OpenBible Scholar is a 100% free, offline-first Android Bible study app that delivers professional-grade study resources without any in-app purchases, subscriptions, or ads. It combines the offline simplicity of Olive Tree with the depth of Logos, enhanced with optional AI study tools and full Text-to-Speech accessibility.
- Verse-by-verse reader with clean serif typography
- Customizable font size (12sp–30sp), night mode, sepia mode
- Paragraph mode or verse-by-verse display
- Section headings, verse numbers (toggleable)
- Swipe left/right to navigate chapters
- Tap verse for quick actions (highlight, note, bookmark, AI, share)
- 6 highlight colors: Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink, Purple, Orange
- Rich text notes per verse with tagging and cross-linking
- Bookmarks with custom labels
- Browse all highlights/notes/bookmarks in one place
- Export to Markdown
| Category | Modules |
|---|---|
| Bibles (Public Domain) | KJV, ASV, WEB, YLT, Darby, Webster, KJVA, LXX, SBLGNT, BHS |
| Commentaries | Matthew Henry (full + concise), JFB, Adam Clarke, Wesley |
| Dictionaries | Easton's, Smith's, ISBE |
| Lexicons | Strong's Greek & Hebrew |
| Church Fathers | Ante-Nicene Fathers (38 vols), Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers |
- One-tap "Read Aloud" for verse, chapter, or continuous reading
- Word-by-word karaoke highlighting synchronized with audio
- Speed control: 0.5× – 2.0×
- Pitch control
- Voice selection (device-installed voices)
- Background playback with media notification controls
- Reads Bible text, commentaries, notes, and Church Fathers
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Contextual Explanation | Historical & cultural context, key word meanings, application |
| Cross References | 5-8 thematic and typological connections |
| Word Study | Deep Hebrew/Greek linguistic analysis |
| Historical Background | Archaeological and historical context |
| Passage Guide | Full study guide with structure, themes, application |
| Daily Devotional | Personal reflection + prayer prompt |
| Sermon Outline | Expository preaching outline |
Free AI providers supported:
- Groq (LLaMA 3, Mixtral — very fast, free tier)
- OpenRouter (multiple free models)
- Ollama (local, for advanced users)
- Custom endpoint
- Bible in One Year (365 days)
- New Testament in 90 Days
- Psalms & Proverbs (150 days)
- The Four Gospels (30 days)
- Chronological Bible (365 days)
- Daily reminders via WorkManager
- Full-text search across all downloaded Bible translations
- Highlighted search term in results
- Debounced live search (400ms)
- Compare up to 4 translations side by side
- Verse-aligned columns
- Add/remove translations dynamically
- No account required — no sign-up, no email
- No analytics — zero tracking of Bible reading habits
- Encrypted API keys — stored in Android Keystore (AES-256-GCM), never transmitted to us
- Offline first — all core features work without internet
- All data stays on device unless user chooses Google Drive backup
OpenBibleScholar/
├── app/
│ ├── src/main/
│ │ ├── java/com/openbiblescholar/
│ │ │ ├── data/
│ │ │ │ ├── db/ # Room database, DAOs, entities
│ │ │ │ ├── model/ # Domain models
│ │ │ │ └── repository/ # BibleRepository (single source of truth)
│ │ │ ├── di/ # Hilt modules, ApiKeyStore
│ │ │ ├── services/
│ │ │ │ ├── ai/ # AiStudyService (Groq/OpenRouter)
│ │ │ │ ├── tts/ # BibleTtsService, TTSForegroundService
│ │ │ │ └── sword/ # SwordModuleManager, ModuleDownloadService
│ │ │ └── ui/
│ │ │ ├── components/ # Reusable Compose components
│ │ │ ├── navigation/ # NavGraph with all routes
│ │ │ ├── screens/ # All screens + ViewModels
│ │ │ ├── theme/ # Material3 theme, typography, colors
│ │ │ └── widget/ # Daily verse home screen widget
│ │ └── res/
│ │ ├── values/ # strings.xml, colors.xml, themes.xml
│ │ ├── values-night/ # Dark theme override
│ │ └── xml/ # widget_info, backup_rules
│ ├── build.gradle # Dependencies
│ └── proguard-rules.pro
├── build.gradle
├── settings.gradle
└── gradle.properties
Stack:
- UI: Kotlin + Jetpack Compose + Material3
- Architecture: MVVM + Hilt DI
- Storage: Room (notes, highlights, settings) + File system (SWORD modules)
- Networking: OkHttp + Retrofit (AI only, optional)
- TTS: Android native
TextToSpeechAPI withUtteranceProgressListener - Security:
EncryptedSharedPreferenceswithMasterKey(AES-256-GCM) - Background: WorkManager (reading plan reminders)
- Minimum SDK: 26 (Android 8.0), Target: 34 (Android 14)
- Android Studio Hedgehog (2023.1.1) or later
- JDK 17
- Android SDK 34
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/OpenBibleScholar.git
cd OpenBibleScholar
./gradlew assembleDebug- Get a free API key from Groq or OpenRouter
- In the app: Settings → AI Settings → Enter API Key
- Test the connection
- Enable "AI Features" toggle in Settings
- Open the app → Library
- Select Bibles tab
- Tap Download on KJV or any translation
- Modules are downloaded over Wi-Fi and stored offline
The app uses the SWORD Project open standard for Bible modules. Modules are:
- Free and public domain (KJV, ASV, WEB, commentaries, etc.)
- Downloaded on-demand from CrossWire mirrors
- Stored as SQLite files in
files/sword_modules/ - Parsed using a custom Kotlin SWORD reader
To add new SWORD modules, extend SwordModuleManager.availableModules.
- v1.2: Passage Guide AI deep-dive, export to PDF, community module suggestions
- v1.3: Greek/Hebrew morphology browser, original language interlinear
- v2.0: Desktop/Web companion app, collaboration features, sermon builder
- Future: Multiple languages, iOS, offline LLM (when device hardware allows)
This app is free and open source. The app code is released under the MIT License.
All Bible modules, commentaries, and lexicons used are in the public domain or are freely redistributable under open licenses (as noted per module).
The AI service integration is provided as-is. AI providers are third-party services — refer to their respective terms of service.
Pull requests welcome! Please see the roadmap above for priorities.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." — Psalm 119:105 (KJV)