Resurgence

At the recent Exchange Conference in San Diego, Crossway demoed a new tool for online Bible study: the ESV Online. Here are some of its main features.

Free and Easy To Use

The ESV Online is free and easy to use. You can sign up for an ESV Online account at www.esvonline.org. While your free account includes the full ESV text and the ability to record your own notes, there are additional modules you can purchase, like the notes and resources from the ESV Study Bible. Crossway will be rolling out more modules and a content library so you can customize your account to meet your needs and interests. They’re also making mobile sync available in the coming months.

Customizable

When you visit the site you’ll notice the interface is organized into three columns. The interface is carefully designed to help you stay organized and undistracted as you read. Tabs for your personal notes, devotional readings, and the Study Bible notes (if you’ve unlocked them) can be dragged to either side of the text in the center and arranged as you like. All the panels can be resized and reconfigured in your account options.

Bookmark, Highlight, Share

Three bookmarks allow you to mark your place in the text. Drag one next to a verse and click on its icon to jump to where you last left off. Highlighting a verse with your cursor opens a window with options, including a number of highlighting and underlining styles, the ability to share a verse on Facebook or Twitter, and a link to add your own notes.

Unlockable Study Bible Notes

If you’ve unlocked the Study Bible notes, you’ll notice they follow the ESV text as you scroll up and down. References in the study notes and cross-references in the ESV text are all hyperlinked for quick searching through the Bible.

ESV Audio Readings

The ESV Online uniquely features two separate audio readings of the complete ESV Bible. You can set your preference in the options (once you've registered for free) and then listen to any text by using the audio bar or clicking on the “listen” links next to each heading in the text. We’re excited about what our friends at Crossway are doing with the ESV Online. Check it out at www.esvonline.org. Note: For Mac users, Crossway also has a widget that will take you directly into the ESV Online from your desktop (You can get it here).