You want to study the Bible — not just read it, but really dig in. You want to look up the original Hebrew and Greek words behind the English text, compare translations side by side, and read what trusted commentators have said about a passage across centuries. But seminary-grade tools usually cost hundreds of dollars. Blue Letter Bible puts all of that in your hands for free.^1
Founded in 1996 by a group of Christians in Southern California, BLB launched with one simple vision: put the Bible online with a special set of digital tools to accelerate in-depth study, and make it all free. The name? Simply because all the Bible verse links were blue.^2 Thirty years later, that modest project has grown into one of the most comprehensive free Bible study platforms on the internet, serving over 40 million users annually across its website and mobile apps.^2
What makes Blue Letter Bible distinctive is the depth woven into every verse. Each passage links directly to Hebrew and Greek lexicons (including Strong's), an inline interlinear, cross-references via the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, and over 8,000 text commentaries from more than 40 authors — including Matthew Henry, Charles Spurgeon, David Guzik, and John MacArthur.^3 You can run concordance searches, browse Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias, view maps and timelines, and study parallel translations across more than 30 Bible versions (KJV, NKJV, ESV, NIV, NLT, NASB, CSB, and many more).^1 The free NIV and NKJV mobile downloads, added in 2025 through partnerships with Biblica and Thomas Nelson, make offline study even more accessible.^4
BLB was co-founded by Jim Milligan and Frank Rabinovitch and originally operated under Sowing Circle, a Christian ministry dedicated to spreading the Gospel. In 2015, BLB became its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit, funded primarily through individual donations.^6 The ministry holds to the historical, conservative Christian faith and affirms biblical inerrancy in alignment with the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.^7
Why Christians Love Blue Letter Bible: "This is the most versatile Bible app I've ever tried. I had several before, but this one has replaced all of them. You can turn Red Letter on/off, toggle parallel view, and for scholars, they even have five different Greek Septuagints including the Textus Receptus. Five HUGE stars!"^4 Another user shared, "BLB was my first virtual Bible and I was so excited because I could take my Bible anywhere. BLB really is a life changer — my friend became a Christian because of it."^4 On Google Play, one reviewer wrote, "One of the best Bible study tools out there. You have access to commentary, interlinear translation, parallel translations side by side. This app has been absolutely foundational to my study."^8
Notable:
- Celebrating 30 years online (launched March 1996)^2
- In February 2026, BLB added the complete study notes from The Scofield Reference Bible (1909), one of the most influential study Bibles in evangelical history^9
- New partnership with "The Bible Says," an ongoing verse-by-verse commentary aimed at making deep scriptural truths accessible to the average reader^10
- ScriptureMark — a free digital markup tool for personalized Bible study with highlighting, block diagramming, and extensive note-taking^1
- BLB Institute (study.bible) offers free courses in partnership with Lancaster Bible College, with completed courses recognized toward undergraduate credit^2
- ECFA accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit^1
- Pastor H.B. Charles Jr. among recent additions to the commentary library^11
- Developer address: Greenville, South Carolina^8
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web Pricing: Free
