OLB

• New King James Version (NKJV)
• The Message Bible by Eugene Peterson [a paraphrase]
• American Standard Version, 1901
• Authorized Version, 1769
• Authorized Version Red Letter Edition, 1769
• Bible in Basic English, 1965
• Calvin Partial Bible Translation & Comments
• Darby Version, 1884
• Diaglot NT, 1865
• Douay Rheims Version, 1899
• English Standard Version
• God's Word to the Nations
• Jubilee Bible - Russel Stendal
• Jewish Publication Society Old Testament
• 21st Century King James Version
• Leeser Old Testament, 1853
• Living Oracles
• Revised Standard Version (RSV), 1947
• Tyndale (Rogers, Coverdale) Bible
• Webster Bible, 1832
• Webster Bible, Revised; by Larry Pierce
• Weymouth NT Translation, 1912
• Williams New Testament, 1936
• William Tyndale New Testament 1525-1526
• Young's Literal Translation, 1898
• LXX Septuagint
• LXX Septuagint, English translation
• LXXM Analytic Septuagint
• Murdoch New Testament , 1851
• Noyes Translation (Job - Re), 1869
• Philips New Testament (1972)
• Rotherham Bible, 1902
• English Revised Version, 1885
• Ben Asher Morphological Hebrew Text
• Ben Asher Hebrew Text
• Interlinear Greek New Testament
• Byzantine Majority Greek Text, 1991
• Tischendorf Greek NT, 1872
• Textus Receptus Text, TR-1550
• Westcott Hort Greek Text, 1881
• Syriac Peshitta New Testament, 1905
• Jerome's 405 A.D., Latin Vulgate

Apocrypha

• 1769 Oxford Apocrypha
• 1957 RSV Apocrypha
• LXX Apocrypha
• Jerome's Latin Apocrypha
• 1899 Douay Rheims Apocrypha
• Apocrophal Book of Jasher
• New Testament Apocrypha

Greek

• Online Bible Greek Lexicon
• NAS Greek - English Lexicon
• Strong's Greek - English Lexicon

Hebrew

• Online Bible Hebrew - English Lexicon
• NAS Hebrew - English Lexicon
• Strong's Hebrew - English Lexicon

Dictionaries

• American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
• The Scripture Alphabet of Animals
• Word Dictionary for Archaic Words
• Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
• Concise Bible Dictionary - Morish
• Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia
• Dictionary of Theology
• Easton's Revised Bible Dictionary
• Fausset's Bible Dictionary
• Greek Index on Greek-English Lexicon
• Definitions & Symbols from: Two Babylons
• Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
• International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia
• Latin Vulgate Dictionary
• Nave's Topical Bible
• English Words often Misused
• 1999 Smith's Revised Bible Dictionary
• Shaff/Herzog Encyclopedia Biblical Terms

Commentaries

• Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
• PS, ISA and ACTS by J.A. Alexander
• St. Augustine Homilies,Tracts, Expositions
• Barnes NT Notes
• St. Basil's Homilies on Genesis 1
• Bengel's commentary on Philemon
• A commentary on Leviticus by Bonar
• Matthew Commentary - Gijs van den Brink
• Matthew - Broadus, John A.
• Calvin's Commentaries
• Bible Difficulties by Gleason Archer
• Eclectic Notes on the Bible - Greenhough
• Expositor's Bible Commentary
• Family New Testament Notes
• The Four Fold Gospel
• 1599 Geneva Bible Footnotes
• John Gill's Expositor
• SONG OF SOLOMON By John Gill
• Commentaries by Charles Hodge
• Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary
• BW Johnson Commentary - Gospel of John
• Exposition of Genesis - H. C. Leupold D.D.
• Ga, Php, Col, Phm, 1&2Th, Ro, 1Co & Eph1
• John Lightfoot commentaries on the NT
• Luther's Commentary on Galatians
• EXPOSITIONS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
• Revised Matthew Henry Commentary
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• New American Standard Cross References
• Newell on Romans
• Newell's Commentaries on Rom-Heb-Rev
• Pink's Gleanings
• Pink on Hebrews
• Peoples New Testament Notes
• Matthew Poole's Commentary
• Candlish; Bunyan; Ryle & Hodge
• Robertson's NT Word Pictures
• Gospels (1816-1900) - Ryle, J. C.
• 1917 Scofield Reference Bible Notes
• Various Sermon Outlines
• Popular Exposition of Matthew
• Treasury of David - Charles Spurgeon
• John Trapp's Commentary
• Parables & Miracles by our Lord by Trench
• Word Studies in the New Testament

