Bible Software Recommendations

There are many bible software CDs around, often listing innumerable bible versions and commentaries. Read the contents of any CDs carefully. Often you will find that the list (on both cheap and expensive CDs) is out of copyright (i.e. old) commentaries and bible versions (often in Spanish, German and French!). Indeed some of the cheapest CDs do not have the NRSV or NIV because of the copyright costs. If you haven't seen it in your local Christian bookshop then take a hermeneutic of suspicion. The most expensive packages, however, are only for the Greek and Hebrew Scholar!

My checklist of the must have basics for WEMTC students would be:

• KJV King James version
• New Revised Standard Version (Anglicised if possible)
• An Apocrypha

• A one volume Commentary that you would be prepared to buy in the shop - New Bible Commentary, Oxford Bible Commentary, New Jerome Bible Commentary. (Matthew Henry comes with many systems but is very dated, nevertheless its better than unknown commentaries)
• A Bible Dictionary that you would be prepared to buy in a shop (New Bible Dictionary, Nelson's Bible Dictionary)
• Other mainstream Bible versions such as New International Version NIV, Jerusalem JB, New Jerusalem NJB, New King James NKJV, the Message, Good News, New Living Translation NLT, Tanakh, Contemporary English Version CEV, Revised Standard Version RSV, English Standard Version ESV, New Century NCB.
• A set of Maps
• Strong's numbering
• Theological Wordbook of OT (Harris, Archer, Waltke)
• Theological Dictionary (Kittel or Brown)
• Important Historical Works (Wesley's Sermons, Calvin, Luther, Augustine etc)
• Bible Timelines
• Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary
• Gospel Parallels - although with good software you can create your own.

• Nestle Aland Greek New Testament 27th ed or higher
• or UBS Greek New Testament 4th ed or higher
• Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensia Hebrew Bible 1990 4th ed or higher(Old Testament)
• Rahlf's Septuaginta (Greek Old Testament)
• Biblia Sacra Vulgata (Latin Bible)
• A fully accented and pointed Greek and Hebrew font
• Friberg's Analytical Lexicon of New Testament -or- Louw-Nida Greek NT Lexicon -or- Thayer's Unabridged Greek English Lexison
• Brown-Driver-Briggs Unabridged Hebrew- English Lexicon

The Internet is not 100% reliable and documents move, disappear and change their names. If you find a link does not work, try again in an hour, a day, or a week. But do feel free to email us to report a link doesn't work. Don't forget to tell us the name of the link!

If you use some bible software that you feel is worth recommending to other WEMTC students then please fill out this form to tell us about it. Software developers and software sellers are welcome to recommend their software but listing will be at the discretion of the webmaster. If possible, find someone who uses the software and get a personal recommendation. Even better try it out. Some Christian bookshops have facilities to do this. Otherwise look at screen shots in the brochures and on the web sites and check out the specifications.

NB Some prices are in English pounds, some euros and some in American dollars, depending on the supplier - so check the currency before comparing prices! You may like to know that in updating prices in 2004 most packages were found to be cheaper than in 2001.

Free Bible Software

E-Sword Bible

Online Bible

Crosswire's Sword Project

Theophilos Bible

Online resources

Crosswire's Bible Tool

Crosswire together with the American Bible Society and SBL has set up this online Bible resource which has innumerable foreign language versions as well as the classic English texts including all Bible Society texts

CCEL Worldwide Study Bible

Gives links to bible versions including NRSV and commentaries (again usually older and copyright free)for each book and chapter of the bible

Gospelcom's Bible Gateway

This site lets you search and print for particular search words or verses in a variety of versions including Anglicised NIV- also useful for comparing bible versions

Crosswalk's Bible Study Tools

Similar to the above, you can see various bibles including NRSV, commentaries, concordances, dictionaries but also includes Hebrew and Greek.

Birmingham's All in One Biblical Resources

Contains links to alot of bible sites. If you are looking for a particular version then this is a quick way of finding a site that contains it.

