12 Things You Might Not Know about ESV.org
An Updated, Robust, Simple-to-Navigate Site
We recently launched the new ESV.org, an online Bible study tool created to help you read and engage with God's Word on a regular basis. While many features of the site are available without signing in, creating a free account will allow you to save personal notes, highlight favorite verses, and start interactive reading plans.
Now through April 4, 2017, we're offering all users with a free account full access to the Base Study Package and Preaching the Word Commentary Series Add-On. Once logged in, you'll have free full access to explore the features and supplemental resources that we hope will make the study of God's Word easier and more accessible than ever.
The site is simple to navigate, with a clean and polished design. To help get you acquainted to the new system, we've detailed some of the site's key features, highlighting a few practical applications. Scroll the entire list or click the table of contents below to go straight to specific features you want to learn more about.
- Customize your page layout
- Create searchable personal notes
- Bookmark your favorite passages
- Start an interactive Bible reading plan
- Access valuable study resources alongside the biblical text
- Listen to an audio version of the Bible
- Customize how the Bible text is formatted to suit your preferences
- Copy and paste text
- Dig deep with advanced search options
- Easily navigate to the passage you want to study
- Sync data between your computer and iPhone/iPad
- Chat with customer service if you need help
Customize your page layout
By clicking the layout icon in the site's main navigation bar, you'll have the option of viewing each page in a 1, 2, or 3-column layout. This gives you the ability to read the Bible alongside your personal notes, text from one of the other resources available in Library, and the reading plan of your choice. As you scroll through the biblical text, the parallel column will scroll accordingly.
(Note: The ESV Global Study Bible is available for everyone, without subscription, via ESV.org. Included with our Base Study Subscription Package are 7 of our popular study and devotional Bibles, including the ESV Study Bible, ESV MacArthur Study Bible, ESV Literary Study Bible, ESV Student Study Bible, ESV Men's Devotional Bible, ESV Women's Devotional Bible, and ESV Gospel Transformation Bible. Additional commentary from the Preaching the Word series is available for a $.99 add-on.)
Create searchable personal notes
By logging into your account, you'll have the ability to favorite, highlight, take, and save notes on each verse or book of the Bible. Simply use your cursor to select a portion of text and use the pop-up menu to choose the note or highlighting option. From your account profile, you'll be able to see a list of your notes, highlights, and favorites as well as a history log of your recent entries, even being able to search for keywords.
Bookmark your favorite passages
By selecting a portion of text, you'll also have the option of tagging your selection by color. Three virtual "ribbon markers"—available from the top navigation bar—can then take you back to those tagged selections at any time.
Start an interactive Bible reading plan
Embedded in the site are 18 reading plans to help you read through the Bible on a daily basis. By selecting a plan, you'll see which reading is assigned to each day, and be able to add your start day and track your progress with the setting button at the top of that column. The site can even track your missed days so that you can catch up on readings you may have skipped.
Seven of these reading plans are available to download and print as PDFs.
Access valuable study resources alongside the biblical text
Choose from among available study resources, such as the ESV Study Bible, to read alongside the biblical text. Simply click on the Library icon and select which resource you would like to read. The study material corresponding to the biblical text will appear for your personal study and devotion.
Listen to an audio version of the Bible
By clicking the speaker icon on the page's top left corner, you'll be able to have the Scripture read aloud. The forward and backward arrows allow you to rewind or fast-forward the reading. You can opt to have the text scroll with the audio in the settings menu from the top navigation bar. Here, you can also change the speed of the audio.
Customize how the Bible text is formatted to suit your preferences
By clicking the gear wheel on the site's main navigation bar, users are able to customize the text view of biblical text. Select your font, size, justification and red letter options. Then, elect whether or not you'd like to view the text with illustrations. You can even opt to eliminate the verse and chapters numbers, viewing the text in reader's mode or with verses separated by line. Then, choose to see or hide headings, footnotes, and cross-references.
Copy and paste text
Choose your copy settings by clicking on the gear wheel on the site’s main navigation bar. Scroll to the bottom to select which features of the text you would like to include when you copy and paste text, including headings, verse numbers, footnotes, and cross references. Then, simply highlight the portion of text you'd like to copy, and copy and paste to the desired location.
This feature is especially useful for sharing passages of Scripture online, preparing messages or sermons, and incorporating quotes in papers or articles you are writing.
Dig deep with advanced search options
A new and improved search function allows you to do keyword searches not only within the biblical text, but also within the supplemental resources in your library. You can even get specific by searching within particular books of the Bible or in your notes.
Easily navigate to the passage you want to study
If you've created an account and logged in, you can close your window and return to the site without being logged out. The site even "holds your place" by directing you to your most recent search/page.
When navigating between pages, use the ESV logo in the top lefthand corner to return to the homepage at any time.
To access the full Bible text, simply click on the book title in your text column to view a list of each book of the Bible. Additionally, once you select a book, you'll have the option of clicking on a specific chapter number.
Sync data between your computer and iPhone/iPad
Many of the new ESV.org's features translate seamlessly to the Android and iPhone apps to make it easier than ever to access your Bible study tools from your mobile device. Once you're logged into your account, all personal notes and highlights sync across both platforms.
In addition, the mobile app also allows access to the supplemental Gospel Transformation Bible, Global Study Bible, and ESV Study Bible.
Also available from mobile devices are the audio, customizable text settings, and simple word search. Furthermore, you can set a notification to remind you to keep up with your daily reading plan Scriptures.
Chat with customer service if you need help
Have questions about the site's functions? Reach out to a live customer service representative through the Live Chat anytime during weekday business hours from 8:30-4:30 CST. To access live chat, click on "Chat" at the bottom right of the screen. A dialogue box will then appear, inviting you to ask your question.