Themes

• Verse Theme Index

Xrefs

• Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Books

• The New Answer Book (AiG)
• One Blood (AiG)
• Gay Marriage (AiG)
• Revised Quote Book (AiG)
• Modern Tracts (AiG)
• On Cleaving to God (Albert the Great)
• State of the Dead (Alford, Henry)
• The Works of J. Arminius (Arminius)
• The Incarnation of The Word (Athanasius)
• City of God (Augustine)
• Confessions (Augustine)
• Augustine Life, Work, Confessions, Letters (Augustine)
• Daily Light of the Daily Path (Bagster, J.)
• The Epistle of Barnabas (Barnabas)
• The Atonement (Barnes, Albert)
• The Reformed Pastor (Baxter, Richard)
• The Saints' Everlasting Rest (Baxter, Richard)
• Sermons (Baxter, Richard)
• Acts (Codex Beazae)
• Inspiration of Scripture (Boettner, Loraine)
• The Reformed Faith (Boettner, Loraine)
• God's Way of Peace (Bonar, Horatius)
• Sermons (Boston, Thomas)
• The Crook in the Lot (Boston, Thomas)
• Prayer (Bounds, E. M.)
• The Weapon of Prayer (Bounds, E. M.)
• When the Holy Ghost is Come (Brengl, Col S. L.)
• The Practice of the Presence (Brother Lawrence)
• NT Documents (Bruce, F. F.)
• Training of the Twelve (Bruce, A. B.)
• The Appendices to the Companion Bible (Bullinger, E. W.)
• How to Enjoy the Bible (Bullinger, E. W.)
• Witness of the Stars (Bullinger, E. W.)
• The Life and Death of Mr. Badman (Bunyan, John)
• Life and Work of Christ (Bunyan, John)
• Grace Abounding (Bunyan, John)
• The Holy War (Bunyan, John)
• The Pharisee and the Publican (Bunyan, John)
• Pilgrim's Progress (Bunyan, John)
• Acceptable Sacrifice (Bunyan, John)
• A Few Sighs from Hell (Bunyan, John)
• Latin and French Bibliography of Calvin (Importantia Publishing)
• Institutes of the Christian Religion (Calvin, John)
• Calvin's Book Introductions (Calvin, John)
• Obligations of Christians (Carey, William)
• Trail of Blood (Carroll, Dr. J. M.)
• Satan (Chafer, Lewis)
• The Superstition of Divorce (Chesterton, G. K.)
• Heretics (Chesterton, G. K.)
• Orthodoxy (Chesterton, G. K.)
• The Plan of This Book (Chesterton, G. K.)
• What's Wrong with the World (Chesterton, G. K.)
• Baptist Church History (Childs, Scott)
• Fifty Years in the Church of Rome (Chiniquy, Charles)
• Bible Studies, Lectures and Tracts (Christiaanse, D. J.)
• Clavis Biblica (Clarke, Adam)
• Adam Clarke's Indexes (Clarke, Adam)
• Christian Theology (Clarke, Adam)
• 1 Clement (Clement)
• 2 Clement (Clement)
• Definitions of Doctrine (Cole, C. D.)
• The Biblical Doctrine of Election (Cole, C. D.)
• The Life and Epistles of St Paul (Conybeare, W. J.)
• The Five Points of Calvinism (Dabney, R. L.)
• Synopsis of the Books of the Bible (Darby, J. N.)
• Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Edersheim, Alfred)
• The Bible History of Old Testament (Edersheism, Alfred)
• Sketches of Jewish Social Life (Edersheim, Alfred)
• The Temple (Edersheim, Alfred)
• Freedom of the Will (Edwards, Jonathan)
• Religious Affections (Edwards, Jonathan)
• Sermons (Edwards, Jonathan)
• Book of Enoch
• Church History (Eusebius)
• The Writing of Eusebius (Eusebius)
• Typology of Scripture (Fairbain, Patrick)
• Justification by Faith (Finney, Charles)
• Some Lectures (Finney, Charles)
• Series of Lectures in Outline Form (Finney, Charles)
• Lectures to Professing Christians (Finney, Charles)
• Memoirs of Revival (Finney, Charles)
• Lectures on Pastoral Theology (Finney, Charles)
• Power from on High (Finney, Charles)
• Systematic Theology (Finney, Charles)
• Revival Fire (Finney, Charles)
• Revival Lectures (Finney, Charles)
