BibleWorks 9 Now Available

I have been an avid user of Bibleworks for the past 17 years (since version 3.0!). Over these past 17 years I have only grown more convinced that it is the premier exegetical software for studying Scripture. In God's providence I have had the privilege of becoming a certified Bibleworks trainer, conducting training workshops throughout the United States for students, professors and pastors. But even cooler than that is serving as a beta tester for a few of the versions, including the one they have just released--Bibleworks 9.

There are so many reasons I love this software. If you are unfamiliar with Bibleworks, the best place to begin is here. If you are already familiar with Bibleworks and are wondering what is new in this most recent release, check it out here. For more even more discussion of the new features in Bibleworks 9, be sure to check out the unofficial Bibleworks blog, where there is an ongoing series of posts covering the new features in detail. Among the most exciting additions are a quantum leap forward in tools for textual criticism, a new fourth column that expands the information you can display on the screen, and several new tabs within the Analysis Window. Included in the standard package is The New Moody Atlas of the Bible that includes high resolution maps and photos. Available as add-on modules are the ESV Study Bible, Reformed Dogmatics (4 Volume Set) by Herman Bavinck, and Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine by Wayne Grudem (for a full list of available add-on modules, see here). They even have the NIV2011. There is literally something for everyone in this latest release.

To whet your appetite, here is a short video that shows you Bibleworks 9 in action:



Here is an introductory video to Bibleworks 9:


There are ten more video clips available here.

Here are just a few of the endorsements, including my own:

Even better

BibleWorks 9 is an invaluable tool for studying the scriptures... I use BibleWorks every day, and BibleWorks 9 makes a great product even better!

Dr. Thomas Schreiner
Louisville, Kentucky
June 2011

9 is a 10!

Version 9 of BibleWorks is, well, a 10! The addition of the textual apparatus from the Center for New Testament Textual Studies is alone worth the upgrade, not only because of the astonishingly detailed information it provides, but also because of the masterful way in which that information has been integrated into the program -- and all of this at no extra cost. The inclusion (also at no extra cost) of the Moody Bible Atlas (with high-resolution images of its beautiful maps and photos) and the addition of various other enhacements and tools make this extraordinary program even more useful than before. I for one am a very grateful customer.

Moisés Silva
Author and scholar
Translator for both the NAS and ESV bibles
June 2011

A giant leap forward

BW9 takes a giant leap forward in terms of opening up the world of textual variants and text criticism. A new database lets users access the major variants in every verse of the Greek New Testament. The manuscript witnesses for each variant are laid out in a chart displaying the manuscript's approximate date and type (that is, uncial, miniscule, etc.) for instant analysis of the witnesses. Even more exciting, the transcribed texts of the major uncial witnesses can be selected as display versions. I can read the critical text, Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, and others side-by-side, such that the historic witnesses come alive as real texts, and not just as symbols at the bottom of the page of the print edition of the critical text. These are also accessible through a new "manuscripts" tab in the analysis window, together with photographic images of select manuscripts.

The introduction of the fourth window dramatically enhances ease of use. Now I can have the window displaying multiple versions, the analysis window displaying lexical resources, and a browse window showing the verse in its full literary context all displayed across the screen. A new "use" feature provides gives me an instant book- or canon-wide concordance of any word under the cursor. That feature is an amazing time-saver.

David A. deSilva, Ph.D.
Trustees' Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek
Ashland Theological Seminary
June 2011

Prepare to be impressed!

The first time I opened BibleWorks 9 on my desktop, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning! An avid user of the last five versions of the program, I have long regarded BibleWorks as the gold standard for personal research and classroom use. If you're like me, then, you might wonder what more they could do. Prepare to be impressed! I noticed immediately that I had more choices at my fingertips, so that options available in earlier releases were more accessible. In fact, with the colorful, user-friendly toolbar, I was unsure whether I was now seeing, as if for the first time, tools and resources I had overlooked in previous versions. BibleWorks 9 introduces new text-critical resources – including the CNTTS apparatus, line-by-line comparison of mss., even images of some of the more important ones. This means I won't be moving back and forth between my computer screen and my hard copy of the Greek New Testament as before. I opened the new, second analysis window and found I could work on issues of grammar and usage (or any mix of possibilities) at the same time. Now I can simultaneously search the lexicon, study usage, and view a text in context – and that's only one combination of options available to me in this new configuration. A great resource for serious biblical studies just got better…

Joel B. Green, Ph.D.
Professor of New Testament Interpretation &
Associate Dean for the Center for Advanced Theological Studies
Fuller Theological Seminary
June 2011

Familiar and friendlier

BibleWorks9 is a significant and attractive upgrade. It offers an updated interface that will be familiar to existing users and friendlier for new ones. The BibleWorks Manuscript Project and the CNTTS NT Critical Apparatus modules are remarkable resources that will especially appeal to those interested in New Testament textual criticism. All users will enjoy the easier access and increased functionality provided with new features like the pop-out fourth column, the "Use" tab, and the instant difference highlighting. Considering the other texts and resources provided, BibleWorks9 is a comprehensive study package and tremendous value.

Mark GV Hoffman
Assoc. Prof. of Biblical Studies
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg
June 2011

Hard to believe

If your goal is to understand the biblical text in light of careful study of the original languages, there is no better tool available than Bibleworks 9. It is an indispensable part of my study of Scripture, whether I am writing a commentary, working on a journal article, preparing a sermon, putting together a Sunday School lesson, or crafting a small group Bible study. I am so convinced of its value that I am now requiring my Greek students to use it for assignments.

In the past i have found it challenging to introduce Greek students to the field of textual criticism. But with the cutting edge advances now available in Bibleworks 9, I am eager to show them just how valuable it can be even for the busy pastor with limited time.

Once people begin to mine the riches of the CNTTS New Testament Critical Apparatus, they will wonder how they ever managed to survive with just the NA27 apparatus. Combined with the breathtaking Manuscript Project, Bibleworks 9 is now the tool of choice for those who want to do careful work in the manuscripts of the New Testament.

In the realm of Bible software, there is simply no better value than Bibleworks 9. To create a comparable set of resources in other software programs, you will pay 2-4 times as much. And in some cases you still won't be able to match what Bibleworks 9 offers. To put it bluntly, not only does Bibleworks 9 do things that no other Bible software program can do, it does so at a speed and cost that is frankly hard to believe.

Matthew S. Harmon
Professor of NT Studies
Grace College & Theological Seminary
June 2011

For ordering information, see here. There is special pricing available for upgrades from previous versions, and information about group discounts can be found here.