By Eric Pastorek
Online Bibles have advanced greatly in the last few years. With the introduction of the iPad, developers have realized the value of having websites that can be used on both the traditional computer and mobile platforms, and function similarly. This has caused the move away from the old, “search for a verse” type sites like Bible Gateway, to a split-screen, cross referencing type sites that appear more as if you’re using a Bible program instead of a website.
There are a number of sites that have employed this technology. Each have a certain twist as to the additional resources that are plugged in the site. If you know of any more sites similar to these, please email me and I’ll add them to the list.
Biblia.com
Biblia.com is Logos’ online Bible that replaced their old Bible search. They’ve added some options like adding libraries that hook into your logos account, and a dual screen comparison. You can purchase alternative texts if you life. But they give you quite a bit to work through at the beginning.
ESVbible.org
Similar to logos, but this site focuses exclusively on the English Standard Version of the Bible. It offer various Bible reading plans and the ability to add notes. You can purchase other commentaries and lexicons to add to your user experience. It’s necessary to be logged into the site first before using the Bible and tools therein. ESV Online also offers various devotionals that you can subscribe to via RSS.
mystudybible.com
mystudybible.com is the online Bible from the Holeman Christian Standard Bible. Developed by 100 scholars from 17 denominations employing a first-of-its kind translation philosophy which seeks to achieve an optimal balance of literary precision and emotive clarity. It also offers Word study tools, Dictionaries, Commentaries, and the ability to add notes.
Net Bible.org
NET Bible has been an ongoing project by Bible.org. Their interface is fairly straight forward and offers notes, Greek & Hebrew lexicons that match up to the word you click on, and articles. The articles they offer are not reformed. There are quite a few good resources on their site and over-all the theology is decent besides the dispensational twist.
BibleStudyTools.com
Bible Study Tools is another site that has recently advanced in many ways. Not too long ago they went through a website organization over-haul. If you create a profile with the site you have access to their Bible interface. They include quite a few commentaries that connect to the passage that your are on to give you a greater Bible study experience.
The materials on most of these Bible sites are generally similar. Most of the commentaries are open-source, like Matthew Henry, John Gill, and Robertson, to name a few. If you’re not ready to take the plunge by purchasing a study software like Logos, these resources could certainly help you prepare for your Bible study or sermon. I love the dynamic user experience of these sites. There are many “Bible” websites online today, but if you happen to know of any similar to these, please email us and let us know so we can add it to the list. The goal of Reformed Media is to provide ministers and Christian workers with tools for the gospel ministry.
YouVersion.com
You have probably run across youversion on your iphone or ipad. They have a great app that allows you to feed from many different versions of the Bible. There are a few more features if you use the online version. You can login to keep notes of your Bible studies, and you can also listen along with the text with an online audio Bible. The user interface is fun and well designed. The ministry is not Reformed, but is geared toward seeker sensitive churches. One nice thing is that you can embed the Bible module into your website if you put it into an iframe.