Bible.org's NET Bible

A new translation with translators notes prepared specially for the web.

The Under £30 Bibles

The Message £19.95

Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of the Bible - you love it or you hate it

Compton's Interactive Bible £14.95

The New International Version (NIV) with a basic bible dictionary, some bible study plans and maps.

Halley's Bible Handbook £19.95

The New International Version with Halley's Commentary and other notes.

There are a few programmes in this price range that include Greek, but on the whole if you want biblical languages you need you to go up a price range.
There are two points to watch for:

1. Software that is easy to use, fast to search and doesn't break down!
2. A package that contains bibles you will use!

Scan the contents list carefully and don't be over-awed by long lists and high-sounding names. I find, even on my carefully chosen software, that 3/4 of the extras are no use to me what-so-ever (e.g. even in comparative work I have never used Darby's, Youngs or the BBE!). So decide exactly what you want and find the package that gives it for the minimum price. As a minimum for anyone studying at WEMTC I would suggest a package with:

• NRSV + Apocrypha
• Two further versions you would be happy to buy in hard copy
• Basic word and phrase search facility
• The ability to open 2 windows at a time
• The ability to copy to your word processing package
• The ability to print selected text or search results

• Strong's Numbering (allows you to trace the underlying Greek / Hebrew Words)
• a Commentary/ Study Bible Notes that you would be prepared to buy in Book form.
• Set of maps

Personally I have not used many of the following packages but believe them to be worth recommending. I would welcome a recommendation or complaint from any WEMTC student. You can buy from the website or from Sunrise Software

e-Bible

The latest Nelson product created to look and feel like a web site. It has unlockable additional books so you can upgrade as needed and is Libronix (ie Logos) compatable. It also connects to a website for interaction with other users of the software. Nelson is in the more conservative wing of the church with charismatic leanings - but then so are most bible software producers.

Discover edition £39.95 with NIV £54.95

5 bible versions (KJV, NAB, NCV, NKJV, RSV)but extra for NRSV and NIV, Matthew Henry, and Nelson's own bible dictionary, commentaries, maps etc. It also has some MIDI hymns and devotional works

Ultimate edition £49.95

7 bible versions (Darby, KJV, NAB, NCV, NKJV, NLT, NRSV with Apocrypha, RSV) NIV extra, Matthew Henry, and Nelson's own bible dictionary, commentaries, maps etc. It also has some MIDI hymns and devotional works

Standard edition £64.95, with NIV £79.95

6 bible versions (KJ, NAB, NCB, RSV, NRSV, NLT) NIV extra. Matthew Henry, Nelsons's own bible dictionary, commentarys, maps etc. Besides MIDI hymns and devotional works it has some Church History and sermon/ teaching aids. No longer listed on Sunrise

Deluxe edition £119.95 with NIV £134.95

Standard edition plus further cross referencing, study teaching aids from the Charismatic wing of the church.

Bible Explorer/WORDsearch

A new software on me, but now on Version 3. It includes search facilities, cross referencing of texts, cut and paste, printing of multiple passages. It has internet connections to download additional freebies and also has its own word processor for writing sermons with links :-) It also comes in 4 editions:

Deluxe Discovery Edition £29.95 (Sunrise Special Mar 05 £10)

4 bibles including NIV, NET, NLT, KJV. Some basic aids, Thompson's Chain Links, maps and a few devotional works. Its bible versions are not quite up to scratch for study purposes but you'd get by!

Standard Edition £59.46

12 bibles 35 reference titles and some classics. Bibles include NIV, RSV and NAV. But it does not include NRSV and Apocrypha. The commentaries include Matthew Henry, Strongs, Hebrew and Greek definitions and some Greek grammar notes, Bible Maps and some Christian classics. In my opinion the omission of NRSV and Apocrypha is serious in what would otherwise have been more than adequate for WEMTC work and general ministry. Fine for NIV lovers.