• Sermons on Gospel Themes (Finney, Charles)
• Sermons on Important Subjects (Finney, Charles)
• Some Selected Sermons (Finney, Charles)
• An Autobiography (Fox, George)
• Fox's Book of Martyrs (Fox, John)
• Work of Christ (Gaebelein, A. C.)
• Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Gibbon, Edward)
• The Cause of God and Truth (Gill, John)
• Body of Divinity (Gill, John)
• Prefaces to John Gill's Works (Gill, John)
• Sermons (Gill, John)
• The Doctrine of the Trinity (Gill, John)
• Hebrew Vowels Points (Gill, John)
• Sermons (Goodwin, Thomas)
• Sermons (Griffin, Edward)
• Christian's Great Interest (Guthrie)
• Briefs: or Addresses in Sermon Outlines (Harris, Reader)
• Why Won't They Listen (Ham, Ken)
• The Lie (Ham, Ken)
• I Want the Earth (Hannigan, Larry)
• History of the Church of God (Hassell)
• The Heidelberg Catechism ()
• The Two Babylons (Hislop, Alexander)
• Essays and Reviews (Hodge, Charles)
• Systematic Theology (Hodge, Charles)
• Outlines of Theology (Hodge, A. A.)
• Hymnal for the with Words and Music (Ernie Spelman)
• A History of the English Baptist (Ivimey, J.)
• Prefaces to the Vulgate (Jerome)
• Revised Works of Josephus (Josephus)
• The School of Calvary (Jowett, Dr. J. H.)
• Imitations of Christ (Kempis, Thomas a)
• Theologia Germanica (Kingsley, Charles)
• Many Thoughts of Many Minds (Klopsch)
• Koran Topical Material
• The Way to Divine Knowledge (Law, William)
• Of Justification of Faith and Works (Law, William)
• A Serious Call To A Devout And Holy Life (Law, William)
• Grounds And Reasons Of Regeneration (Law, William)
• The Spirit Of Love (Law, William)
• An Appeal To All Who Doubt (Law, William)
• A Demonstration of the Errors (Law, William)
• The London Baptist Confession of Faith
• The Didache (Lightfoot, J. B.)
• The Legends of the Jews (Louis Ginzberg)
• Commentary on Galatians (Luther, Martin)
• Large Catechism (Luther, Martin)
• Romans (Luther, Martin)
• The Life and Works of MacDonald (MacDonald)
• The Deity of Christ (Machen, J. Gresham)
• Christian Faith in the Modern World (Machen, J. Gresham)
• Christianity & Liberalism (Machen, J. Gresham)
• The Virgin Birth of Christ (Machen, J. Gresham)
• Selected Works (Mackintosh, C. H.)
• Sermons (Maclaren, Alexander)
• Sermons (Manton, Thomas)
• Maps & Charts
• Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation (Mauro, Philip)
• Evolution at the Bar (Mauro, Philip)
• The Gospel of the Kingdom (Mauro, Philip)
• The Hope of Israel (Mauro, Philip)
• A Study of the King James Version (McAfee, Cleveland Boyd)
• A Guide to Bible Study (McGarvey, J.W.)
• Class Notes on Sacred History (McGarvey, J.W.)
• Sermons (M'Cheyne, Robert Murray)
• Bible Lands (McGarvey, J. W.)
• Jesus and Jonah (McGarvey, J. W.)
• Eclectic Reader Primer (McGuffy)
• First Eclectic Reader (McGuffy)
• Second Eclectic Reader (McGuffy)
• Third Eclectic Reader (McGuffy)
• Fourth Eclectic Reader (McGuffy)
• Fifth Eclectic Reader (McGuffy)
• Sixth Eclectic Reader (McGuffy)
• The Way into Holiness (Meyer, F. B.)
• The Secret of Guidance (Meyer, F. B.)
• Note Prefaces
• Atonement Sufficiency Examined (Mink, O. B.)
• Heaven (Moody, D. L.)
• The Secret Power (Moody, D. L.)
• Prevailing Prayer: What hinders it? (Moody, D. L.)
• 10 Commandments (Moody, D. L.)
• Way To God (Moody, D. L.)
• Questions & Answers on Bible and Science (Morris, Dr. Henry)
• The Young Earth (Morris, Dr. John)
• Outlines of Christian Doctrine (Moule, HCG)
• The Deeper Christian Life (Murray, Andrew)
• Divine Healing (Murray, Andrew)
