ChristiansUnite Forums

I am starting this thread to get comments and solicit tips and recommendations on various bible study software programs. If there is already a thread similar to this then please point me to it.

I have been using e-Sword, a free program that you can download from Rick Meyers web site at http://www.e-sword.net/

This program is excellent and compares with commercial programs that cost several hundreds of dollars. I am also using several other smaller programs but I will refrain from a long first post. I am just curious to see if others are using software as their primary bible study tool. If so, please jump in and tell us what you use, how you like it, etc.
I will be back with my own comments if there is any interest in this.

Art

Personally, for fast quote, I use biblegateway.com

but for more research, I have Sword Searcher.

DITTO  ;D

PowerBible (http://www.powerbible.com) or Theophilos (http://www.theophilos.com)

I was hoping for more information on the program, not just which program folks were using.

For example: e-Sword's web site is www.e-sword.net
The program is free and can be downloaded from the site.
It contains 15 or so bible translations. It does not have the NIV. There are about 14 commentaries 11 dictionaries.

The main page is divided inot three main sections; bible commentary and dictionary, but clicking on always visable icons will desplay wny of these on the entire page. You can add study notes, more like a chain reference or creation topic notes whose editing features are like a mini word processor.

Ther is the ability to view 4 translations at once, or have 2 translations or different verses in a split window. You can also view any verse in all translations at once.
Three is a search feature that allows searching by word(s) or phrase of entire  bible, NT, OT, or just a book. Searches can be saved or printed.
When you hover the mose over a verse mentioned in the commentary or dictionary the verse pops up in it own window.

Thre is a graphic viewer for maps and the popular "STEP" libraries can be read from within the program. Also there are topic files from famous writings. Give it a try. There have been 1 million downloads.

I have used only 2 other bible programs and this one surpasses both of them by miles.

Oh, sorry!

PowerBible (http://www.powerbible.com) is a program you have to pay for, although its very cheap. (Actually, I didn't pay for my copy, a very nice person I met online sent me his copy when he learned I didn't have on)

It has 11 English Bibles (including the RSV) as ell as French, German andSpanish bibles.
The KJV has Strongs' definitions keyed to it.
It also has 3 Bible dictionaries, 7 topical bibles/sermon preparers (which I've found very useful), and commentaries by Matthew Henry, A Clarke, Wesley, Spurgeon, Barnes, Robertson and 8 others whose names I cannot recall right now.

Its my favourite, the one I use almost all the time. Its very easy to run, doesn't take up a lot of disk space, and you can unlock the NIV, NRSV and NASB if you want too. They also provide free updates which are very easy to use.

I'm not very good at working computer programs, which is why this was my first choice :)

Theophilos (http://www.theophilos.com) is a free program, and my favourite of the free ones.

It just has the KJV, as I recall, but its extremely easy to use. The main thing which recommends it to me is that you can get add-on, free modules created by users. For example - I have Vol1 of the Church Fathers' writings, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, the Westminster Confession, some of Anselm's writings, some of Augustines...that sort of thing. There are also all the usual dictionaries and commentaries available.

its just so easy to use :) I found e-sword a bit difficult, as i recall, and one of them (I think it was called openbible?) I couldn't figure out in the least.

-Emma

Oklahoma Howdy to All,

I use e-Sword and love it. I have everything e-Sword has to offer installed:

3 different daily devotions: Hoekstra, Meyer, Spurgeon

32 different translations of the Holy Bible

12 different Bible dictionaries

14 different Bible commentaries

Study Notes the user can customize and use many ways.

Topic Notes the user can customize and use many ways.

One of the primary things that I like about e-Sword is the ability to integrate all of the above onto one page, search all of the above at once, cut and paste from any or all of the above into your personal notes, and record your personal notes as you study. The search functions are outstanding and the most powerful I could imagine. You can search for single words, multiple words, phrases, and let the program add words with like meaning.

I've used the Online Bible before, but it didn't appear to be as user friendly as e-Sword, and it didn't have nearly as many options. I've never tried any of the commercial programs. One of my uncles is a minister, and he uses a commercial Bible study package that cost over $1,000. He still uses the commercial package, but he also uses e-Sword. I'll try to find out the name of the commercial package he uses and post it.

In Christ,

bep

I too use e-sword because it's free and quite comprehensive but honestly I hate M$ windoze and it's garbage so I use Linux now at home unless I HAVE to use windoze.  In Linux I use a free program called bible time which does alot of what e-sword does minus pictures and stuff but I don't feel they're needed.  

I don't really know e-sword that much so I don't think I could give you any tips.  It sounds as if you know it much better than I.  :D

I have a good friend, a pastor, who uses the top-of-the-line Logos software. I showed him e-sword and he was greatly impressed. The one thing he liked much better about Logos was that he could do a more varied search; severeal words at one time within a verse range.  I think the Logos system is over $500.

I should add this about e-Sword:
The program is free but, if you like it and use it, Rick Meyers requests you send him $15 as a donation. The program is not limited in any way and never runs out. You don't have to send the money but it would seem it is the "christian" thing to do.

One more thing about e-Sword – SUPPORT

When I first started using the program I had a question. I emailed Rick and he responded the same day. To my chagrin the answer was in the help file. Not only that, about a week later the same thing happened and again Rick politely answered me even though the answer was again in help. This is better support than any commercial program I have bought.

There are only two things missing from e-Sword that I feel I would like:
1.   The NIV translation.
2.   A way to create your own graphic file (.map) to add maps to pictures to the program. (Rick, are you listening?)

Oklahoma Howdy to OldTimer,

NIV is available for e-Sword. However, NIV is on a list of translations that the copyright holders demand a royalty payment before it can be used. There are a list of add-ons at e-Sword with the royalty payments required for each one. If I remember correctly, the royalty payment for NIV is $20. I might add that Rick Meyers gets zero of that $20, it's all royalty, and Rick has been trying to get them and others to let him use those pay add-ons for years.

In Christ.

Saved4ever, I absolutely must comment on that cartoon in your sig! It's great!

I believe you are wrong. At the bottom of his bible download page Rick list the bibles that are NOT available. Here's the list:
Amplified Bible
English Standard Version
New American Bible
New English Translation
New International Version
New King James Bible
New Living Translation
New Revised Standard Version
Revised Standard Version

I believe you are thinking of the New American Standard Study Set that does require the extra $20 payment.

Oklahoma Howdy to Oldtimer,

You are correct. I have no idea what I was thinking about. :)

I've been using e-Sword for years, and maybe the royality types I was thinking about are now included with e-Sword. Regardless, the requested translation is not available, and that is a shame.

In Christ.