Reading the Bible on your Android device

OK, You've gotten an Android tablet or smartphone and it's got all these cool features, but how can you make use of it in daily devotions? What options are available to make reading God's Word convenient and free? Here are a few I've found and I'm glad to share them.

My preferred modern English translation for daily reading is the English Standard Version (ESV) copyrighted from Crossway Bibles.

If you have any other phone OS/translations/apps/etc. you've been using and want to share your experience, feel free to leave a comment below! Also feel free to ask me if anything below is unclear.

Web Versions
Without downloading an app you can begin reading this translation free using Good News Publisher's website and Android's stock web browser. Here's a link:

http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/browse/


One nice feature from this website is the through the bible in a year devotions. I bookmark this site and use it for my daily readings:

http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/through.the.bible/


It can also be helpful to make a shortcut to this website from your Android homescreen.

Dolphin Browser HD
https://market.android.com/details?id=mobi.mgeek.TunnyBrowser&feature=search_result

If you like the ESV Bible web interfaces above and want an environment more conducive to reading, try installing Dolphin Browser HD. This web browser application allows you to keep your screen lock from timing out before you get to the end of the page (if you're a slow reader like me) and allows you to use re-purpose the volume up/down buttons to scroll up and down the page.

ESV Bible (Crossway)
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.subsplash.esv&feature=search_result

Crossway recently came out with their own app which is freely available in the Android Market. It is the only free option I've found which includes cross references. It also downloads the whole text of the Bible to your phone so you aren't constantly relying on having an internet connection. You can also share verses you're pondering on Twitter or Facebook directly within the app. It does have some drawbacks, though.

First, it's a huge download (13 MB) so unless you have Froyo and can move it to your SD card, it'll be eating up a large chunk of your phone's onboard memory. I also had trouble downloading and installing the program (about 6 unsuccessful attempts!) and I think this was related to its size.

Second, it doesn't remap the volume buttons for scrolling (like the dolphin browser, above).

Third, while you can easily follow the cross reference links, the back button exits the app instead of returning to the previously selected passage.

Update: I've also found the Crossway ESV Bible app to force close a few times.

Hopefully in future revisions they can address some of these issues... but even so, it's already free and usable.

Amazon Kindle for Android
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.amazon.kindle&feature=search_result

If you need the Bible to be on your device but can't fit the entire 13 MB ESV Bible app from Crossway, consider downloading the Amazon Kindle App. The size of the app is only 3.5 MB and you can then download the ESV Bible for free from the kindle store within the app (you'll need to create an Amazon account if you don't already have one).

http://www.amazon.com/Bible-English-Standard-Version-ebook/dp/B001EOCFU4/ref=zg_bstf_154606011_30

The Kindle app is nice for straight reading through and will sync wirelessly with any other Kindle devices. It also has that nice volume button scrolling feature. It also allows you to resize the text and change white text over black background or vice versa (or sepia tone!).

Update: The Kindle app is also has a feature to "lock" the screen from shifting between portrait and landscape. This can be really handy if you read the bible while lying down.

The free version of the ESV for kindle, though, is not very good for jumping around in the text and does not have cross references.

Read It!
With all these free options for getting the Bible onto your Android device, chose one and get it. But don't stop there. The Bible is the Word of God and it is meant to be treasured!

Proverbs 7:1-3 (esv.to/Proverbs7.1-3)
7:1 My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.