid Mode
• Tap the book name to navigate books
• Tap the chapter number to navigate chapters
• Tap-and-drag corners for quick access to volumes, books, chapters, and verses
• Shake to close all open items
• Auto-scroll the text for easy reading
• Email any verse along with your personal notes
Fantastic study tools:
• Build Your Own Study Bible (see http://MantisBible.com for details and an instructional video)
• Easily create bookmarks, notes, and highlights
• Inline Note Editor
• Live Scripture References inside personal notes
• Create, edit, and move bookmarks and bookmark folders
• Unique "Analyze Verse" feature
• Fast and flexible, yet simple search system
• Save search results as a named folder full of bookmarks
• Personal notes and translation notes appear inline with the text and can be toggled on and off
• Highlighting Bar allows highlighting of individual words and phrases in 4 colors
• Inline verse-display toggle links for all cross-reference links
• Jump directly to Biblical text from cross references inside commentary, dictionary, devotional, or other books
• Fantastic support for Bibles with integrated Strong's Numbers - tap a number to open a definition, tap it again to close it [Note: Strong's Number Support is only active for Bibles containing Strongs Numbers - which are sold separately]
• Additional support for Strong's Numbers: drill-down to root word(s), tap to find where a number is used throughout Scripture, then tap and preview verses, integrated support for Brown-Driver-Briggs', Thayer's Greek Definitions, and other Strongs-based resources [Stongs-based resources are sold separately]
Plus much, much more!
2. Strong's Concordance is probably my favorite Bible application. If you are not familiar with Strong's Concordance, you should get acquainted with it. Strongs allows the user to look up words in the KJV in the original languages and find their definition. This is one of the easiest Bible Study tool to use. You can develop a clearer understanding of God's Word by simply looking up unfamiliar words.
App Store Description:
Easily search the Bible with type-ahead word searching and load Strong's definitions directly by entering the number.
On the horizon (not necessarily in this order):
* Phrase searching
* Verse tagging
* Note taking
* Landscape mode
* True concordance, where word definitions have list of verses in which word appears
* Interlinear view of Greek and Hebrew
3. KJV Audio Bible: This apps usefulness is pretty self explanatory. Whether driving, working, or any activity that makes it difficult to hold your Bible, this app is a very inexpensive way to listen to your Bible.
App Store Description:
King James Version Bible with Audio is a FREE pocket Bible solution
A must have Bible study tool. Perfect when on the go. Can work with the display turned off to preserve the battery life.
- Great audio quality
- Perfect if you are concerned about the size of the app, great for iPhone, however the full version is more suitable for iPod Touch.
- In order to play audio this app needs to be connected to the internet
If you are looking for a completely offline version (better for iPod Touch) with even more features like audio scroll, pause, volume, please download:
KJV Bible Audiobook (825 mb); it is free as well!
This application will let you to:
- Read the Scriptures
- Listen to the Scriptures
- Listen and follow the text at the same time
Additional features:
- Reading history
- Notes with the ability to email them
- Daily reading
- Bookmarks
- Search in the Bible
- Biblical Maps
- Reference to other Bible Translations
- Self updating community and development news in the "About Box"
- Summer Street Church Sunday Service Podcasting
If you have a Bible application that you use regularly, I'd like to hear about it. Feel free to leave a message in the comments.
