**UPDATE** The Amazing eSword Bible Resource

UPDATE: I am an idiot. I didn't think of showing the screens using the Gamebar recording feature on Windows. If you scroll to the bottom, I have included some video showing the app in action as I use some of the features.

Remember when I was trying to find a good NKJV study Bible? I still haven't found one but I might not need to. Long ago, I had downloaded the free eSword Bible Study Resource. And forgot about it when my old laptop died. 

The other week, I put eSword on the new laptop and, seriously, I can't even tell you what a great resource it is!

I know that a lot of people use the Blue Letter Bible resource and I use it a lot when I am online. The problem with BLB is that I can't find an easy or safe way to download it to my PC. I could order the disc - which I don't think is free - but I don't have a way to use a disc on this computer. eSword is everything I need. Would I still like to have an NKJV study Bible? Yep. But I'm not having a hard time without one for now. 

For those who aren't going to check the eSword link right now, here are some of my favorite features - and keep in mind that, though I will be donating asap, I haven't paid for anything yet:

• I currently am using 6 versions of the Bible and the Parallel and Compare features.
• There are so many commentaries I won't bother the count the ones I am using but here is a screenshot of what I was using recently:
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• I can adjust the screen colors (within limits), change the font settings (with a LOT of options), and more.
• I can easily set up verse lists and copy things right into the Notes feature.
• There are tools for doing searches by parameters such as just the O.T., N.T, specific book, or range of books.
• It is very easy to print. I print a lot of search results. 

Those are just the features I can name off the top of my head because I use them so much.

What I love, love, love are the commentaries. One of the reasons I am so picky about buying a Bible is because I like a lot of notes and commentary included to expand on or help explain certain passages. Now that I am using eSword, I have just about every kind of commentary right there on my PC. 

Here are some screenshots of 

toolbar offerings

I have really gotten a lot from reading the various commentaries. For instance, I happened to be doing my daily reading (in Exodus) and ran across a comment that was credited to Aben Ezra and something called "Targums of Jonathan, Jarchi, and R. Jeshua". What??? Right. I went online to figure out what that was about and was led to the Talmud and other writings and writers. So now I have on my Reading To-Do List Philo the Jew, Targums, the Talmud, and others. This is how a long time ago, I discovered Flavius Josephus and The Antiquities of the Jews (which, by the way, is free via most podcast players).

So, yes, I highly recommend using eSword. I also would encourage people to donate to the project. I was going to pay upwards of forty dollars for a Bible so I can surely scrape together money for eSword.

Now, are there some issues I have with eSword? Sure. Actually, I've only had one problem to date: I tried saving my Notes and they disappeared. I could find the files on my computer but not a program to read the files. I solved that problem by going back into the Notes feature and doing Control-Z and they reappeared. I now copy all notes to a Notepad doc just in case.

You can click on the screenshots I've scattered through this post to enlarge them and see some of the features I mention. Or you can check this page on the eSword site where there are plenty of visuals. In the meantime, here are some additional links I thought you might be interested in. These include some of the things I mentioned in this post and a couple of things I have run across lately:

• I will be visiting the Jewish Virtual Library when I can savor it. I think some of us tend to forget that our Savior was born a Jew.
• Overview Bible is a neat resource for catching some quick facts. I have not looked at a lot of the site but what I glanced through looks solid. As always, be discerning.
• Wikipedia on Philo
• You can read The Targums at Judea Christian Research (JCR). I had a link for a PDF copy but lost it. Got Questions helped me better understand what it is.
• I found this when trying to understand the Talmud and what exactly it is and what it means for Christians. Got Questions is the Google of Christians queries!

I hope this is all a blessing to you.

Peace

--Free

This is using the Graphics viewer. 

I can look at a variety of maps and timelines & control the size with the + and - buttons

This next one shows using the Bible to view commentaries, verse by verse & 

how to select the Editor (for Notes) and pin it to screen or 

move it off screen.

The same can be done with the dictionaries. 

I will add more screen captures when I have more time and brain function!