Deluxe Edition $US249.95

This has all of the Standard Edition plus 4 more bibles (NRSV + Apocrypha, NKJV, NLT, NCV) and 10 more reference books (mostly older works: Notes from Wesley and Spurgeon, Josephus etc.) They've improived the content but Sunrise was not listing it in March 05 so you'll need to see the American web site.

Premium Edition £229.95 $US299.95

See Expensive versions

Bible Study Pak

Another American bible search software I came across on the net. Costs $US49.95 and further individual add on modules are available.

iLumina

This package was being heavily promoted by Sunrise Software at the end of 2003. Its a bible with encyclopedia hypertexted in i.e. links to maps, virtual tours, timelines, animated bible stories etc. etc. Without any real knowledge about the program I would say it will widen your knowledge of the bible from an evangelical perspective but is is not a serious bible study tool and the speculative reconstructions will need a grain of salt.

ILumina Standard £40.

Has only the New Living Translation with linked media

ILumina Gold £65.

Adds New King James, better search and more media + freebies including the dispensationalist (dubious?) Left Behind Series

The Gramcord Institute

GRAMCORD Greek NT and NAS95 Bundle: $US99

A starter bundle that includes the parsed Greek NT with full search facilities, New American Standard Version 95, KJV, ASV Bibles, Greek dictionaries, Greek syntax notes, Strongs, Nave's Topical, Matthew Henry, Textus Receptus. A good basic start but buy the NRSV with Apocrypha as an important extra

Logos

Logos has been around for a long time and is almost the Microsoft of the Bible Software League. I am a late convert to Logos, firmly believing that it charges twice the price for half the value. It has however become more competitive lately and there is the new more integrated Series X. Its main advantage is that it is the only PC base that is producing quality academic commentaries on line. The bible software often comes with it as a freebie. For sheer range of good material (at a price) Logos can't be beaten. It includes excellent search facilities, cross referencing of texts, cut and paste, print multiple passages. Another pioneer in STEP format, which is a growing standard christian text format, it will read and index all other STEP products.

Rather than working on particular editions, Logos sells individual works and an ever changing set of collections. Most CDs come with extra works, bible versions etc that can be unlocked if you need them, so you only pay for what you want - a distinct advantage. If you are feeling rich have a look at the quality material that is over £160 as they don't do much under £160!:

Christian Home Library £124.95 $US149.95(Sunrise Special Jan 2004 £54)

9 bibles including NRSV. Books on Christian Living, Commentaries, Dictionaries and 100 hymns and some rather fundamentalist science/ religion works.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible

A slightly misleading title it does more than the NIV, but its commentaries and extras are primarily devoted to studying the NIV text. For some comments and more details see Kohlenberger III's advice on choosing bible software It now comes in several editions (Some are in the next category):

Zondervan NIV Study Bible 5.1 £25

2 bibles - NIV and King James. NIV Study Bible Notes, Nave's Topical, NIV Compact Dictionary and Abridged Bible Atlas. More to it than the £14.95 jobs, but a bit limited by having only one comparative text. Nevertheless if you use the NIV it would do the job.

Zondervan NIV Bible Study Library Family Edition £40

4 bibles - NIV, KJV with Apocrypha, NASB, Amplified. NIV Study Bible Notes, Nave's Topical, NIV Compact Dictionary, Concordance, 2 devotional works, Charts, photos. Costs a lot for not much.

Zondervan NIV Bible Study Library Leaders Edition £80 (Sunrise special Mar 05 £50)

6 bibles - NIV, KJV with Apocrypha, NASB, Amplified, NRSV and Darby. The commentaries and reference works are as for the Basic Library, with some extras but the main new element is the Greek and Hebrew texts.

Zondervan NIV Bible Study Library Professional Edition £160

Adds New Living Translation NLT, Dictionary of Cults, a Greek Grammar and some very old commentaries (Eadie,Godet, Lightfoot, Westcott), also some doctrinal stuff (Creeds, Calvin etc).

