Study the Bible..
The Bible is a complex book that even the most devout can find challenging to navigate at times. The best way to start on one’s path to understanding the Bible is through continued study that goes beyond just hearing a sermon once a week. The following ten websites are among the most popular for truly studying the Bible. They are listed in order of their Alexa traffic count rating.
1. Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 993
This website is a very popular place to go for locating the place in the Bible that you need related to a particular keyword, passage or topic. It is popular because you can search the version of your choice and they have a huge selection from which to choose. This can be very helpful when trying to comprehend a particular passage or verse as it may be clearer to you in another version. The site also offers a Verse of the Day which you can have emailed to you each day if you prefer. There are also other useful sections including blogs.
2. Bible Hub: http://biblehub.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 2,816
Bible Hub features topical, Greek and Hebrew study tools, plus concordances, commentaries, dictionaries, sermons, an atlas and devotionals. This site also allows study from various versions of the Bible. The site is very easy to navigate and use to get deeper insight into every part. Use it to find guidance on any topic and use the various study tools to understand other aspects such as the geography of the areas mentioned in the Bible.
3. Crosswalk: http://www.crosswalk.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 6,521
This website offers even more than just Bible study tools. Although you can select the link at the top to get to the tools themselves, you will also find an incredible amount of information and guidance on the main site itself. On the main page you will find a daily devotional, daily reading, religious news from around the world and guidance on things such as prayer, parenting and marriage. You’ll also find discussions on topics relevant right now.
4. YouVersion: https://www.bible.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 13,065
This site is a bit different than others in that you are given the opportunity to actually download the Bible giving you a working version that you can color, bookmark, highlight and make notes on as you study various areas. You can take your choice from hundreds of versions and languages and even compare two versions side by side. A nice feature is the ability to choose your font and display size. You can also subscribe to Bible plans to receive a Bible selection each day.
5. Blue Letter Bible: http://www.blueletterbible.org/index.cfm
Global Alexa Rating: 14,321
Blue Letter Bible is designed to be Bible-centered with powerful study tools, quick and easy search capabilities and a personalized experience. The study section includes Bible commentaries in text, audio and video, Bible references such as dictionaries, topical indexes, charts and outlines, timelines, maps and images, and theological resources such as articles, books, mission resources and theological FAQs. The site also includes devotionals including day by day, morning and evening devotions. There is also a daily Bible reading program.
6. Desiring God: http://www.desiringgod.org/
Global Alexa Rating: 22,026
This site is also quite different than the others as it contains numerous blogs and sermons that are well organized so you can find information on any topic or scripture you desire. This is a very unique way to get a better grasp on scripture from the Bible. A nice feature of the sermons section is that you can either read the sermon for yourself or watch the video depending on which way aid you the best. You can also watch and read along. Locating the sermons is easy as you can find them by topic, scripture, series or date. John Piper is the founder and teacher. He is the author of more than 50 books.
7. Bible.Org: https://bible.org/
Global Alexa Rating: 37,424
Their tagline is, “Where the World Comes to Study the Bible” and it is easy to see why they claim this as they have much to offer including blogs, topics and articles. The site includes in depth studies of the Bible offered by a large number of people. You simply select the link entitled, “Get more out of your Book Studies” that brings up a list of all the books of the Bible with links to the in depth studies. They also include a link to the Lumina Bible study suite which is a powerful web based application and mobile app that allows you to take your notes with you wherever you go.
8. StudyLight.Org: http://www.studylight.org/
Global Alexa Rating: 62,283
This site offers a huge collection of online Bible study tools and resources that are all free to use. It includes commentaries, encyclopedias, dictionaries, lexicons and original language tools. The site also includes historical writings and pastoral resources, along with study groups. The main page includes an audio show section that includes a variety of topics. You will also find the 20 most recent discussion topics on the main page. Other nice features are a daily devotional, today in Christian history article and daily reading plan.
9. ESV Bible: http://about.esvbible.org/
Global Alexa Rating: 77,816
Unlike other sites that offer Bible study for various versions, this site is devoted strictly to the ESV Bible. The site includes study resources, devotions and Bible-reading plans, the ability to save your own study notes and highlights, and use various Bible reference tools. There is also information about the history of the ESV and a link for obtaining a hardcopy. Users must sign up on the site to save notes and highlights as well as personalize the layout.
10. Precept Austin: http://www.preceptaustin.org/
Global Alexa Rating: 180,507
This is a popular site that includes an inductive Bible study, Greek word studies, commentaries by verse, dictionaries, commentaries, Christian biography, Bible prophecy and much more. The site also includes assistance in locating Austin Area Precept Classes. A nice feature on the site is a link to “The Bible on One Page” in both the ESV and NAS version. The site fully explains Inductive Bible Study and a good place to start is the introduction that explains what it is.
Bible study is one of those things that we can continue to do and thus learn new things throughout our lives. The Bible is like no other book in existence. These ten sites should be a wonderful resource to bring understanding and insight to your studies. You may find you prefer one or two the majority of the time, but it is always nice to have additional sources when faced with a particularly perplexing issue.
