Xiphos: Fantastic Open Source Bible Study Software for Linux & Windows

I've recently been using my computer for common Bible study tasks like simple word studies, full-text searches, and reading classic commentaries. The software I've been using for this is Xiphos, a free and open source Bible study application based on the SWORD Project. So far, I've been pretty impressed with its capabilities and clean interface.

Although there are plenty of on-line Bible study tools that are freely available, few offer the full set of features and customization of the Xiphos application. Available for both Linux and Windows, Xiphos offers a slew of features like a tabbed interface, maps and images support, a customizable layout, and quick searching. The biggest draw for me is how easy it is to make and maintain custom lists of verses organized by topic, and the intuitive and useful cross-referencing system. Annotating and highlighting the biblical text and other books is also very easy, and I love the lightning-fast search capability as well.

Of course, it's great to have the entire SWORD library of modules at your disposal as well. Xiphos allows you to connect to various repositories across the Internet and download various "modules" for the application, which can be anything from Bible translations, to dictionaries, to maps, or even classic Christian literature. A wealth of modules are available, and although most are older and in the public domain, the resources are still highly useful. I do wish there were more modern translations available such as the New Revised Standard Version and the The New International Version, however the English Standard Version as well the New English Translation (with limited commentary notes) are available at no cost.

With the parallel view feature, you can easily compare various translations side-by-side, and the dictionary pane allows for quick lookup of words in English or in the original languages. The book/commentary pane also allows for easy viewing of related material alongside the biblical text. I'm pleased with the selection of classic Christian literature, but I wish there were more commentaries available--even some commercial options would be nice.

Xiphos also comes with the ability to create modules as personal commentaries, prayer lists, or even journals. While I think this feature is nice, I'm hesitant to really invest time in it since there's currently no way to export your personal module as HTML or in another format. Granted, if Xiphos goes under there are lots of other SWORD compatible Bible study apps out there...but I'd still like the flexibility of exporting my data into a more universal format.

Although there are some limitations imposed on the Xiphos Bible study software due to lack of commercial modules, it remains one of the very best free tools interacting with Scripture. The modules that are available are useful and worth having, and the ability to create a personal commentary along with well-organized verse lists makes Xiphos Bible Guide a must-have tool the Linux or Windows user that would like to go a little beyond pen-and-paper Bible study.