• The Master's Indwelling (Murray, Andrew)
• Helps to Intercession (Murray, Andrew)
• The Lord's Table (Murray, Andrew)
• School of Obedience (Murray, Andrew)
• Studies on Prayer (Murray, Andrew)
• With Christ in the School of Prayer (Murray, Andrew)
• Absolute Surrender (Murray, Andrew)
• The True Vine (Murray, Andrew)
• The Two Covenants (Murray, Andrew)
• Working for God (Murray, Andrew)
• Essays on Marriage (Need, Ovid)
• Antidote to Arminianism (Ness, Christopher)
• Daniel and Revelation Commentary (Newton, Issac)
• The Only Defense (Noe, John)
• Revelation Articles (Ogden, Arthur M.)
• Bible Prefaces
• Catechisms and Confessions of Faith
• Jeanne d'Arc Her Life and Death (Oliphant)
• History of Canada (Ontario Dept. of Education)
• Ontario Reader Primer (Ontario Dept. of Education)
• Ontario Reader 1 (Ontario Dept. of Education)
• Ontario Reader 2 (Ontario Dept. of Education)
• Ontario Reader 3 (Ontario Dept. of Education)
• Ontario Reader 4 (Ontario Dept. of Education)
• Ontario Reader 5 (Ontario Dept. of Education)
• Ontario Reader 5 by Gage (Ontario Dept. of Education)
• On Prayer (Origen)
• Cases of Conscience (Owen, John)
• Duty of a Pastor (Owen, John)
• Evidences of the Faith of God's Elect (Owen, John)
• The Glory of Christ (Owen, John)
• Gospel Charity (Owen, John)
• Gospel Charity (Owen, John)
• Worship of God (Owen, John)
• Of Communion With God (Owen, John)
• Doctrine of The Trinity (Owen, John)
• Christologia (Owen, John)
• Exposition On Psalm 130 (Owen, John)
• A Vindication of Some Passages (Owen, John)
• Two Short Catechisms (Owen, John)
• On Remarriage After Divorce (Owen, John)
• Justification by Faith (Owen, John)
• Mortification of Sin in Believers (Owen, John)
• Sermons (Owen, John)
• The Enticement of Indwelling Sin (Owen, John)
• Temptation (Owen, John)
• Facts of Life (Parker, Gary)
• Complete Work (Philo)
• Sermons (Philpot, J. C.)
• Essays on Chronology (Pierce, Larry)
• The Attributes of God (Pink, A. W.)
• The Beatitudes (Pink, A. W.)
• The Christian Sabath (Pink, A. W.)
• Comfort for Christians (Pink, A. W.)
• The Life of David (Pink, A. W.)
• Dispensationalism (Pink, A. W.)
• Divine Healing: Is it Spiritual? (Pink, A. W.)
• The Doctrine of Revelation (Pink, A. W.)
• The Doctrine of Election (Pink, A. W.)
• Eternal Punishment (Pink, A. W.)
• Eternal Security (Pink, A. W.)
• Saving Faith (Pink, A. W.)
• Gleanings in Paul (Pink, A. W.)
• Gleanings in the Godhead (Pink, A. W.)
• The Holy Spirit (Pink, A. W.)
• The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (Pink, A. W.)
• Interpretation of the Scriptures (Pink, A. W.)
• The Doctrine of Justification (Pink, A. W.)
• The Law and the Saint (Pink, A. W.)
• The Life of Faith (Pink, A. W.)
• The Lord's Prayer (Pink, A. W.)
• The Prophetic Parable of Mt 13 (Pink, A. W.)
• Profiting from the Word of God (Pink, A. W.)
• Regeneration or the New Birth (Pink, A. W.)
• The Doctrine of Sanctification (Pink, A. W.)
• Satisfaction of Christ (Pink, A. W.)
• An Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount (Pink, A. W.)
• Seven Sayings from the Cross (Pink, A. W.)
• Sovereignty of God (Pink, A. W.)
• Spiritual Growth (Pink, A. W.)
• Man's Spiritual Impotance (Pink, A. W.)
• Ten Commandments (Pink, A. W.)
• Tithing (Pink, A. W.)
• The Total Depravity of Man (Pink, A. W.)
• Why Four Gospels (Pink, A. W.)
• People's NT Book Introductions (Johnson, B. W.)
• Don't Call it Worship Unless... (Pontier, Arthur)
• Bible Studies by Acts 17:11 (Porter, Mick)
• Can God Tell Time? (Preston, Don, K.)
