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Which Bible Study Software?

Posted: May 11th, 2011, 3:40 pm
by Jonathan Robie
What Bible Study software do you use?

I once used Gramcord extensively, but I haven't been able to use it since I switched to Linux. And I've been missing it ever since. It's been a long time - is Gramcord still widely used?

I currently do morphological searches the hard way, using XQuery and a morphologically tagged XML text. I use Xiphos locally, and laparola.net on the Web.

Re: Which Bible Study Software?

Posted: May 24th, 2011, 1:54 pm
by Louis L Sorenson
I use Logos which is pretty good. Of course you have to Buy the BDAG lexicon on top of the Biblical Languages package. It was worth it. But searching for structures seems to me really hard to do. I think you can do it (I think Logos uses Emdros by Ulrik Sandborg-Petersen for the syntactic query part??? I could be wrong). I've seen a few queries written up, and the query language seems really a whole other language to learn. -- counter-intuitive and difficult. Someday I'll have to bite the bullet.

Logos has it's own keyboard built in, but you cannot use it outside the program. They have change to version 4 and want another $85 from me to upgrade. The new SBLGNT is free, but you have to get Logos v4 to use it.

Re: Which Bible Study Software?

Posted: May 24th, 2011, 2:23 pm
by MAubrey
llsorenson wrote:I use Logos which is pretty good. Of course you have to Buy the BDAG lexicon on top of the Biblical Languages package. It was worth it. But searching for structures seems to me really hard to do. I think you can do it (I think Logos uses Emdros by Ulrik Sandborg-Petersen for the syntactic query part??? I could be wrong). I've seen a few queries written up, and the query language seems really a whole other language to learn. -- counter-intuitive and difficult. Someday I'll have to bite the bullet.

Logos has it's own keyboard built in, but you cannot use it outside the program. They have change to version 4 and want another $85 from me to upgrade. The new SBLGNT is free, but you have to get Logos v4 to use it.
Yep. Logos uses Emdros for the engine behind syntax searching.

Technically, you don't need to pay to use version 4. It's a free upgrade, but some of the new functionality requires resources that aren't available for version 3. So you could technically use version 4, you just wouldn't have things like the linked texts between Greek and English so that if you highlight a Greek word or phrase the corresponding words in a given translation as highlighted as well.

The syntax searching user interface has also improved, though it hasn't yet gotten to be easy to use.

Re: Which Bible Study Software?

Posted: May 25th, 2011, 8:00 am
by Ken M. Penner
Jonathan Robie wrote:What Bible Study software do you use?
I have all three of the big ones: Logos, Accordance, and BibleWorks.
When I upgraded my operating system, I have so far reinstalled only Logos because that is the one I find I use the most, in which I have the most resources, and which I can on my Mac, Windows 7, and my phone (through the browser, at http://biblia.com or http://library.logos.com/).

Re: Which Bible Study Software?

Posted: May 25th, 2011, 8:02 am
by Ken M. Penner
MAubrey wrote: Technically, you don't need to pay to use version 4. It's a free upgrade...
The link for the free download is http://www.logos.com/downloads/logos4

Re: Which Bible Study Software?

Posted: June 1st, 2011, 11:49 pm
by Lee Moses
I use BibleWorks. It may not have all the additional resources of Logos, but it is powerful and lightning fast for studying the Biblical text in the original languages.

Re: Which Bible Study Software?

Posted: June 3rd, 2011, 12:49 pm
by brethicks
I have Logos, BibleWorks, and Accordance through the years. I initially used Logos on my PC, but made the switch to BibleWorks because of speed. I do not know if Logos has corrected this (the reviews I have read said it was still a problem), but there was a MAJOR speed difference between BibleWorks and Logos. I made the switch to Accordance because I moved over to a Mac. I ran BibleWorks under Parallels, which worked fine, but was resource intensive. Consequently, I eventually shifted over to Accordance. I have only been using it for a few months but I am happy with it. Personally, if I were running Windows I would use BibleWorks, if a Mac, Accordance.

The only thing I would sya is that BibleWorks is significantly less expensive than the other programs. For about $400 you really get virtually everything most people with basic knowledge of the languages could want. To get the same resources in the other packages is WAY more expensive.


Bret Hicks
Annapolis, Md.

Re: Which Bible Study Software?

Posted: November 13th, 2023, 5:54 pm
by Todd
Jonathan Robie wrote: May 11th, 2011, 3:40 pm What Bible Study software do you use?

I once used Gramcord extensively, but I haven't been able to use it since I switched to Linux. And I've been missing it ever since. It's been a long time - is Gramcord still widely used?

I currently do morphological searches the hard way, using XQuery and a morphologically tagged XML text. I use Xiphos locally, and laparola.net on the Web.
I'm a big fan of eSword e-sword.net. I'll list a few reasons why:
  • Free for PC the IOS and Android Apps under $5 at last look
  • Preinstalled with several English and other language Bible translations. The translations, commentaries, dictionaries, and other sources that are free to download and install from right within the software are too many to list here.
  • There is a companion website biblesupport.com that has thousands of other free resources/modules you can install in the software.
  • The many interlinears have the ability to provide morphology built right into them.
  • Various dictionaries are always handy "Strongs, Thayer, BDB" and more can be installed from within the software, and more found at biblesupport.com.
  • Basically what would cost $100s or $1000s to get onto Logos or Accordance software, is free on eSword.
I also have and use Logos because you can't get everything for free! I have Logos for the sole purpose of being able to read the Lexham English Septuagint 2nd edition. I sure wish Lexham would make it available for eSword. There is also a store where you can purchase modules for eSword and they could sell it there!


eSword https://www.e-sword.net
Bible Support for more free modules [http://www.biblesupport.com[/url]

Re: Which Bible Study Software?

Posted: November 14th, 2023, 10:16 am
by Ken M. Penner
Todd wrote: November 13th, 2023, 5:54 pm I have Logos for the sole purpose of being able to read the Lexham English Septuagint 2nd edition.
I'm glad you're finding it useful!