The days of having carrying a ten-pound leather bound study Bible to church are fading. These days, mobile is the way to go and Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch have some very nice options for techie church goers.
IPhone users need only download one of the many free bible reader applications available on the iTunes Apps Store and they're ready to head to church. Users who want more than the free versions like the archaic King James Version will have to spend a little money, but prices are quite reasonable.
Which Version of the Bible to Choose?
Many people are already familiar with a certain version of the Bible, but those who are new to owning a Bible should choose which version will suit them best. One of the most popular versions is the New International Version (NIV) because of its easy to read style. Another recently popular version is the English Standard Version (ESV). The ESV and NIV can be purchased as study Bibles, with notes and comments, for extra cost; this should be helpful for those doing more than just skimming through their Bibles at church.
Those who aren't sure which version to buy can use the plethora of available free Bibles first, while they decide which version is their favorite. Besides the KJV, many Bible readers offer the American Standard Version (ASV) as well as the New English Translation (NET) for free. The NET is a new translation made specifically for computers and the “net”.
Which Bible Reader to Choose?
Ultimately, each iPod Touch or iPhone owner needs to choose their favorite reader based on their personal preferences. But here are a few top readers to consider:
The Olive Tree Bible Reader is one of the top selling Bible readers. The reader is also available for other mobile devices, such as BlackBerry and Palm. It has great options, such as the easy to use verse chooser, word search, bookmarks, notes and even a split screen view for comparing texts. Olive Tree has many free Bibles and books available that are easy to download straight from the iPhone or iPod Touch. The reader also allows users to choose the font, font size and background color that they prefer.
The Mantis Bible Study Software is another great option as a Bible reader. Don't let the logo scare you, this reader is also top-notch and user friendly. It has many of the same features as the Olive Tree Reader, but seems to have fewer free bible versions available. On the other hand, the Mantis reader allows the user to toggle to a full screen view with a simple double tap, a very useful feature that doesn't appear to be available on the Olive Tree Reader.
Amazon's Kindle for iPhone has Bibles available for purchase on its site and has, in the past, even offered free downloads of some popular modern versions. Bibles on Kindle work well for simply reading straight through, but looking up verses can be difficult, and they don't have all of the convenient features of a true Bible reader.
All three of these readers allow users to download the Bible, meaning they don't have to be connected to wifi to read the Bible. This is especially useful for reading on the go, where there might not be a wifi connection.
Reading on an iPhone or iPod Touch
Reading on such a small screen is not for everybody. Some will find the screen too small, but many will enjoy the portability. Having a great Bible reader on an iPhone truly makes it a do-all-device.
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