The best Bible study app for working through every book with a guide

Four study apps that walk with you through the Bible, chapter by chapter and book by book.

Set a passage before you begin and decide when to consult the explanation: while reading, after the chapter or during a separate listening session. Choose whether to begin with spoken teaching or written annotations.

This selection combines two audio teaching apps that cover the entire Bible with two study Bibles that place notes beside the text. Each suits a different way of learning, whether you prefer to listen on the move or to read with commentary in front of you.

Study guides and annotated Bibles for reading the whole Bible

1. Through the Word: a short audio guide for each chapter

Through the Word offers an audio guide for every chapter of the Bible, all 1,189 of them, each lasting about ten minutes. The guides are arranged into 19 journeys through books, themes and chronology, including a 26-day Start journey for newcomers.

The TTW Together feature turns a book, journey or topical plan into a group study, and guides can be heard offline. The developer states that the app has no ads and no fees, and Google Play lists neither.

Advantages:

• A guide for every chapter, from Genesis to Revelation.
• Structured journeys for beginners and experienced readers.
• Group study built into the app.

Tip: listen to the guide straight after reading the chapter, while the text is still fresh in your mind.

2. THRU the BIBLE: verse-by-verse audio teaching

THRU the BIBLE presents verse-by-verse teaching along a structured path through Scripture, so you can move steadily from one book to the next. On Google Play the developer is listed as THRU the BIBLE with Dr. J. Vernon McGee.

Use the accompanying passage while listening to the teaching. Audio can be saved for use without a connection; the controls also let you change playback speed, text size and display mode. Progress is saved automatically and syncs across devices with an account. The listing says all content is free and without ads.

Advantages:

• Teaching that moves through each passage verse by verse.
• Read-along text during audio lessons.
• Adjustable playback speed.

Tip: raise the playback speed slightly once you are familiar with the teacher’s style, to cover more ground in the same time.

3. The MacArthur Study Bible: notes for almost every passage

The MacArthur Study Bible app, from Grace to You, lets you read or listen to Scripture in several translations, including the NAS, LSB and ESV. A Grace to You account gives access to John MacArthur’s study notes, described as nearly 25,000 comments across almost all passages.

Articles, charts, maps and introductions to each book accompany the notes, together with study guides, sermons and devotionals. Highlights, personal notes and bookmarks sync across devices. Both store pages mention in-app purchases.

Advantages:

• Extensive notes linked to the passage on screen.
• Book introductions, charts and maps.
• Highlights and notes kept in step between devices.

Tip: read the introduction and note one point to check as you work through the book.

4. Orthodox Study Bible: commentary from the early Church

The Orthodox Study Bible app presents an Old Testament translated from the Greek Septuagint, including the Deuterocanon, and a New Testament from the New King James Version. Its notes draw on early Christian writers, and the app adds book introductions and outlines, topical articles and a glossary.

The Today screen contains daily readings, footnotes and morning and evening prayers. Several Orthodox church calendars are used for the readings. The full content is unlocked with a single in-app purchase rather than a subscription.

Advantages:

• A Septuagint-based Old Testament with notes.
• Daily readings according to church calendars.
• One purchase instead of a subscription.

Tip: use the glossary when a term from Orthodox tradition appears in a note and its meaning is unclear.

Final verdict

• Pick Through the Word for a ten-minute guide to each chapter.
• Choose THRU the BIBLE for continuous verse-by-verse teaching.
• Go to The MacArthur Study Bible for detailed notes beside the text.
• Try the Orthodox Study Bible to read with commentary rooted in the early Church.

Each set of badges opens the app’s page in Google Play or the App Store. For more on this site, the buttons at the head of the page lead to a home Bible course, two apps for reading and reflection, worship and hymns for everyday life, and Bible games for children.