Zondervan NIV Bible Study Library Scholar's Edition £279.95 (Sunrise Special Mar 05 £170)

see the next section.

PC Study Bible

This program is in the expensive league but it does do 2 cut down versions, with the possibility of purchasing additional modules later. There is a 30 day free trial version.

Discovery Reference Library $US59.95

4 bibles (NKJV, KJV, ASV, NLT) with concordance, Matthew Henry's Commentary, Nelson's Bible Dictionary and maps. i.e. the real basics without much dross.

New Reference Library $US146.95

5 bibles (NIV, NKJV, KJV, ASV, NLT) a couple of commentaries and dictionaries and some study aids.

QuickVerse

QuickVerse has been around since 1989 and has proved very reliable and resilient. I note that in Jan 2004 Sunrise Software was only selling the PDA versions so the prices are American, I hope this was simply because they were waiting for the new version. It is now on Version 8 and there are demos on the website. It includes search facilities, cross referencing of texts, cut and paste, print multiple passages. A pioneer in STEP format, which is a growing standard christian text format, it will read and index all other STEP products. It comes in 3 PC editions and there is a comparison chart on the web:

Standard $US99.95

9 bibles 16 reference titles and 16 classics. Bibles include New King James, NRSV with Apocrypha and the Message. (You would need to check on the NIV!) Matthew Henry, Cambridge Study Bible Notes for NRSV, Strongs, Hebrew and Greek definitions, Bible Atlas and some Christian classics. This package should be more than adequate for WEMTC work and general ministry.

Expanded $US199.95

This has all of the Standard Edition plus 1 more bibles (New Century Version) and 28 more reference books (IVP Bible Commentary Background, Keil and Delitsch, Whos Who in Christian History etc.). Unless any of the extras really appeal, stick with the Standard Version.

Deluxe $US299.95

See Expensive versions

WORDsearch

Thompson Chain Reference £34.95

Of all the WORDsearch options this looks the best one to chase up. 6 bible versions including I think NIV and NRSV, Living Bible and Message. Various basic commentaries, dictionaries and encyclopedias, Theological Wordbook of OT and 21 vols on Evangelism and Church Growth, 18 on Marriage and Family Counselling and 18 on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare.

Bible Discovery Library £39.95 $US49.95

9 bible translations but nothing modern (i.e. no NIV, NRSV), 3 commentaries including Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, 2 dictionaries, some Greek and Hebrew Helps and some classic works, maps and photos as well as LessonMaker

Greek and Hebrew Library £169.95 $US249.95 (Sunrise Special Jan 2004 £38.16)

Seems to have KJV and then Greek with NRSV and NIV interlinear. No parsing or searching of Greek grammar that I can see. I'd go for a proper academic language program if you are forking out this much. The Sunrise Special price seems much better suited to what you get.

Enhanced Discipleship Library £225.00 $US299.95

The above plus LessonMaker to help you plan fairly conservative (both in style and content) bible studies. But then the Discovery version also has this for £38!

Bible Explorer/WORDsearch

A new software on me, but now on Version 3. Like QuickVerse it is really in the general English versions but it has lately made excursions into biblical languages. There is a cheap Greek version listed in the under £160 category

Premium Edition £229.95 $US299.95 (Mar 05 special)

This is he Deluxe Edition (a href="#bexplore")as above plus more works i.e. 17 bibles including the Message plus 53 other works including Barclay's NT Commentaries, the Theological Wordbook of the OT and Edersheim's Life and Times of Jesus. Personally I wouldn't find the extras worth it, it would be cheaper to create your own system with Logos!