• Archaeology of Old Testament (Pritchard, James)
• 1650 Scotish Psalter
• Queensland Fifth Reader (Queensland Department of Education)
• The Letters to the Seven Churches (Ramsay, W. M.)
• Paul the Traveler & Roman Citizen (Ramsay, W. M.)
• The Blood of Jesus (Reid, Rev William)
• Sketches of Church History (Robertson, Rev. J. C.)
• Word Pictures' Prefaces (Robertson, A. T.)
• The Parousia (Russell, James)
• The Duties of Parents (Ryle, J. C.)
• Holiness (Ryle, J. C.)
• Practical Religion (Ryle, J. C.)
• Tracts and Sermons (Ryle, J. C.)
• Warnings to the Churches (Ryle, J. C.)
• The Divine Art of Soul Winning (Sanders, J. O.)
• Refuting Compromise (Sarfati, Jonathan)
• Refuting Evolution Vol 1 (Sarfati, Jonathan)
• Refuting Evolution Vol 2 (Sarfati, Jonathan)
• History of the Christian Church (Schaff)
• Nonsuch Professor (Secker, William)
• The Doctrine on Hell (Shedd, William)
• Homiletics (Shedd, William)
• Sermons to the Natural Man (Shedd, William)
• Pastoral Theology (Shedd, William)
• In His Steps (Sheldon, Charles)
• The Shepherd of Hermas
• Unmasking Pre-Trib Fallacies (Simmons, Larry)
• Preparation for the Lord's Supper (Snaddon, Dan)
• Commenting on Commentaries (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• Selections from Autobiography (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• Death of the Christian (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• Faith's Checkbook (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• Farm Sermons (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• The Greatest Fight in the World (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• All of Grace (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• John Ploughman's Talk (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• Lectures to My Students (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• Morning and Evening (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• The Soul-Winner (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• Till He Comes (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• Around the Wicket Gate (Spurgeon, C. H.)
• What Happened in AD 70 (Stevens, Edward)
• Sermons (Sunday, Billy)
• Commentary on Revelation (Taylor, Elder Charles)
• On Prayer (Tertullian)
• Verse Themes (Larry Pierce)
• The Life of Dr. John Owen (Thompson, Andrew)
• The Primitive Teacher (Thompson, G. M.)
• Revival Sermons (Torrey, R. A.)
• New Topical Text Book (Torrey, R. A.)
• Vest Pocket Companion (Torrey, R. A.)
• Why I believe the Bible is the Word of God (Torrey, R. A.)
• Preface and Index to Trapp's Commentary (Trapp, John)
• Strange Fire (Travers and Jewel van der Merwe)
• Tabernacle of Israel (Tyler, Chris)
• The Mercies of a Covenant God (John Warburton)
• Selected Works (Warfield, B. B.)
• Beatitudes: Exposition of Mt 5:1-12 (Watson, Thomas)
• The Body of Divinity (Watson, Thomas)
• Sermons (Watson, Thomas)
• Journals (Wesley, John)
• A Token for Children (Wesley, John)
• Sermons (Wesley, John)
• The Westminster Confession of Faith ()
• Prefaces to the Weymouth N.T. (Weymouth)
• Sermons (Whitefield, George)
• Lord Teach Us To Pray (Whyte, Alexander)
• Stones and Bones (Wieland, Dr. Carl)
• Faith that Prevails (Wigglesworth, Smith)
• Manners and Customs of Bible Lands (Wight, Fred)
• The ABC's of Biblical Archaeology (Wilson, Dr. Clifford)
• Thoughts on Prayer (Windridge, F.)
• The History of Protestantism (Wylie, J. A.)
• Papacy (Wylie, J. A.)
• Prefaces - Living Oracles (Owen, John)

