WW: Blue Letter Bible

www.blueletterbible.org

If you were to take a poll of all the websites that students of God’s Word use on a daily basis, one of the top 5 would have to be, without a doubt, Blue Letter Bible (BLB). This invaluable resource has become essential for many believers seeking to deepen their understanding of Scripture. It is the most comprehensive online tool a Christian has at their disposal, worth more than gold, as it provides access to various translations, commentaries, and study aids all in one place. Beyond just an online Bible, it boasts an array of features that support learning and exploration, making it an entire library of spiritual knowledge and insight, easily accessible at any time. Watch the video below for just 5 minuites of what it can do.

Comprehensive Help Section

If you’re not tech-savvy, you may look at this website and get lost right away. It may even turn you off. But you have a fantastic tool within this website to help guide you in all the aspects of this site to make it more user-friendly. Not only that, but these help topics also contain video to make the whole experience easier to learn.

Video tutorials

The easiest way to enter the help section is to find HELP on the main menu bar at the top. Click it and you will see Video Tutorials, Help Tutorials, and Contact Us For Support sections. I would start with Video Tutorials and then when you are finished with that, enter Help Tutorials for more details regarding specific questions you may have getting started, how to use search tools, and access specific items in BLB.

When watching the YouTube Video Tutorials, I suggest you click the settings gear on the video, and increase the image quality to the highest possible (720p at least). Unfortunately, full screen viewing is disabled, so the image may be smaller than what you are used to.

Help tutorials

The help tutorials are also a great way to learn how to start a BLB account, and navigate through the many aspects of the website. Here, you will get detailed explanations along with screenshot pictures giving you step-by-step instructions how to use features in BLB.

Menu Header

In the menu header, you will see topics such as:

1. Search: A comprehensive word search through the Bible, Dictionaries, and advanced search options
2. Study: Commentaries, References, Languages, Theological Resources, and BLB Institute (free courses)
3. Devotionals: Free devotionals
4. Help (which we just covered): Different ways to access help
5. Apps & Tools: List of various apps, tools, and products BLB offers
6. Ministries: Access to BLB Institute and other ministries associated with BLB
7. About: Public information about BLB and who they are and contact information
8. Donate: Different ways to donate to the ministry and where your funds go to support them

Below the Menu Header is a quick access section:

1. Help: For this section and showing how to search a topic
2. QuickNav: Quickly navigate through the Bible to look for particular book and chapter
3. Adv. Options: Different selections to narrow your search and display options
4. Verse or Word: Search window
5. Particular Bible Versions: Choose from a wide variety of versions
6. Link: Link site page
7. Cite This: Cite page for reference and bibliography using standard settings
8. Share & Follow: Social Media postings
9. Print: Print page and screen

Footer Menu

As if this website doesn’t have enough menu’s, it adds one more to help guide the user to find specific information on the webstite. Take your time to go through the different sections to find things that will help your Bible study along. Check out Maps / Images, Timelines, Topical Indexes, Thompson Chain References, and Cult Resources just to name a few.

Like I said, this website has so many ways to access information. Before you know it you’ll be flying through the pages and finding everything you need to enhance your Bible learning experience.

Tools Tab in Bible

Inside the Bible portion, you will see a TOOLS button next to each verse. Click it, and it will expand to give you more information about that verse with the following reference tools at your disposal:

1. Interlinear: Look up the Greek and Hebrew parsing of the verse.
2. Bibles: View that verse in many other translations of the Holy Scriptures.
3. Cross-Refs: View all the cross-references available for that verse—even multiple ones.
4. Commentaries: Some of the best commentaries. From old dead guys to presently living.
5. Dictionaries: View a wide variety of dictionaries for that verse including Easton’s Bible Dictionary, Torrey’s New Topical Textbook, and Nave’s Topical Bible.
6. Misc: View related maps, related music, and so much more.

Fully-Functional Inductive Bible Study Tool

BLB is always adding new tools and resources for the user at no cost to them. One of their proprietary functions you won’t get anywhere else is ScriptureMARK: an inductive Bible study resource similar to Precept Ministries, that allows you to draw symbols, highlight verses, take notes, and more. This is perfect for those who don’t have drawing functionality with their computer or tablet, but want to store everything electronically.

To get started with ScriptureMARK, simply go to the canvas and click on HELP VIDEOS, and also the GUIDED TOUR. BLB makes the learning experience fun and enjoyable with many helpful hints and tips. But there’s nothing like creating a login and starting a small section of scripture like Psalm 1 to see how it works.

BLB Institute:

Blue Letter Bible Institute (BLBi) is a complete free course of study on Christian belief & practice. Take courses in major areas of Christian doctrine designed to be used for either self-study, home Bible study, or for the classroom with as many participants you can handle. This is great for churches who want to start a comprehensive Bible study, but don’t know where to start.

Click the green “Browse Our Courses” button, or “courses” in the header, and you will notice a wide variety of courses, authors, categories, and skill levels to choose from. It doesn’t matter if you are a new believer or a mature Christian, there is something for everyone. I believe many of them have video and audio sections to make the learning experience more thorough as well.

Mobile App

The mobile app is also a great way to access many resources from the website to your mobile device, whether phone or tablet. With a login on the app, you have the capability to highlight scripture, write notes, save favorite verses, watch video, listien to audio, read commentaries, and so much more. It’s definietely worth getting, and is the only Bible software I need on my mobile device. You can also save select Bibles to your device for offline viewing.

• Apple iOS
• Google Android

I like using the Mobile app on my phone and tablet to have everything at my disposal as I’m sharing the gospel or waiting in line somewhere. But I can also take notes with it as well and add my own commentary to various verses. Even though it doesn’t have things like ScriptureMARK or BLBi, it is still a powerful tool in the palm of your hand than just the Bible.

Setup an Account Today

It’s important to set up a free account today if you are planning on using this resource, because having a login will save your setting specifically to your wants and desires. If not, then you will have to change settings around each time you use BLB. Not only that, but you can save your customizations and personal settings by clicking the gear next to LOGIN or your name. Users without an account do have the opportunity to customize these details as well, but cannot transfer settings across multiple computers and will lose their preferences any time their cookies are reset. Without an account if you go to the Blue Letter Bible on a different computer, we have no way of knowing your preferences. A further benefit of having your own account is that you can also manage your Daily Devotionals and Daily Bible Reading Plans.

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Acts 17:10-11 ESV