Copying Bible Verses into Word Documents (updated video with new content)

Version 7.1 includes improvements to the configuration options for formatting verse text when copying verses to the Windows clipboard for pasting into other applications. A prior video showed some quick tips on using the copy features in SwordSearcher.  I’ve updated this video to reflect the improved options in 7.1 and also cover more copy & paste scenarios.

Watch the video here.

  • Copying selected verse text into a word processor or email.
  • Using the copy verse widget.
  • Changing the verse tags and other formatting options of the copied verses.
  • Verse auto-paste.
  • Copying verse text from links in books and commentaries.

 

Biblical Passage Analysis (New Video)

I’ve posted a new video demonstrating the Passage Analysis tool in SwordSearcher, a new feature added in version 7.1.

Watch the video to see how it works.  The Passage Analysis tool can be invoked from the main Search menu, or, you can right-click a verse in the Bible or Verse List panels and select it from the pop-up menu.

Analysis Details Provided:

The list of details depends on the passage being analyzed, and will include several or all of the following:

Canonical verse numbers: This is the range of “global” verse numbers analyzed, where 1 is Genesis 1:1 and 31,102 is Revelation 22:21. To learn the global verse number for a particular verse, type the verse into the Passage box to analyze just that verse.

Scope Contains: Lists the total count of books, total count of chapters, and total count of verses in the passage. Also lists the total number of words. In Romans through Philemon in the KJV, there are 43,490 total words and 3156 unique words. In this context, “unique words” means the number of words in the passage without counting multiple uses of each word.

Read-aloud time: The estimated reading time for the passage. This figure is based on Alexander Scourby’s narration of the King James Bible, and is a good gauge of the time required to read verses in a natural, narrative manner. Most people will read silently in less time than this figure.

Versification: breaks down the passage listing most and fewest chapters in a book, most and fewest verses in a book, most and fewest verses in a chapter, with links to the text.

Words: breaks down the passage listing most and fewest words in a book, chapter, and verse, with links to the text.

Click See Complete Word List to view an exhaustive list of all of the words in the passage, which can be sorted alphabetically, by frequency, or by “Passage Uniqueness” (see below).

Top Words: lists the most common words in the passage. For English texts, common words such as “the” and “a” are excluded from the Top Words list.

Most Unique: lists the most “unique” words relative to the rest of the Bible. Words that appear only in the analyzed passage will score 100%, with the score diminishing as words are more often found in other passages.

SwordSearcher 7.1 Released

I’m happy to announce that SwordSearcher 7.1 is now available!

If you’re already a SwordSearcher user you can read upgrade details here.

Here’s a summary of what’s new in 7.1. A complete revision history is available here.

Library Additions:

New feature highlights:

  • Reading Schedule VideoA highly flexible and intelligent Bible Reading Schedule System. SwordSearcher can help you stay in the Scriptures daily with standard and custom reading plans. The reading schedule functions of SwordSearcher prominently feature estimated reading times and use them for calculating plans. This is far more useful than dividing readings only by verses or chapters. Custom reading plans can include any segments of Scripture needed. Plans can be created based on calendar period desired, or based on how much time you want to spend reading each day.
  • The new Passage Analysis Tool shows details about a selected portion or portions of the Bible. Among the interesting details provided are complete word lists and “most unique” word lists, so you can see which words appear more predominantly in any given area of the Bible compared to other areas.
  • Even faster and more convenient access to library modules with new library tab drop-down selection menus.
  • Several user module editor enhancements, including built-in support for pasting images directly into user notes and topics.
  • Lots more.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. And I’d like to take a moment to say that I am thankful for everyone who has supported SwordSearcher in the last 18+ years! It’s been wonderful being blessed so much by God to be able to do this for a living. SwordSearcher is how I feed my family, and I am thankful for all of you for being a part of it!

Psalms 26:7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

Version 7.0 Hotfix 2 available

A small, free “hotfix” update is available for SwordSearcher 7.0. This is Hotfix #2.

This update is recommended for all SwordSearcher 7.0 users, and is also strongly suggested for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users.

Open SwordSearcher 7, click the Help menu, and select “Check for updates.” Click the link in the page that loads to download the update and install it. That’s all.​

Continue reading “Version 7.0 Hotfix 2 available”

Bible verse topic, idea, and doctrine searching (video)

It’s a common problem: how do you do a Bible search based on an idea or a specific doctrine, when you don’t know what Bible words to use?

Today’s video quick tip shows one way SwordSearcher can help you with this, using the main search bar.

As you type a word into the search bar, the suggestion list will tell you how many verses contain the word even before you start your search. If you realize there are no verses, you can just move down to the Topic and Verse Guide search option instead, where you can explore various topical guides and dictionaries for the term you’re searching.

One thing that’s not shown in this video, but might be useful depending on the book, is that you can right-click inside the book or commentary panel and select “Load All Referenced Verses” to view all of the verse links inside of a verse list panel.

Right-click menu in books panel, showing "Load all Referenced Verses" option.
Right-click menu in books panel, showing “Load all Referenced Verses” option.

Bible Cross-References

A few days ago I posted a tutorial on using the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Today I’d like to expand a bit on the topic of cross-referencing in Bible study.

It’s easy to lean on commentaries when studying a passage of Scripture. But this has a big, obvious pitfall: when you’re reading a commentary, you’re reading what another man has to say about God’s word. There is nothing inherently wrong with reading commentaries. In a way it is not a lot different from listening to preaching in church, and we should always be open and teachable, willing to learn when God might want to teach us through someone else.

However, a personal relationship with God has only one mediator (1Ti 2:5), so we must always be on guard and ensure that we are not setting up someone between us and God as we study the Bible.

Continue reading “Bible Cross-References”