Bible Works by Hermeneutika

Bible Works version 6 £220.00 $US299.95

The program includes 8 different Greek texts, the Hebrew, the Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate (not available on Gramcord) with bible language tools. 21 English bibles (including NKJV, NIV, NRSV with Apocrypha, New Living Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and the Jewish Publication Society Tanakh), innumerable foreign language versions (anyone for Indonesian?) and the usual assortment of reference works some of which may even be useful.

The Gramcord Institute

GRAMCORD Greek NT and NAS95 Bundle: $US99

A starter bundle that includes the parsed Greek NT with full search facilities, New American Standard Version 95, KJV, ASV Bibles, Greek dictionaries, Greek syntax notes, Strongs, Nave's Topical, Matthew Henry, Textus Receptus. A good basic start but buy the NRSV with Apocrypha as an important extra

GRAMCORD GNT/HMT/LXX Scholar's Bundle: $US178

Adds to the aforementioned $US99 bundle both the Hebrew bible with full parsing and the parsed Septuagint. With the addition of the NRSV plus Apocrypha this has all the Hebrew and Greek scholar needs

GRAMCORD GNT/HMT/LXX Scholar's Special Bundle: $US195

If you are going to add the NRSV, you will may as well get another version cut price. This adds two more Bible translations ( 2of NIV, RSV, NRSV, NKJV) to the Scholar's Bundle. It is, I understand, the most popular choice. It would be mine if I was starting over.

GRAMCORD Greek NT/LXX Bundle: $US155

Similar to the $US178 Scholar's Bundle but no Hebrew modules except NAS Hebrew Dictionary.

GRAMCORD GNT/HMT/LXX Ultimate Bundle: $US235

This is the Scholar's bundle with 10 Bible modules and all associated lexicons/dictionaries (including Louw/Nida) -- plus a free bonus program or textbook! As modules can be bought singly, cost it out to see if you want all the extras. If you do this is the way to go.

Logos

Logos has been around for a long time and is almost the Microsoft of the Bible Software League. I am a late convert to Logos, believing that it charges twice the price for half the value. It has however become more competitive lately. Its main advantage is that it is the only PC base that is producing quality commentaries and other support material for the computer. The bible software comes with it as a freebie in some cases. For sheer range of good material (at a price) Logos can't be beaten.

Rather than working on particular editions, Logos sells individual works and an ever changing set of collections - the below are samples as at Jan 2004 - but collections seem to change annually if not more frequently. Most CDs come with extra works, bible versions etc that can be unlocked if you need them, so you only pay for what you want. A new version 'Series X' was produced in 2002. Logos recommend upgrading for those with older Logos versions however as yet not all the additional works are Series X compatible so I'm still hanging on to the old version. The following collections are worth considering if you are feeling rich:

Bible Study Library £209.95 $US249.95

For house group or youth leaders and Sunday School teachers. At least 7 good bibles including NIV, and NRSV. Approx 100 reference titles including IVP New Bible Commentary and Dictionary, bible study notes and Bible Maps. I still think you could do as well for half the price.

Pastor's Library £249.95 $US299.95

8 good bibles including Anglicised NRSV and NIV. About 160 reference titles including assorted commentaries and bible study notes, Bible Maps, sermon outlines, fresh ideas series and some leadership aids. Check if you really want to use all this.

Original Languages £339.95 $US399.95

Contains Greek and Hebrew bibles, along with Septuagint and Vulgate but you have to pay extra for decent modern versions such as NIV (it comes only with KJV, NKJV, NASB and NRSV). It has the New Bible Commentary and Dictionary leaving out the lesser works and 50 other reference works, but Gramcord and BibleWorks seem to offer more for less.

Logos Scholars Library £499.95 $US599.95 (Sunrise discount Jan 2004 £349.95

For those with money to burn. 9 good bibles including Anglicised NRSV and NIV. The Greek and Hebrew Text with some parsing and possibly now the full morphology but check. Lots of reference titles including assorted commentaries and bible study notes, Bible Maps, Sermon aids, devotional and leadership titles. For this price I still think you really should have more quality included.

