Bible Reader Widget
Your complete guide to reading Scripture chapter by chapter — with verse navigation, chapter copying, and sharing tools.
Watch the Demo
See the Bible Reader Widget in action — selecting a translation and chapter, reading scripture, using the AI Explanation feature, and sharing content.
Getting Started
The Bible Reader is HolyExplorer's dedicated continuous Scripture reading tool. While the Bible Explorer is built for verse lookups and keyword searches, the Bible Reader is designed for reading — displaying a full chapter at a time with numbered verses, comfortable formatting, and tools for study and sharing.
What You Need
- An active HolyExplorer account (free or subscribed)
- A supported web browser (any modern desktop or mobile browser)
No subscription or credits are required to use any Bible Reader feature.
How to Access It
- Log in to your HolyExplorer account at dev.holyexplorer.com
- Navigate to Account → App, then click the Bible Reader tab
- Or go directly: dev.holyexplorer.com/account/#app/bible-reader
The Interface
The Bible Reader tab has a clean, focused layout with two main areas:
- Reading content area — the main panel where the chapter text is displayed with numbered verses
- Left edge toggles — two small tab buttons on the left edge for quick access to settings and navigation
When you first open the tab, the reading area shows a welcome message. Select your translation, book, and chapter through the Settings Panel to begin reading.
The Two Edge Toggles
Two thin toggle buttons appear on the left edge of the widget — but only when the Bible Reader tab is active:
Opens and closes the Bible Reader Settings Panel — where you pick your translation, book, and chapter, and access reading tools like Jump to Verse and Copy Chapter.
Shows and hides the main widget tab strip (Chat, Bible Explorer, Bible Reader, Bible Digital Media). Useful for maximizing reading space on smaller screens.
Click either toggle again to close the panel. Both toggles are hidden when you switch to a different tab.
The Settings Panel
Click the book icon (📖) edge toggle on the left to open the Settings Panel. It slides in from the left side and contains two sections.
Translation & Book Selection
This section contains three dropdowns that control what you read:
| Field | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Translation | Selects which Bible translation to read. Choose from ASV, CPDV, DRB, KJV, or WEB. |
| Book | Selects the Bible book. Includes a "Search books…" input at the top of the dropdown — start typing to filter the list instantly. |
| Chapter | Selects the chapter number. Updates automatically based on the selected book. |
Once all three fields are selected, the chapter text loads automatically in the reading area. You do not need to press a button.
Reading Navigation
Below the dropdowns, two buttons let you move through the Bible one chapter at a time:
- ← Previous Chapter — loads the preceding chapter (disabled on chapter 1 of a book)
- Next Chapter → — loads the following chapter (disabled on the last chapter of a book)
Reading Tools
Below the navigation buttons, the Reading Tools section gives you tools for study:
- Jump to verse — enter a verse number and click Go to scroll to and highlight that verse
- Clear Highlight — removes the blue highlight added by Jump to Verse (enabled after jumping to a verse)
- Copy Chapter — copies the full chapter text — including verse numbers and translation attribution — to your clipboard
Reading a Chapter
Once a chapter loads, the reading content area displays:
- Chapter header — shows the book name, chapter number, and translation name (e.g., "Genesis 1 — King James Version (KJV)")
- Share button — in the top-right of the chapter header, for sharing the full chapter
- Verse list — each verse on its own line, with the verse number displayed to the left in a smaller style
- Attribution — translation credit displayed at the bottom of the chapter, as required by the translation license
Psalm Cross-References
When you read a chapter from the Book of Psalms, the chapter header also shows relevant New Testament cross-references — verses in the New Testament that cite or quote that Psalm. This connects Old Testament poetry with its New Testament context and is a unique feature of the Bible Reader for Psalms study.
AI Explanations
Every chapter in the Bible Reader includes an AI Explanation button — a speech-bubble "?" icon that generates a streaming theological explanation of the selected passage.
