It was late. I was going over Hebrews 1:3 in the dark, the way I’d done every night that week, drifting toward sleep.
Then I hit the middle of the verse and stopped.
“After making _______ for sins…”
One word. Gone.
There was no way I could go back to sleep without knowing that word. So I got up. Turned on the lights. Grabbed my Bible. Found the word. Back to bed…now wide awake.
There had to be a better way.
There is.
Three free Bible apps for memorizing Scripture and studying it now live on my phone: the MacArthur Study Bible, Literal Word, and Versify.
One for reading, one for the original languages, and one for Bible memorization.
Didn’t I Say Not to Rely on Apps?
Many of you found this Substack post through 12 Bible Verses to Memorize and What Each One Means. In that post, I warned that too many believers lean on smartphone apps instead of hiding God’s Word in their hearts.
I stand by that. An app that replaces memory is a crutch. But an app that builds memory is a tool.
The psalmist states the goal in Psalm 119:11 as follows:
“I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
The Hebrew verb is צָפַנְתִּי (tsāphantî, from tsāphan: to hide away, to treasure). You don’t treasure what you have to look up. Every app below serves that goal. None of them replaces your paper Bible.
1. The MacArthur Study Bible App: Study Without Losing Your Place
It comes in NASB, ESV, LSB, and KJV. John MacArthur’s study notes sit one tap from the text, alongside the actual cross-references.
Additionally, there are three daily devotionals, each organized by month around specific topics. There’s also a through-the-Bible-in-a-year Bible that divides each day into Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, and New Testament portions that tie together. Finish in December. Start again in January. Year after year, and you can cover the entire Bible.
But the feature that sold me is a quiet one: you can always get back to where you started…easily.
For example, check out the cross references for the word “stumble” in James 3:2:
Tap on “a. James 2:10” and it opens in a window over the text.
Close it, and you’re right where you started.
Too many Bible apps I’ve tried punish curiosity. Follow one link, and you’re three screens deep with no path home. Here, the trail always leads back.
Now, you can explore without penalty.
2. Literal Word: What’s the Best Free App for Greek and Hebrew?
I’ve looked a long time for an original-language app that didn’t require a seminary degree just to find the search button. “Literal Word” is the winner.
Tap any word in the text, and the app shows the Greek or Hebrew word, its part of speech, a lexicon entry with its range of meanings, and a list of verses where it’s used.
Take James 2:23: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Tap “righteousness,” and up comes δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē), a feminine noun. It’s found in 84 verses, and every one is analyzed in this app. Its broad definition is conformity to the “Divine will in purpose, thought, and action.”
Then the app shows what the English hides. In a narrower sense, the same word means justice. Acts 17:31 says that God “will judge the world in righteousness.” Revelation 19:11 says of Christ, “in righteousness He judges and makes war.” See also 2 Peter 1:1.
Same word. In James, it’s credited to a believer. In Acts, Revelation and 2 Peter, it’s the standard of the Judge who will not bend.
Tap any of those references, and you’ll see the entire verse. Tap back, and you’re in James again. Bible versions include NAS95, LSB, ESV, NKJV, and KJV. I’ve reviewed a ton of original-language apps. This is the most comprehensive, advanced, and yet the easiest.
3. Versify: What’s the Best Free App for Memorizing Bible Verses?
Versify is where my nighttime problems get solved.
Choose from the BSB, CSB, ESV, KJV, LSV, NASB, NIV, or NLT versions. Tap the + at the bottom center, go to any book and verse, and add one verse or a whole passage. Ephesians 2:8 or Ephesians 2:8–10; your call. Or browse by topic: anger, contentment, encouragement, and more, to find verses around specific topics.
Then, practice the way your mind works. Flash cards work for some. Tap to show the reference; tap again, and the verse appears. Have it read aloud. Blank out some of the words. Strip it down to first letters only. Ask for a hint when you’re stuck. There are multiple options you can use.
Versify tracks your progress and brings older verses back for review. That’s the part that matters. iew feature. Learning a verse is the start. Keeping it is the discipline.
Why These Apps Help You Grow Spiritually
All three are free. Once downloaded, they each work without an Internet connection.
They’re there in the dead of night. They’re there in the waiting room when your 10:00 doctor’s appointment turns into 10:50. Minutes that used to disappear into a news feed or a rerun of Andy of Mayberry on the waiting room TV now go to the Word.
The psalmist knew those hours in Psalm 119:148 as follows:
“My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your promise.”
He was up at night too. He just wasn’t hunting for a light switch.
Start Tonight
Download Versify and add the first verse from the twelve on the earlier list.
Open the MacArthur app and read the book and chapter of your upcoming sermon or Bible study.
When a word stops you, open Literal Word and explore its meaning.
Next time you’re lying in the dark, one word short of a verse, you won’t need the lights. You’ll need ten seconds and the phone on your nightstand.
The missing word, by the way, was “purification.” Christ made it, and then He sat down; His work was finished.
Now, you can rest too.
To His Glory,
Thanks for reading The Inevitable Truth! I’m committed to keeping these posts free and accessible to everyone, with no paywalls or hoops to jump through. Upgrade if you find value and want to show your appreciation by supporting me.
📌 P.S. I’ve put together several free PDF resources to equip you for personal evangelism and deeper biblical study. Please try these out and give me your thoughts.
📌 P.P.S. If you enjoyed this or found it helpful, please consider sharing it and restacking?
Your shares make a real difference; they help others discover solid biblical teaching and allow me to keep creating free, accessible content.