PC Study Bible

This is a substantial program, but it does not seem to have the language manipulation skills of Gramcord or BibleWorks. As a result it may be an expensive way of purchasing more than you will use. There is a 30 day free trial version.

Complete Reference Library £249.95 $US279.95(Sunrise Special Jan 2004 £139.50)

8 bible versions including an Anglicised NIV, NKJ, NASB, NLT, RSV. It does not seem to have NRSV or Apocrypha. 4 Bible Dictionaries, some classic old Commentaries, Greek and Hebrew Tools for an interlinear transliterated text (ie no actual Greek). Some word studies, Maps and Photo collection.

Reference Library Plus £195 $US249.95

A cut down version of the above - 31 works rather than 41! Mostly cutting out language tools. You wouldn;t miss thes!

Advanced Reference Library $US499.95

A further 12 resources over the Complete Version, making 53 including at last NRSV and parsed Greek but not Hebrew.

Silver Mountain Bible Windows $US195

QuickVerse

QuickVerse has been around for a long time and has proved very reliable and resilient. It is really in the general English versions but it has lately made excursions into biblical languages. There is a cheap Greek version listed in the under £160 category.:

Deluxe $US299.95

18 Bible including NT Greek, 108 Reference Works and the 17 classics. Without Hebrew and full Greek grammar facilities, I'm not sure this warrants the price. Personally I wouldn't find the extras worth it - but make your own mind up!

Zondervan Study Bible

Zondervan have now moved up a notch with a more expensive full language product. For some comments and more details see Kohlenberger III's advice on choosing bible software The expensive package s include:

Zondervan Bible Study Library Scholars Edition £279.95 (Sunrise Special Mar 05 £170)

7 bibles including NIV and NRSV plus Apocrypha in KJ version. Zondervan's commentaries and dictionaries mostly based around NIV and a few recent works but much is old. Has languages but it is not clear if they are fully parsed. Unless you are an NIV/ Zondervan devotee, you'd be better to purchase Gramcord or BibleWorks for your money.

Ancient Classics

Master Christian Library £63 $US89.95

A collection of ancient copyright free texts such as the Ante-Nicene, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Reformation writers (Calvin, Luther etc.) Wesley and on into the twentieth century. Most of the texts are available online (see below) for downloading free - if you can afford the phone bill/ have Broadband. This CD saves you the trouble. The texts are not as polished as on the Logos Library and haven't always been proofread after scanning but you get what you pay for. I have Version 5 but its now up to version 8 - the policy seems to be to add works rather than improve the quality of what's there. There is also a DVD version for £234.95 with some extra works and some other collections of works.

Early Church Fathers £199.95

The Edinburgh English print edition of the Church Fathers with full notes. Great for the Church History Scholar, but the Christian Ages Software is cheaper, albeit less well edited and no notes!

Christian Etheral Library

The Christian Etheral Library is a long established site that includes many texts from Christian history including the Ante-Nicene, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Reformation writers (Calvin, Luther etc.) Wesley and on into the twentieth century

Gutenberg Project

An ambitious project to get literature online for free. You'll find many well known names here e.g. Augustine, Calvin, Bunyan. Works must be at least 50 years old i.e. out of copyright to get online and there are more than 17,000 books already available. Search for the author or title or use the Library of Congress number to search from (BL-BX are most useful).

Early Jewish Writings

A series of early Jewish texts including the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, Josephus etc.

Early Christian Writings

A series of early Christian texts

Perseus Digital Library

An ongoing project to put classical primary source material on the web. Currently you can find Josephus here as well as many Greek and Latin works in translation such as Plato

Decent Commentaries and Dictionaries

The Oxford Bible Commentary £40

Similar in price to the hardback copy, although it may come down in price. A good commentary, but depends whether you like to read a book or look at a screen!

