Since our Pastor primarily uses the English Standard Version of the Bible from the pulpit here at Christ Church, this is easily the most used bible web site for us. We not only use it for brief passages on Sunday morning in the bulletin, we also use some of the web master tools provided to embed ESV scripture into web pages. For the average user this is the best site I’ve found to get accustomed to using the bible online. The user interface is simple, efficient and powerful. Overall, we’ve found it to be an excellent online bible for everyone from beginner to expert.

Main Sections

There are three main sections denoted by tabs at the top left of the window: Search, Browse and Devotions. The Search tab is actually the home page, the default landing page and the most used of the three. The Browse tab is simply a list of links to all 66 books of the bible. And the Devotions tab takes you to a list of ESV versions for various bible devotional reading plans. Explore this carefully to find out which, if any, suits your needs.

Scripture Text Search

Of course there is a powerful and FAST search box at the upper left corner of the window. Just type in the scripture text you want to look up, click “Search” and you are instantly taken there. You don’t even have to type in the complete formal text reference as long as you type in enough for the search engine to figure out what you meant to find. So you could type “ge2 20” as a shorthand and find Genesis 2:20.

You can also look up multiple scripture references at one time and the result will show them one after another on the page from top to bottom in a single column For example we could use a shorthand multiple search of “ge2 20 rev 22 3 jos 3 12 ezk4 12-14 num3 7” and get THIS RESULT!

There is also an “Advanced Search” link you can explore. I haven’t had much need to use it, since the basic search box answers about 98% of my needs. We won’t be exploring this feature right now, so if you’ve used it and have some input on it for others, please leave a comment to enlighten us all.

Online Devotionals

The One-Year Tract Bible Reading Plan based on the M’Cheyne reading system is one of the all-time standards. There are also several other one-year plans to choose from and, if you store the links as a bookmark in your browser, you’ll be able to jump directly to the reading plan’s page. Then you can immediately see your current day’s reading, because the home page for each devotional always lands on TODAY’S reading by default. But, if you missed yesterday’s reading, or want to see tomorrow’s, there is easy calendar-based navigation. To see the list of currently available devotional plans in this section GO HERE!

Hearing the Word

Users also have the option to listen to the scripture displayed with a simple click-and-play link labeled “Listen.” Whatever scripture is displayed on your screen will be played to you over your computer speakers. Just be sure you have your speakers turned on at a high enough volume to hear. (One note: sometimes I have to click a second time to get it to play, so keep trying if it doesn’t play the first time you click.) This is not the only web site which provides the opportunity to listen to scripture, but it is the only one I’m aware of which will let you listen to a single verse at a time instead of an entire chapter at a time. On first blush that may not seem like a big advantage, but if all you want to listen to is the last two verses of the chapter, you probably don’t want to listen to the first 48 verses of a 50 verse chapter in order to get there.

Optional Presentation

At the top left of every page is an “Options” link which allows you to tell this web site want you want to see when you ask for a scripture reference. There are many display options such as “Show words of Christ in red,” or not, “Show verse numbers,” or not,  along with several others. Take your choice, BUT REMEMBER TO CLICK THE SAVE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN OR YOUR OPTIONS WON’T WORK!

You also have several “Audio” options about how you want to set up to listen, such as what type player you want, or who is reading the scripture. If your “Listen” link doesn’t work, try a different player choice. Each computer is set up differently and while the “flash” player may work on one computer, your brother’s computer may be set up better for MP3, Windows Media, or RealAudio. Again, as with the display options, YOU MUST CLICK ON THE SAVE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, OR YOUR CHOICES WON’ TAKE EFFECT!

Easy Web Site Tools

I briefly mentioned web master tools in the opening paragraph of this article. If you’ve seen the Christ Church home page you probably saw the “Daily Scripture” near the top right side of the page. This is actually provided by an ESV Bible Online webmaster tool. The scripture changes daily as it is fed directly from the ESV web server, providing a valuable service for everyone who visits this web site.

