The best Bible dictionary app for studying Scripture

Four study apps that explain names, places and original words while you read.

Reading Scripture tends to raise small questions along the way. Who was Melchizedek? How long was a cubit? Why does one translation say “steadfast love” where another says “mercy”? Each of these questions has an answer, but it rarely sits on the same page as the verse.

A printed dictionary solves part of the problem, yet it is heavy, and it is seldom within reach when you are reading on a train or in a waiting room. That is where a study app on your phone can help.

A Bible study app can bring reference material to the phone you use for reading. Depending on the app and the resource, you may need to open a study menu or run a search to look up a name, place or word. Check the available tools for personal reading, group preparation or a short talk.

The four apps offer different combinations of reference tools. Blue Letter Bible and AndBible are free; Logos and Olive Tree sell additional resources or subscriptions. Compare the tools and any charges before choosing.

Four Bible study apps with dictionary tools

1. Blue Letter Bible

Blue Letter Bible comes from the team behind a long-running Bible study website, and the app brings much of that reference material to your pocket. Alongside the text, it offers a Hebrew and Greek lexicon, an interlinear view, dictionaries, encyclopaedias and a large library of written commentaries.

It suits readers who like to follow a word back to its original language and see how it is used elsewhere in Scripture.

Advantages:

• A Hebrew and Greek lexicon for studying biblical words.
• Dictionaries, encyclopaedias and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge for cross-references.
• Notes and highlights for personal study; the Android listing also describes notebooks and verse tags.
• Free to download; its store pages listed no in-app purchases when we checked.

·

2. Logos Bible

Logos is a study app from Faithlife. Its mobile library includes Bibles, commentaries and other reference books.

Its Factbook gathers background on people, places and ideas, so it works much like a dictionary entry tied to the passage in front of you. Study Assistant and Smart Search offer limited use without a subscription; paid plans expand their use.

Advantages:

• Factbook for quick background on characters, places and themes.
• Reading plans you can adjust and share with others.
• Notes that follow you from one device to another.
• Optional subscriptions add books and higher AI usage limits. Google Play labels the app as containing adverts, and both stores list in-app purchases.

·

3. Bible App by Olive Tree

Olive Tree, from Gospel Technologies, is built around study resources that are saved to your device. Once downloaded, your Bible, audio Bible and study tools can be opened without a connection.

The catalogue includes study Bibles, commentaries, maps, devotionals and tools for Greek and Hebrew. Some resources are included; others require purchase or a subscription. These can be read alongside the main text.

Advantages:

• Resources displayed beside the Bible text.
• Downloaded content stays available offline.
• A wide choice of reference works, from maps to original-language aids.
• Additional resources are sold individually or through optional study subscriptions.

·

4. AndBible

AndBible combines downloaded biblical texts with reference books and personal notes. Its open-source project is supported by community contributions, and it offers tools for detailed study.

Strong’s numbers let you open the Greek or Hebrew behind a word, and linked cross-references, footnotes and commentaries open with a single tap. You can also split the screen to compare translations.

Advantages:

• Free, with no adverts, according to its store page.
• Strong’s integration for Greek and Hebrew word study.
• Split views and separate workspaces for different study set-ups.
• Available for Android, iPhone and iPad; features and layouts can differ between platforms.

·

Before you install

Check the developer’s name on the store page, because many apps have similar titles and icons. Read which features are included and which are paid: prices, subscriptions and features can change over time, and the store page is the most up-to-date source.

Start with one app and use it for a week. If it becomes part of your reading, keep it; if not, try another. To explore each topic in more depth, use the buttons at the top of this page.