Expositor's Bible Commentary £119.95

The 12 volume bible commentary. NIV based and written by evangelical scholars. Try the hard back version and then decide if you want paper or electronic format

Brown's New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology £59.99

NIDNTT is another quality Dictionary that you can try from the library. Occasionally Nota Bene offer a special on the paper version at this price, but usually this is cheaper and frees up the book shelves.

New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis £69.95

NIDOTTE is the OT companion to NIDNTT above. In book form you need a bit of Hebrew to find your way around. Electronic searching would make this excellent resource more accessible.

The Essential IVP Reference Collection £99.00

Now this is a bargain I have just purchased. All the IVP biblical and theological dictionaries on CD including Dictionaries of Biblical Theology, Theology, Bible Dictionary, Bible Commentary, Jesus and the Gospels, Paul and his Letters, Latter NT, NT Background, Biblical Imagery and New Bible Atlas.Good stuff if evangelically biased

Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

This extensive 12 volume set of books is now on electronic form containing 2,300 theologically significant words. NB an abridges version comes with several other software packages.

Anchor Bible Dictionary £269.00

A top quality six volume bible dictionary. I have it and use it, but I bought it on special with substantial discount. Still not sure if I like electronic books more or less than real ones.

Word Bible Commentaries £299.00 (Sunrise special £249 in Oct 2002)

54 volumes of this excellent but academic and evangelical commentary. Much cheaper than buying all 54 volumes in hardback but you do have to have the computer on to read them. I've finally saved up enough to buy it. Comes with Greek bible, NRSV, NKJV, KJV, NLT, ASB, GNB and Gospel Parallels, plus some language tools. For those not feeling rich there is a "top 5 volumes" CD compilation.

Interpretation Commentaries NT $US299.95 OT $US299.95 - still developing

The Interpretation commentaries are designed to interface academics and preaching. As with all multi-author commentaries they are a mixed bag, but they are always my first choice for preaching. I'm saving now to buy the CD to free up my book shelves and my wallet (books are about £20 each!).

Greek/Hebrew Tutor

Atlases and maps

Logos Bible Atlas £46.95

Logos Bible Atlas includes customable maps for all bible periods and is based on the Lion Publishing MapBook.

The Essential IVP Reference Collection £99.00

This includes the New Bible Atlas. This is not a map program but rather an atlas with all sorts of articles about the land with pictures.

Birmingham's Maps of the Biblical World

The place to go for links to online maps - everything from the spread of Christianity to maps of Jerusalem.

Luther Seminary's Maps of the Biblical World

Maps of the Land of Israel during biblical times.

Accordance

Accordance Library 6

The core library collection. You can buy one of 3 prepackaged packs - Introductory Level $US69, Standard Level $US169, Premier Level $269 or create your own initial collection whichever is cheaper

Scholars Collection 6

For the Hebrew or Greek scholar - choose an initial unlock combination and then unlock more as needed.

Bible Works by Hermeneutika

Bible Works version 6 £220.00

The program includes 8 different Greek texts, the Hebrew, the Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate (not available on Gramcord) with bible language tools. 21 English bibles (including NKJV, NIV, NRSV with Apocrypha, New Living Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and the Jewish Publication Society Tanakh), innumerable foreign language versions (anyone for Indonesian?) and the usual assortment of reference works some of which may even be useful.

Bible Reference Material

Expositor's Bible Commentary £119.95

The 12 volume bible commentary. NIV based and written by evangelical scholars. Try the hard back version and then decide if you want paper or electronic format

Brown's New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology £79.95

NIDNTT is another quality Dictionary that you can try from the library. Occasionally Nota Bene offer a special at this price, but generally cheaper than the book version and frees up the book shelves.

New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis £89.95

NIDOTTE is another quality Dictionary that you can try from the library. Occasionally Nota Bene offer a special at this price, but generally this cheaper than the book version and frees up the book shelves - but you do have to turn the computer on.

