Is a Physical Bible Better Than the App?

Dr. Audrey Davidheiser Crosswalk Contributing Writer
Updated Jul 19, 2023

Once Steve Jobs released the original iPhone, I—like many others—bought one.

My reasoning had nothing to do with the buzz the device generated. Neither was I interested in how this novelty could catapult me into the in-crowd.

It was so I could stock mine with the Bible app and read it on the go.

Not going to lie here. The colorful apps—especially when they wiggled, like when I rearranged them on my screen—also attracted my attention. Back then, the smartphone concept, complete with apps we could download and personalize our phones with, was revolutionary.

It still is, I suppose.

If you’re a fellow smartphone user (regardless of brand), I’m sure you can resonate with the perks of possessing a handheld device that connects you to the entire world. I get it if the gadget also serves as your primary means for Bible reading.

See if you agree with the following perks of reading an electronic Bible.

Benefits of a Bible App

1. Time saver. Does anyone intuitively know whether Nahum is hiding before or after Haggai in the Old Testament? A Bible app will find even the most obscure book of the Bible after only a few taps.

2. Some translations offer the option of turning your Bible into an audible experience. This way, you can pair spending time in the Word with another activity that won’t compete with your listening, like doing the dishes or driving cross-country.

3. Speaking of road trips, an app makes it handy to read Scripture while traveling. It eliminates the need to haul around a bulky Bible.

4. An electronic Bible allows you to do a satisfying Bible study all in one spot. You can compare other translations of the same verse, examine the concordance, search corroborating verses, discover devotionals on the topic, all without leaving the app. Plus, if the passage you’re studying reminds you of a friend’s prayer request, you can text her the encouraging verse.

5. The notes and marks you type into your app can be your growth gauge. Ours is a growing relationship with Jesus. Even though the Bible doesn’t change—God will never issue an update when it comes to His eternal Word—the same verse might mean something different to you now that you’re more mature than you from the past. Don’t be surprised if you stumbled on a note you created years ago on a particular passage and realize that you’re getting a new revelation on it today.

6. No light is needed. Flying in a jet, and the cabin is pitch black? Trying to squeeze in your daily Scripture reading while your spouse is sound asleep? That’s when the Bible app shines, no pun intended. You can pursue your spiritual growth without disturbing the world around you.

Benefits of a Physical Bible

At some point or another, I’ve done all of the above and can therefore attest to how useful my Bible app is. But you’ll still catch me with my leather Bible, in my lap, with a pen and highlighter on standby.

Even if you’re a digital native who can’t imagine ever ditching your electronic Bible, would you allow me to share why reading the Word the old-fashioned way is advantageous?

1. Fewer distractions. Remember the text we talked about before—the one which contained an important verse you’d send to encourage your friend as you were reading your devotional? That one innocent act can lead to a string of other non-Bible-related activities. You might even find yourself staring at one Instagram reel after another, completely sidetracked from your noble intention of communing with God.

Since the enemy of our soul specializes in stealing, killing, and destroying (John 10:10), snatching our attention away from the Word fits his job description. But reading a paper Bible helps us focus on the task at hand.

2. Better for our brain. Do you know how many hours the average person spends staring at an electronic screen on a daily basis? Me neither, although I’m sure my iPhone can churn out the stats with just a few clicks. If your work chains you to a computer, and if, after logging out, you enjoy binging movies and streaming entertainment, and hobnobbing on social media, it’s safe to say you’re exposing your system to the virtual world an awful lot of time.

But there’s a real one out there too.

Reading a printed copy of the Word is one way to touch base with the physical world while also giving your body a break from the onslaught of electronic screens.

3. Loving the book. As it turns out, Haggai comes after Nahum. (I flipped open an actual Bible to find out.)

Only someone who traipses around in the Word as a lifestyle would know this trivia without having to double-check.

Then again, what’s wrong with knowing the order of the 66 books in the Bible by heart? If a basketball fan could memorize the NBA’s MVPs for the last three decades and a Taylor Swift groupie could name the title of every song she’s ever sung, then as children of God, we can make it a point to read the Bible cover to cover and savor the details in it.

Including remembering the order of books in both Testaments.

By using an actual Bible, searching the table of contents, and flipping to the page for the particular book you’re looking for, you can begin to familiarize yourself to the order of books.

4. Deeper insights. My New King James not only contains God’s eternal Word but also my response to it as I journey with Jesus day by day.

Something about reading a paper Bible provokes me to dig deep. I give each verse a close inspection and as such, pick up on repetitions and patterns. I observe the order of things in lists. I also scribble in the margin fresh revelations I receive from my time in the Word.

If you scroll through my Bible, you’ll spot pages where tiny notations fight for space, the margins filling up with arrows and scrawls and abbreviations that can be hard to decipher—even by me.

A physical copy of the Word makes Bible reading interactive, leaving a lasting impression in my heart.

Which Is Better?

Having compared the two, should you read the Bible the high-tech or low-tech way?

Yes.

In other words, whatever your preference is, the ultimate goal is to invest regular time in Scripture. The world’s perennial best-seller deserves to be shared. Studied. Meditated on. Memorized.

So, whatever means will help you concentrate on God’s Word the most, choose that one.

“I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure. I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your law. Seven times a day, I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments. Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:162-165, NKJV).

Audrey Davidheiser, PhD is a California licensed psychologist, certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist, and IFSI-approved clinical consultant. After founding and directing a counseling center for the Los Angeles Dream Center, she now devotes her practice to survivors of trauma—including spiritual abuse. If you need her advice, visit her on www.aimforbreakthrough.com and Instagram @DrAudreyD.