Very briefly, I would love to talk a little bit about Bible study software. With the extensive use of computers in both the office and the home, and even in church, it would make sense that the power of this incredible tool would be put to use on Bible study and exegesis. There are some exceptional programs out there that are powerful tools, but at a price, while there are some other good ones that are inexpensive or free. I will say this up front: my reviews will probably be biased, because I have been a long-time user of several pieces of software, and I know these very well. However, I will also try and provide some opinions on others so that one might try and get a well-rounded view of what is out there. I am also PC-based, so my Mac knowledge is limited. Sorry about that!
I have been a long-time user of Logos Libronix, and in my opinion, this is the best Bible software out on the market for Bible study, research, library-building, and to some extent original language study. Bibleworks is really the best by far for original language study, but I will discuss that later. Libronix is very powerful, fairly simple to use, and has the largest digital library available anywhere. The one downside is the price. It is not cheap, but then again, you get what you pay for. For ministers and lay people who are very serious about Bible study, who have extensive teaching roles, and who are possibly in the process of obtaining advanced degrees, I would recommend that they bite the bullet and buy the best package you can afford. I have used the program for original language studies, preaching and sermon writing and research, and on a regular basis during both my master’s and doctorate programs. Still Truth also has an extensive collection of older material available in Libronix format, such as some Puritan writings, some B.B. Warfield, and other good stuff.
I do not have Bibleworks, but from what I have read and heard, I would recommend this program for those that desire to perform extensive original language studies. It is probably the best there is for this application.
I recently downloaded Bible Explorer 4.0, a free download. This is a fairly simple to use program with a limited number of books initially. However, I have been using this for about 2 years now, and have built up a nice little library almost entirely for free. Doxa Press has a lot of really good reformed titles that are priced just right, too. Sproul, Dever, Berkhof, and others. I would recommend that if you don’t have any Bible software, download Bible Explorer 4. Register it, and you will be able to download a number of free titles each month. This is a good way to start.
E-Sword is another free Bible study software available for download. Most of the books are free, but there are some that must be purchased. This is a pretty powerful tool also, wit a lot of capability. Again, if money is a determining factor, download both Bible Explorer and E-Sword, then save up for Libronix!
One last thing is that there are a couple of good online sites for Bible software that I have used. Rejoice Christian Software and Discount Christian Software are two. Ages Software is a great little place for purchasing some of the classics in pdf format. I also have a number of classic authors from Ages, including the entire works of C.H. Spurgeon (I mean everything!), all of John Owen’s works (all 16 volumes plus his commentary on Hebrews), and the entire A.W. Pink collection. The pdf files are searchable, printable, and can be highlighted and marked up. Each library set is only $15 for a download, or $20 for a CD. Every sermon Spurgeon published for $15? You can’t beat that!
I have the Expositor’s Bible Commentary in Pradis format. The commentaries are very good, but the system itself is, in my opinion, pretty hard to use and not too intuitive. Zondervan has upgraded the system to version 6.0, but I have not yet tried it out.
OK, so how do I use Bible software? Let me show some simple examples. Searching through books is what computers were made for. I can enter several keywords, and search the entire Bible in seconds and get a list of particular verses, with keywords highlighted in context. I can search books of the bible, the gospels, Paul’s letters, the Wisdom literature, etc, all with a few key strokes. I can look up every one of Paul’s use of the word justification (in English) or δικαιόω and get a verse list so that I can do some more exploring. This helps me to see how Paul used a certain word in context, so that one can see the broad or narrow range of meanings he might have employed. I can also compare passages in parallel Bible versions, such as the ESV, NIV, and the Message all next to each other. I can look up words in the equivalent of a concordance.
What many programs add to English Bible searches is the ability to search all of its many other resources for places where that word is also discussed. For instance, if you search for the word justification, Libronix will not only find all the times it appears in a Bible version, but will direct you to the entry for justification in the New Bible Dictionary and in many other study resources. Yes, the resources I suggested in my last post are also found in Libronix, and can be accessed with a few keystrokes. This is a very helpful and timesaving function, especially when doing a topical study. That type of search through all the available resources in a program is a key advantage with Bible software. The sheer number of resources available in Logos Libronix, compared to some other Bible programs, makes it an excellent choice for those who desire those types of extensive researches and have the ability to build an extensive library.
One can link commentaries, with Bible passages, and dictionaries, and interlinear Bibles, so that they all scroll along as you read and research.
The value of a Bible program for original language research is unimaginable. Searching for words, particular parts of speech of certain words (every third person plural of the Greek word lego, for instance) is what computers were made for. They can do this in lightning fast speed, and be very accurate.
All in all, having numerous commentaries, confessions, dictionaries, reference books, original language helps, and automated tools for words searches, passage studies, and exegetical studies, make Bible software a powerful tool for modern Bible study, whether you are a pastor, scholar, or a Sunday School teacher.
In the next post, I want to jump into studying a particular passage. I will use an example from Ruth or Romans (I haven’t decided yet) to show you how I jump into Bible study.