Reformation History Library Version 2 £79.95

Works about and from the Reformation - from a Protestant perspective

iLumina

This package was being heavily promoted by Sunrise Software at the end of 2003. Its a bible with encyclopedia hypertexted in i.e. links to maps, virtual tours, timelines, animated bible stories etc. etc. Without any real knowledge about the program I would say it will widen your knowledge of the bible from an evangelical perspective but is is not a serious bible study tool and the speculative reconstructions will need a grain of salt.

ILumina Standard £40.

Has only the New Living Translation with linked media

ILumina Gold £65.

The only version of this available on Mac has NLT and NKJ with linked media + freebies including the dispensationalist (dubious?) Left Behind Series

Master Christian Library £63

NIV Study Bible

A slightly misleading title as the CD does more than the NIV, but its commentaries and extras are primarily devoted to studying the NIV text. For some comments and more details see Kohlenberger III's advice on choosing bible software It comes in 2 editions which halved in price between 2002 and 2004:

NIV Study Bible Basic Library £19.95

2 bibles - NIV and King James. NIV Study Bible Notes, Nave's Topical, NIV Compact Dictionary and Abridged Bible Atlas. More to it than the £14.95 jobs, but a bit limited by having only one comparative text. It now has basic Accordance facilities and so is expandable - if you use the NIV it would do the job.

NIV Study Bible Complete Library £39.95

Cheaper than its PC counterpart4 bibles and 15 reference titles. The Bibles include NIV, NRSV with Apocrypha, NASB and KJV. The commentaries and reference works are as for the Basic Library, but the new element is a Greek text and Greek-English concordances. It has more advanced and Accordance and soo more extra modules. Comes in a combined edition with the Expositor's Bible Dictionary for £119.95

Online Bible

Classic Edition £34.95

Various Bible versions, plus copious reference works and the original languages. Most works are out-of-copyright

Mac 3 Deluxe Edition £49.95

Classic edition plus NIV and New Living Translation and other copyrighted works

QuickVerse

QuickVerse has been around for a long time and has proved very reliable and resilient There are 3 PDA (Palm and PocketPC) versions on sale from Sunrise Software and other bible versions and reference material can be downloaded and unlocked from the website:

Standard £22.95 $US 29.95

New Living Translation, KJV, Matthew Henry Concise, Spurgeon, 10 Daily Reading Plans

Life Application £29.95 $US39.95

Not surprisingly contains the Life Application Bible with overviews and commentaries

Deluxe £29.95 $US39.95

NLT, RSV, ASV, KJV,Matthew Henry Concise, My Utmost for his Highest, 10 Daily Reading Plans

The Gramcord Institute

GRAMCORD Lite: $US45

You can have the Greek bible with parsing and ASV on your Palm, for the real Greek afficandos(ASV and KJV are free other versions are downloadable and unlockable)

Hebrew Module: $US40

Add parsed Hebrew to your Palm

There are numerous reviews of bible software available online. Specific reviews are listed with the software but below you will find comparisons of several software packages.

Bible Software FAQ

There used to be a wonderful FAQ with all the possible Bible Software listed in it. Unfortunately it has not been maintained since 1999. For what it is worth (progressively less and less!), here it is in case anyone finds it helpful.

Harry Hahne's Review

"Interpretive Implications of Using Bible-Search Software for New Testament Grammatical Analysis" by Harry Hahne. Some high level thinking about the worth of computer searches for detailed language study (only deals with good ie expensive language software). Dates Sept 1997 so things have moved on, but methodologies remain fundamentally the same.

R. Leedy's Review

A section of R.A. Leedy's review of BibleWorks, Logos and Gramcord as top end language programs for PCs. More up to date than Hahne but still previous versions of the software. Also very detailed in its study.

Kohlenberger III's advice on bible software

Kohlenberger III (one of the NIV editor's) gives some advice on choosing bible software. On the Zondervan publishers site it naturally favours the NIV Study Bible. Nevertheless the general advice is good.

Software Recommendation Form