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Reading the Bible

This page covers how to read the Bible with this app, including navigation, translations, display modes, and reading several passages at once.

The Bible pane​

By default, verse numbers appear as numbers beside the text. The pane toolbar holds the back and history buttons, the bookmark menu, the translation selector, the display mode selector, Parallel, the text settings (gear) button, and the previous and next chapter buttons. The chapter heading at the top of the text shows the current book and chapter.

The Bible pane in Standard mode, showing Psalm 23

Book and chapter picker. Click the chapter heading at the top of the text. Choose a book from the list, then a chapter number.

The book and chapter picker open, showing the book list and the grid of chapter buttons

Search bar. Type a reference (John 3:16, Romans 8, Gen 1:1-5) and press Enter. Ctrl+G moves to the search bar so you can type a reference. See Searching.

Chapter arrows. The previous and next chapter buttons in the toolbar, and the arrows beside the chapter heading, move one chapter at a time, across book boundaries. Alt+Down and Alt+Up go to the next and previous chapter.

History. The back button (or Alt+Left) returns to the previous passage. For example, after following a cross-reference, going back returns you to the passage you came from. The Navigation History button beside it lists the passages you have visited, most recent first. Click one to go to it.

Selecting a verse​

Click a verse to select it. The study tabs (commentary, dictionary, cross-references, topics) update to the selected verse. To select a range, click the first verse, then shift-click the last.

Switching translations​

The translation button in the toolbar shows the current translation and opens the list of your installed translations. Switching keeps you on the same passage. Translations in a language other than the interface language have a language prefix. The filter box at the top of the list finds a translation by name.

The translation selector open, with its filter box and the installed translations

Parallel view​

The Parallel button in the toolbar shows translations side by side, one column per translation, aligned by verse. You can have up to 4 translations displayed at once.

Parallel view needs at least two installed translations. With only one, the button opens the Module Manager on the Bibles tab.

Parallel view with two translations in columns against the same verses

Display modes​

The display mode selector in the toolbar has three modes.

Standard gives each verse its own line. If the translation contains footnote markers, cross-reference indicators, and section headings, those are shown also.

The same passage in Standard mode, with its footnote and cross-reference markers

Reading shows the text as continuous paragraphs, without verse numbers.

A passage in Reading mode: continuous paragraphs without verse numbers

Study adds a row of check boxes above the text: Show Interlinear, Show Footnotes, Show Cross-References, and Show Commentary Links. With the interlinear shown, each word has its original-language form (if provided by that particular translation's module), transliteration, Strong's number, and morphology code. Stacked Layout and Inline Layout choose how the interlinear is arranged. Interlinear data must be in the module; see Study Tools.

The same passage in Study mode, showing the interlinear stack under each word

Multiple passages​

The Bible pane supports multiple tabs. Open a new tab with the + button in the tab bar, click a tab to switch to it, and close a tab with its close button. Tabs are saved with the session.

You can also split the Bible pane or pop a passage out into its own window. See Sessions & Layout.

Text appearance​

Font, text size, line height, and red-letter text for the words of Christ are adjustable from the gear button. See Personalizing.