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Digital Tools

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In addition to the dictionaries and indexes provided by the Church, there are multiple tools available that can help one to enhance their scripture study. For example, an interlinear bible combined with translation materials can be a powerful tool in any gospel student's belt. 

 

There are several digital sources available online that one can choose from.  For most people, the free versions are usually more than adequate.  However, some people and some situations require more, which is why I am listing some paid programs as well. 

Interlinear Bibles Dictionaries, Concordances, & Lexicons 

Free 

An excellent free online Interlinear bible, dictionary, lexicon, and concordance. I like this source a lot.  I find it to be one of the more reliable options.  I also like that the interlinear bible parses out individual words, helping the reader to better understand how the various translators have interpreted the grammar.   

 

All of the interlinear bible listed will allow the user to select from a list of multiple translations (KJV, NIV, etc.).  This allows the user to compare and contrast how these passages have been used and interpreted historically. Additionally, both Blue Letter Bible and Bible Hub will list every time a particular word has been used in the Biblical record.  This is an incredibly valuable tool, that can help one to get a better sense of particular words in context.  

Tips for how to navigate Blue Letter Bible's Website

A user-friendly and accessible online Interlinear Old and New Testament and more.

This platform has a very convenient interlinear bible.  In my opinion, it is a bit more intuitive for beginners.  I also like that it has an alphabetical Hebrew and Greek  Concordance,  which makes it easier to find a specific word with its corresponding Strong's number.   This is particularly helpful if you don't know where a specific word is used in the Biblical Text.  Once you know the Strong's number, it is very easy to find it in other search engines.  I will frequently use this tool to identify the number and then cross-reference it with another source, such as Blue Letter Bible, Accordance, or LOGOS.  

Occasionally, I have found mistakes or biased information on this platform, so cross-referencing is always a good idea.  Bible Hub also includes several tools, such as timelines, and commentaries that can be very helpful.

An online edition of Webster's monumental work. Noah Webster based this dictionary extensively on the King James Version of the Bible.  These insights are particularly useful because they not only define the words in context to the time period, but they also reflect the values and priorities of the early nineteenth century.  This allows the reader to get a better sense of the King James Translation as well as the Book of Mormon.

A free online database that includes over 3000 years of Jewish Texts.  Multiple dictionaries, translations, and commentaries are provided and organized into a very useful platform.  The Jewish sites do not use Strong's numbers, so one will need to know how to look up words using their roots.  This can take some getting used to, but there is a treasure trove of information in these databases.  

Paid  

Scripture Notes, developed by Oak Norton, is a robust scripture study tool that surpasses the capabilities of traditional reading or marking apps. It is particularly valuable for in-depth research in the Triple Combination, which does not have a digital concordance like Blue Letter or digital Biblical options.  In addition to providing a type of digital concordance for the Book of Mormon, the tool integrates seamlessly with resources like Blue Letter, Bible Hub, and Webster's 1828 Dictionary, enhancing its utility. Users can save searches and incorporate multimedia content, addressing limitations found in other tools like LDS Tools. This program stands out for its flexibility, simplicity, and the depth of study it facilitates, making it a valuable resource for scripture study.

The program is available in both a free and a premium version ($5/month or $50/year), with the latter offering additional features. Norton's vision for Scripture Notes is extensive, aiming to make scripture study more engaging and insightful. He encourages users to join him on this journey of exploring and understanding scriptures in a more profound way. 

Biblical software used by serious academics in and outside of the Church.  LOGOS has huge collections and libraries to choose from.  These packages can be expensive, but if one needs more than the free options can provide, this and the Accordance software are excellent options that  are well-respected within academic circles.

Biblical software for those who want more than the free versions offer.  Accordance is very helpful for those pursuing more advanced scholarship.  It has a smaller collection than its competitor, LOGOS; however, the platform is more intuitive. One can find most of the major academic materials provided, which include up-to-date lexicons/ concordances/ dictionaries, and commentaries, in addition to the different versions of biblical codices in their original languages, with multiple translations (i.e. Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Vulgate, Tanakh, Nag Hamadi texts, etc.).  These resources are excellent for side-by-side comparisons, particularly when trying to better understand a translation or the historical context associated with a particular word, phrase, or passage.

Free Indexes & Cross-Referencing Tools

The official Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Gospel Library.  This is always the first go-to reference.  The Gospel Library contains a wealth of information and is frequently undervalued and underutilized by members of the Church.   

In addition to the Topical Guide, Bible DictionaryJST,  and Index, the Gospel Library includes Chronologies, Harmonies of the Gospels, Maps, Videos, and many other tools and resources to assist us in our study.

SOAR is an online transcription service that is provided by BYU's Religious Studies Center. 

An excellent tool that provides a digital index for all LDS Standard works, General Conference talks, Journal of Discourses speeches, and writings in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.  One can pull up specific scriptures or topics and see how they have been referenced and illustrated by various General Authorities.  

A fantastic tool developed by Taylor Halverson and Stephen W. Liddle.  This interactive map links the scriptures to an interactive and visual platform, which can help the reader better understand the material's overall geography and context.   

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge is an online index and cross-referencing tool used by Biblical Scholars.   

Book of Mormon Central developed the ScripturePlus App to enhance one's scripture study experience. This app incorporates additional materials into an interactive scripture platform which provides the user with related videos, cultural information, commentary, maps, updated research, and so forth, to assist the user to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the material.

CFM Specific Resources

Scripture Central's Come Follow Me Guide includes multiple resources and insights to help one better understand each week's CFM curriculum materials.   

John Hilton's Come Follow Me Blog is excellent, and he shares some really great insights and materials.  

A collection of articles compiled by BYU's Religious Studies Center to correspond with this year's CFM curriculum. 

Lesson Plans and Activities for teaching Kids.  

Daniel Rona is the only LDS-licensed Israeli tour guide in Jerusalem.  He offers many valuable insights about the Holy Land and Jewish Culture in his CFM Study guides.

Additional Academic Materials 

The BYU Religious Studies Center was founded in 1975 under the direction of Dean Jeffrey R. Holland.  This center sponsors, produces, publishes, and makes available a treasure trove of gospel-related materials that are designed to encourage academic and spiritual development.  

Internet Archive is a non-profit online library that houses millions of public domain and digital library references.  This can be a very helpful resource if one wants to look up material for ancient church writers and historians, such as Josephus, Eusebius, Justyn Martyr, Philo of Alexandria, Herodotus, Origen, and so forth.

This  1900 digital copy of "A Complete Concordance to the Book of Mormon" by George Reynolds is available through Scripture Central.  

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