Updated: 2015-12-28
The Bible is at the center of Christianity. Bible research is, therefore, critical in the life of a Christian. It is a definitional document https://chini.com/acneface/ like the Declaration of Independence. When questions arise about Christian doctrine the protestant looks to the Bible. If one understands the Bible one understands Christianity.
The Bible is a collection of sixty-six books. Understanding just one of these books requires bridging the historical, linguistic, and cultural gaps. Grasping all of them and their interrelations can be helped by online tools and resources anyone can access.
History: The Bible is an old book. We don’t have access to the autographs (i.e. originals) of any of the books although many scholars agree we have the original wording.
Language: The Bible wasn’t written in English. For most of us this gap is bridges by the fine work done by translators.
Culture: The accounts in the Bible take places in a variety of cultures all of which are very different from ours. To understand it we must try to “think” as though we live in the culture in which the story takes place.
Online Resources and Tools for Bible Study
These websites have been arranged according to their popularity as measured by their Alexa.com rank.
- Bible Gateway (371)
- Bible Hub (889)
- Bible Study Tools (2,030)
- Logos (2,867)
- Blue Letter Bible (3,837)
- Bible.org (6,040)
- Lumina
- Biblia (6,856)
- YouVersion (11,817)
- Study Light (14,744)
- Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) (16,767)
- Biblical Theology Journal (1,873) This ranking is skewed because it’s part of a larger website.
- Olive Tree (24,151)
- BiblicalTraining.org (46,405)
- Center for New Testament Textual Studies (51,525)
- The American Bible Society (55,988)
- Accordance (66,484)
- E-Sword (69,472)
- Society of Biblical Literature Greek New Testament (71,966)
- Museum of the Bible (82,798)
- Bible Works (120,519)
- BibleArc (165,714)
- Codex Sinaiticus Online (198,668)
- BibleMesh (211,475)
- German Bible Society (233,688)
- Bible Timeline (237,915)
- The Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library (270,891)
- United Bible Society (573,209)
- Neu Bible (697,811)
- Look at the Book by John Piper (2,987) This ranking is skewed because it’s part of a larger website.
- The Step Bible by Tyndale House (200,068)
- Institute for New Testament Textual Criticism (960) This is a German rank.
- Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (109,694) This is a Japan rank.
- New Testament Gateway from Duke University (402,795)
- A Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism (947,887)
- The Gutenberg Bible (3,953,716) This is a global rank.
- The Center for Ancient Texts & Languages (Unranked)
