Bible Software–Should I, Should I Not? Steven Long 5/17/13

I like Bible software. I REALLY like Bible software. And I've probably tried most of them, or at least the better known of them.

I've tried Accordance, though it is a Mac program. I used their free emulator to run it on a PC. The results were not the same, nor did they look anything like the videos. That's why I'm quite excited about their PC native release coming sometime in 2013.


I've tried Olive Tree with it's sleek design and great note-taking capabilities. For a long time Olive Tree was only mobile specific (PDA, smartphones, tablets, etc) but has recently launched out with their desktop version. They also have a Mac-top version as well.


I own a Logos package, Original Languages Collection, and use it quite frequently when I have to hunt down those scarce and hard-to-find references regarding ancient languages, grammatical phenomena, and the like.


And then there's all the free software. Yep, I said free! Absolutely F-R-E-E; software like,E-Sword, The Word, and The Sword Project. And don't let the "free" fool you. These programs are quite capable of doing a lot of heavy work. Sure, they're probably not going to yield the same results as a paid program but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. No pun intended.

But the question at the back of most people's minds is, "Should I, or should I not?" Let's face it. Technology has come a long way and that included software. Bible software can save you hours of time of research and study, and with all the features that some of these packages have to offer you should really consider using one, especially if you are, or aspire to be, a serious student of God's Word.

And that's where this post comes in. Considering that I've tried a lot of them I've learned from experience a little about what's good, or bad, or really a waste of time. I hope to impart some of this knowledge to my readers. So, I am beginning a short series on what and how to look for Bible software that fits your needs. My hope is that by the time we finish these posts that you'll be better equipped, or at least know what you need before tying up lots of money into a program that you find you don't really enjoy using all that much. So stay tuned and maybe I'll even through in a couple of brief reviews and comparisons of some Bible software that I've used. Thanks for dropping by.

Steven