Look up what Scripture says about a subject with four topical Bible apps.
Think of a subject that is on your mind this week, such as worry, work, forgiveness or a wedding you are attending. For this comparison, keep that subject in mind while looking at the available formats: full passages, chapter views, explanations and memory activities.
Nave’s Topical Bible supplies material for two selections, Topical Bible and Concordance. Bible Topics & Quiz adds explanations and verse-linked journalling on Android, alongside memory quizzes. Topical Study Bible pairs practical subjects with biblical answers. Topical Bible and Topical Study Bible are available only for Android.
Topical Bible apps for finding verses on a subject
1. Topical Bible: Verses by Topic
John Tibell’s Topical Bible arranges 240 everyday subjects, from grief and money to birthdays and funerals. Every topic begins with a brief introduction and then prints the verses in full, with their order determined by readers’ votes. On the most painful subjects, such as abuse, the app shows hope and ways to seek help before anything else.
For deeper study, all 5,300 headings of Nave’s Topical Bible are included. The search box accepts a feeling, a question or a reference and tolerates spelling mistakes. Texts come from the BSB, KJV and WEB. The Google Play entry records no advertising or purchases within the app. The app is available for Android only.
Advantages:
- Verses printed in full under each subject.
- Ranking based on readers’ votes.
- The complete Nave’s index for longer studies.
2. Concordance
Concordance, by Matthew S., is built on the public domain Nave’s Topical Bible Concordance and keeps its data on the device, so searches run without a connection. The display offers verse references and a chapter view with those references highlighted.
ESV links provide routes to related passages, and the search accepts individual words or longer expressions from the Bible text. You can assemble personal subjects and groups of passages. When a translation supports audio, topic material and search matches can be heard with the app in the background. The Android entry declares adverts and in-app purchases absent; on Apple, in-app purchases are likewise missing from the listing.
Advantages:
- Offline topic search.
- Audio playback of topics and search results.
- Personal topics and passage groups.
3. Bible Topics & Quiz
Bible Topics & Quiz links hundreds of real-life subjects to verses and adds explanations written for each topic. Tags join related subjects, so one search can lead to the next. Favourite topics and favourite verses are kept in separate lists, and a journal lets you attach reflections to the passages you study.
On Android, quizzes can prompt either a verse or its reference, and a mixed mode combines the two. A daily verse, reminders and a streak counter are also listed. The Android entry discloses adverts without in-app purchases; the iOS entry declares in-app purchases.
Advantages:
- Explanations attached to each topic.
- Quizzes using verses and their references.
- A journal linked to verses.
4. Topical Study Bible
Topical Study Bible, from SGM Bible Apps, collects practical subjects and answers each one with passages from the Bible, giving the corresponding verses alongside. The entries are intended for readers investigating what the Bible says about practical matters.
Words can be searched across the whole library, and the King James text is available without an internet connection. Adverts appear in it, and there is no iPhone edition.
Advantages:
- Practical subjects answered with verses.
- Search across the library.
- King James text offline.
Choosing a topical app
A topic can lead to several kinds of activity in this selection: reading the passages in full, listening to them, practising recall or consulting a practical question. Compare those features with the task you have in mind. BIBLE COURSE and BIBLE APP offer two further routes into study: a guide to free online courses from universities and other institutions, and Bible apps for daily use. The remaining choices are GOSPEL MUSIC for offline gospel listening apps and BIBLE GAMES for Bible quizzes, interactive stories and memory games.
Graduated in Portuguese/English Literature from the State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG), with postgraduate degrees in Art in Education (FAPI) and School Psychopedagogy (FAPI), creator and owner of the website. Successful Writer, has experience writing for blogs in general and works as a writer and editor of the content for Great app.