Where the "?" Button Appears
The Bible Reader displays chapters in paragraph groups — consecutive verses grouped by thematic content (for example, Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:2, Genesis 1:3-5). Each group has its own "?" button:
| Location | What It Explains |
|---|---|
| Chapter header | An AI explanation of the full chapter — its context, main themes, and theological significance |
| Each verse-group heading (e.g., "Genesis 1:3-5") | An AI explanation of just those specific verses — useful for understanding a particular passage in depth |
How It Works
- Load a chapter by selecting Translation, Book, and Chapter in the Settings Panel
- Click the "?" speech-bubble icon next to a verse group heading or in the chapter header
- A popup opens immediately showing "Generating AI explanation…"
- The AI streams a theological explanation directly into the popup
- When complete, a Share button appears in the popup — so you can share the explanation via social media or email
Credit Cost
AI Explanations use credits in the same way as Chat tab responses. The cost depends on the length of the passage and your active AI model. A full-chapter explanation typically uses more credits than a short verse-group explanation. If you run out of credits, a message will appear in the popup.
To purchase more credits, see the Credits, Billing & Subscriptions Guide.
Reading Tools
Jump to Verse
The Jump to Verse input lets you navigate directly to any verse in the loaded chapter without scrolling:
- Open the Settings Panel with the 📖 edge toggle
- Enter a verse number in the Jump to verse field
- Click Go
- The page scrolls to that verse, which is highlighted in blue for easy reference
Click Clear Highlight to remove the highlight when you are done.
Copy Chapter
Click Copy Chapter in the Reading Tools section to copy the entire chapter to your clipboard. The copied text includes:
- The chapter reference (book name and chapter number)
- All verse numbers and verse text
- The translation attribution line
This makes it easy to paste directly into a sermon outline, Bible study notes, a word processor, or an email — with all verse numbers intact and the translation properly credited.
Sharing a Chapter
Every loaded chapter includes a Share button in the chapter header. Clicking it opens the Share modal — the same share panel used across the Bible Chat Widget and Bible Explorer.
Share Destinations
The Share modal lets you send the full chapter text to:
- X (Twitter)
- Additional options depending on your device and browser
The shared content includes the book, chapter number, translation, and full verse text. Sharing is free and does not use any credits.
Available Translations
The Bible Reader supports the same five translations available throughout HolyExplorer:
| Code | Full Name | Tradition | Canon |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASV | American Standard Version | Protestant | 66 books |
| CPDV | Catholic Public Domain Version | Catholic | 73 books (incl. Deuterocanon) |
| DRB | Douay-Rheims Bible | Catholic | 73+ books (incl. Deuterocanon) |
| KJV | King James Version | Protestant | 66 books |
| WEB | World English Bible | Protestant | 66 books |
The Catholic translations (CPDV and DRB) include the Deuterocanonical books — Tobit, Judith, 1–2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and additions to Esther and Daniel. Protestant translations (ASV, KJV, WEB) cover the 66-book Old and New Testament canon.
Tips for Better Reading
Use the Book Search
The Book dropdown has a built-in search field. Start typing a book name — for example, type "Cor" to jump straight to Corinthians — instead of scrolling through the full list.
Jump to Verse for Long Chapters
For long chapters like Psalm 119 (176 verses) or Isaiah 53, use Jump to Verse to go directly to the verse you want without manual scrolling. The highlight makes it easy to spot on the page.
Copy for Study Notes
Use Copy Chapter to pull an entire chapter into your note-taking app or word processor. Verse numbers and attribution are included, so your notes remain properly referenced.
Psalm Cross-References for Deeper Study
When reading Psalms, check the chapter header for New Testament cross-references. These connections can deepen understanding of how early Christians interpreted the Psalms in light of Christ.
Compare Translations with Bible Explorer
The Bible Reader displays one translation at a time. If you want to compare how the same passage reads across multiple translations simultaneously, switch to the Bible Explorer tab — its Verse and Range modes show up to five translations side by side.
Reading the Deuterocanon
To access books like Tobit, Judith, Sirach, or 1–2 Maccabees, select the CPDV or DRB translation. These books appear in the Book dropdown when a Catholic translation is selected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need More Help?
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