James

I don't know how many of you have taken advantage of the bible search engines available on the internet, but I have found them invaluable. Makes spending too much time on the internet worthwhile, heh.

Anyway, punching in various words into the search engine reveals many amazing things. And makes them instantaneous. I am all for spending hours reading the bible, for sure. Using an engine can take you directly to what you are looking for again and again in the same time span. While it is all quality time, it gives the euphamism new meaning.

I had to get a bible that could keep up with it though...one that had a quality binding and thick pages to go with all the highlighting I was doing, and still doing.

And it sprials out of control. Searching for one thing leads to another and another, and before you know it hours go by.

Just some of the words, and combinations of these words, that I have querried: understand, knowledge, spirit, perceive, God is, Jesus is, love, good things, meditate, book, mind, sun, moon, heaven, star, machine, christian, alien (appears many times, although maybe not why you think), beast, teach, fire, burn, scorch, vision, divination, woman, women, scorcery, witch, ant, dog, scrole, testimony, sanctified, law, salvation, life, death, etc, etc, etc......

So many things to look up, not enough time. I highly recommend it.

Boanerges

Interesting approach- While I read my bible everyday but I mostly use my E-Sword program for bible study but I might try your way just to see what pops up.

James

The way I have been able to make the engine, the one I have been using, work best is going to the advanced search fuction and typing in series of words or phrases.

For example, if 'knowledge' were typed into the engine by itself there may be 800 returns. But if 'knowledge understanding seek' were typed into the engine a clearer picture begins to form, if seeking knowledge and understanding were what one was interested in.

And limiting the search to passages with specific phrases such as 'power of God' or 'kingdom of God' makes things start happening as well.

If done right, it seems as though it can pull everything out of the bible on any given subject one is interested in.

And then there is the fun stuff, just typing in interesting words....'weather', 'peculiar', etc....that don't seem like they would have 800 returns to look at.

I'll see what I can find on that E-Sword program, haven't heard of it. Are you happy with it?

Boanerges

I currently have over 50 bible translations , 20 sets of commetairies ,16 bible dictionairies ,graphics, over 30 books and other goodies. Everything I have mentioned here is freeware but they do have other add ons that can be purchased. I usually try to send a donation once a year out of my appreciation to brother Rick Meyers the man resposible for compiling the wonderful resource- it is available for download here:
http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
It is something I like to mention to everyone now and again- what an opportunity-I have a library bigger than most Pastors I know and can cross compare 50 translations at the click of a button- definitely worth checking out!

da_man

I use e-sword also. I got a copy with a Strong's concordance. I think it is a good program.
Could you post links of some of the various Bible search engines you use. I don't know that I have used any of them before.

James

The site I use is www.christnotes.org. It is fairly straight forward, click on the advanced search function and go to town.

Thanks for all the tips, will check them out.

It wouldn't surprise me if there is more to the bible than meets the eye. What with the bible code, whatever it is called. And supposedly the shortest passage in the bible is just previous to dead center and the longest passage in the bible is just after dead center. If true, the chances of that happening by accident is slim. And if someone took the time to do it up that way, makes one wonder what else is going on in there.

Supposedly, the exact middle verse of the bible is Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

Go figure.

epistemaniac

if you use the Firefox browser (maybe it works for IE too, I am not sure) you can get a toolbar built right into your browser that is connected to BibleGateway... you can do a passage or word search, get the results in up to 2 different translations and restrict your search to certain particular areas of scripture.... all pretty good for a free browser add on!

http://www.bibletoolbar.net/

blessings,
Ken