Immediately below the Daily Scripture you’ll find an opportunity to “Search the ESV Bible.” This is another valuable service provided by the ESV Bible Online. The search criteria are the same as the search box on the actual online bible page, but are provided to the viewer directly, without having to leave the Christ Church home page. I’ve inserted a live search box here for demonstration.

Who’s Behind All This?

Good News / Crossway is a not-for profit ministry responsible for publishing the ESV bible in its various forms, both print and electronic. To learn more about the ESV bible in all its various iterations go to ESV.org and explore the information provided there.

The written word of God has come a long way from those stone tablets Moses brought down from the mountain, but it is still as true today as it ever has been, no matter the delivery method. Stone tablets, parchment scrolls, bound books and on-line bibles all contain the same words, the same message … the same truth.

More important than the mechanical way we receive those words is the attitude of the heart which receives them. Do we read in humble submission to the One who breathed them? Or do we read them with an “I’ve read this before, so I can just skim this part to save a minute” attitude? In today’s fast-paced world it’s easy to justify “running” through our devotional time so we can get on with our lives. Even a Christ centered life can fall into this snare. We strive to get more things done for our ministry, or congregation, or family. These are all noble endeavors, but without truly immersing ourselves in His word (and not hurrying through it) can we continue to fully serve Him?

All this seems a counterintuitive prelude to an article on using the “Virtual Bible” resources on the web. The Internet is the consummate icon of modern impatience. “If you want it NOW you can get it NOW on the web with a simple click, as soon as you demand it” is the underlying mantra and a powerful seduction into the virtual world. Instant messaging, instant mail delivery, on-demand movies, on-line shopping, and yes, instant bible are all available at your beck and CLICK!

Over 19 million results!

So, should we just put down the mouse, walk away from the computer, grab our old, well worn, familiar leather bound personal bible, close the door to the outside world for a while and let the familiar feel of the leather, and the crisp sound of turning pages comfort us as the Word penetrates our soul, slowly, completely, prayerfully? Absolutely!

Or, should we leverage the power of the Internet to research the bible efficiently and completely on any given day to sort out relationships between wide-ranging scripture references we never before realized. Should we compare a single scripture text from the ESV, New King James and The Message or any other combination of three versions simultaneously in three column format for more complete understanding? Absolutely!

Neither method of bible study precludes the other. There is nothing inherently sacrosanct about a traditional leather bound bible, or evil about using the web to research a biblical answer to a difficult question. The variable is the condition of the heart — from one person to another, from one day to another, or from one situation to another. And, there are times when that instant feedback from the computer screen is more available and more capable of confronting us with TRUTH, because we are already there when our need for answers suddenly arrives. But when we stand down from the duties of the day, or rise early to a new day, nothing replaces the familiar rustle of the pages and familiar personality of leather in our hands to reassure us that He is still there, real and constant, familiar and close.

Pray about it. Consider the personal rhythms the Lord has built your life around. Discover the word in your own time and place with a contrite heart … a heart open to the Master.

We’ll soon be posting articles in this same series about using online bible resources. Here at Christ Church we tend to use three main web sites in our daily routines, both for dedicated personal time and research for our daily activities. The three I use on a regular basis are:

• ESV Bible Strictly English Standard Version, outstanding features such as audio for listening to any passage, many choices in daily devotional plans, web master resources … and more. Excellent web resource!
• ESV Study Bible: Incredible bible research and study tool. Full access to ALL features granted with the purchase of any paper book version ESV Study Bible. Once you see the vast array of tools, articles, references, illustrations, maps etc. you’ll be hooked! Full access to ALL features of the web site is worth the price of the paper book version, plus, you’ll be able to carry the book version anywhere too!
• Bible Gateway: Extensive online resource. Many, many bible versions and language translations available. I use it for a customizable parallel bible with two or more versions in columns. They also provide topical resources, reading plans, web master tools and much more.