Koran

• Koran by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (William Brown)
• Koran by Pickthal
• Koran by Shakir
• Koran by Yusuf Ali

Non-English resources

• More than 400 Bibles, commentaries, lexicons, and books written in Afrikaans, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, and more! View a complete contents listing.

Available for an additional royalty fee

• New American Standard Version (NASV), 1977/1995
• New International Version (NIV), 1984
• New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), 1989
• New Living Translation (NLT), 1989
• Amplified Bible
• George M. Lamsa Translation, 1933
• Complete Jewish Bible
• Preface to the Complete Jewish Bible

The leader in freeware

The freeware program, Online Bible, has assumed a prominent role among computer Bible study programs. The program's author, Larry Pierce, believes the Bible should be freely shared, so he allows anyone to freely copy and distribute everything in his program except for a few copyrighted commentaries and translations (such as the NIV and NASB).

Ten years ago, Pierce began by compiling a lexicon for the computer from several nineteenth-century sources, and adding James Strong's numbers to the mix. A century ago, Strong had assigned a number to every word in the Bible. He also prepared Hebrew and Greek lexicons to show the definitions and uses of each word in the Bible.

When Pierce embedded Strong's numbers into a computer-coded KJV text, he revolutionized how tens of thousands of people study the Bible. Now anyone can click on a number beside a word in the KJV and see the original Hebrew or Greek (in the original language or spelled phonetically) and a definition for that word.

Since then Online Bible has added an amazing number of resources. The latest Windows CD-ROM comes with more than a dozen English translations, more than 30 foreign translations, plus Hebrew and Greek translations, a half-dozen commentaries, and more than 5,000 "topics" (miscellaneous text files and images).

"You can let time winnow out the chaff for you," says Pierce, referring to the classic commentaries in his program. As with other freeware and shareware programs, most commentaries are older: Matthew Henry's Commentary, written between 1708 and 1710; John Gill's nine-volume expository on the Bible, published in 1809; and B. W. Johnson's 1889 People's New Testament Commentary.

Also typical of freeware and shareware, the user interface in Online Bible is spartan. You won't find icons on the toolbar, only labels, such as "View Passage." Nor is using the program as intuitive as in some commercial Bible study programs. For example, editing notes in Online Bible 7.0 is still a two-step process. First you pull up the notes screen. Then you choose "Edit notes" to activate a note editor. There is also no provision for searching your notes or the "topics." (That will be part of a future release, says Pierce.)

The low budget for development shows in the maps too. Online Bible includes 25 maps, but they can't be modified. You can't, for instance, "zoom in" on them or label where certain events took place (as some commercial programs allow).

The new version now allows for the extensive use of the right mouse button. You can set up a list of default translations and study aids (i.e., commentaries and dictionaries). Online Bible can do wildcard searches (e.g., enter "lov*" to find instances of love, loved, loving, lover, etc.), proximity searches (to find where two words are used within so many words of each other), and boolean (and, or, not) searches. You can also search for an "ambiguous phrase." Entering "Jesus . . . Christ," for instance, searches for phrases that begin with "Jesus" and end with "Christ."

The latest Windows version, Online Bible 7.0, comes in both a 16-bit version, for Windows 3.1 and OS/2, and a 32-bit version, for Windows 95. The Online Bible for Macintosh is nearly identical. A DOS version is also still available. The program and resources can be downloaded and copied freely, but doing so will take hours. That alone might make one of the available CD-ROMs ($30-$79 from Online Bible USA) sound attractive. For more information call 800/243-7124, or check the still-developing Web site: biblecd.com.

Best of the rest

Also worth a look are two shareware programs. (A shareware program can be freely copied and tested; if you decide to use it, you are expected to pay for your copy.)

God's Word 2.0 comes with three public domain translations (including the KJV), Strong's numbers with Greek and Hebrew lexicons, two Bible dictionaries, and Matthew Henry's Commentary.

The interface for SwordSearcher 97, a Windows 95 program, is a bit more intuitive than the one in God's Word 2.0. You can open up three possible windows: for a verse or reference list, a Bible passage, and your notes. All appear as file folders on your desktop. You can also synchronize the passage window and the notes window (as you can in Online Bible). Finding personal notes is also easier in SwordSearcher than in other programs.

In addition, the following can be downloaded from the SwordSearcher Web site: the 1917 Scofield Notes, the Geneva Bible footnotes, Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, the People's New Testament Commentary, and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. On the down side, SwordSearcher currently lacks Strong's numbers.

God's Word 2.0 is $25 for a CD-ROM, $45 for diskettes. Discounts are available for additional copies and site licenses. Missionary organizations are free to make copies of a registered copy. Call 800/414-4268 for orders, or check the Web site (islandnet.com/~rintoul) for more information. SwordSearcher 97 is $45 plus $3 shipping for a CD-ROM, payable to Brandon Staggs, P.O. Box 1019, Hanalei, HI 96714, or by credit card through the Web site (swordsearcher.com).

Internet Bibles

You don't have to pay for diskettes or a CD-ROM if you have a modem. Several searchable Bibles are available on the Internet. Two of the best are the Bible Gateway (biblegateway.com) and the Goshen Online Study Library (goshen.net/osl).

With each you can search the Bible by Scripture reference or keywords. Both include some modern translations besides the old standards. The Bible Gateway includes the RSV, NASB, and NIV, and the Goshen site (still in testing stage as this was written) includes the RSV and NRSV. Each also offers some older commentaries, such as Matthew Henry's. A third site, the Blueletter Bible (blueletterbible.org) has only the KJV but allows you to look at the Strong's numbers or the original Hebrew and Greek.

A different approach is taken at World Wide Study Bible (ccel.org/wwsb) and Biblical Studies Foundation (bible.org). These two sites emphasize the interpretation of Scriptures. At the World Wide Study Bible, you can search for a lesson or sermon on a particular passage. Authors range from heavyweights such as St. Augustine and Charles Spurgeon to current pastors who have submitted their own sermons.

The Biblical Studies Foundation (BSF) site is intended to be a theological library on the Web, with lessons, commentaries and discussion forums, as well as a searchable Bible. The idea for it came from Hampton Keathley IV, who now oversees the Web site. Four years ago, he was searching the Internet for material to help prepare Bible lessons. All he found were sites for religious publishers. "I just could never find any content," says Keathley. "It was only, 'Hi, we're open for business.' "

The NET Bible is ambitious. The "NET" stands not only for the Internet but for the New English Translation, a modern translation being put together by the folks behind the BSF site. As you read the Bible in one frame on your screen, running commentary and translator's footnotes appear in other frames. Translators have completed about half of the Old Testament and all of the New Testament books except for the book of Revelation.

Much of the contents on the Web site are also available on a CD for $20. Call 800/575-2425 or check the Web site.

Whatever your choice, don't let your budget stop you from using a computer to augment your Bible study.

Marshall Surratt, of Frisco, Texas, uses freeware, shareware, and commercial Bible study programs in his personal Bible study and as a Sunday school teacher and church librarian.

Professional Starter Kits
Some heavy-hitting programs offer low-cost demos.

Shareware and freeware programs can be a bit clunky to use and don't provide the latest in resources. Internet Bible study sites are fine, if you don't mind working through a modem, which can be slow. If you're looking for more convenience, better graphics, and more up-to-date commentaries, you may want to stick with commercial software--even if you're on a budget.

Most commercial Bible study software companies offer a demo or starter version, which you can later upgrade. These versions will likely include some (if not all) of the following: one Bible version (usually the KJV, Living Bible, or ASV), a Bible dictionary, Strong's Numbers, the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, a Topical Bible, a map set, and a devotional, such as Spurgeon's Morning and Evening or My Utmost for His Highest.

One advantage is that you'll get a streamlined, commercial interface with the starter kit. This, in itself, may be worth the price--commercial programs have undergone rigorous testing for ease-of-use and speed, and usually feel better to the average user.

"Starter kits" are available for $50 or less from these and other companies:

• Biblesoft (800/995-9058 or biblesoft.com)
• Epiphany Software (800/333-BIBLE or bible-explorer.com)
• Logos Research Systems (800/87-LOGOS or logos.com)
• NavPress Software (800/888-9898 or wordsearchbible.com)
• Nelson Electronic Publishing (800/933-9673 or nelsonworddirect.com).
• OakTree (accordancebible.com for a Macintosh-based Accordance demo)
• Parsons Technology (800-644-6344 or parsonstech.com/biblestudy)