Bible Works 8 is the first software review I will be posting in my series of comparative segments on Bible software. Bible Works 8 is a software program that focuses on the biblical text. The other software programs that I will review will all have Greek and Hebrew helps but their focus is different. Most other software packages are designed to help the user collect a theological library and to collect electronically formatted books from a wide range of subjects. While Bible Works 8 does have a wide variety of tools its aim is not to help the user amass a theological library filled with commentaries and explanatory notes but rather the focus is on the proper exegesis of the Biblical text.

While I have Logos Scholars Library with over 900 works, Wordsearch 8 with more than 900 works, and PC Study Bible advanced with more than 350 works I have found myself spending most of my time in Bible Works 8. Why would I do that when the Bible Works library only has a few commentaries sermon aides? Because Bible Works 8 is the quickest and most convenient program of the four I have examined. In addition Bible Works 8 allows you to do the exegesis without the temptation of turning to a commentary to do it for you. Bible Works 8 includes many lexicons, language diagrams, and other grammars to help the expositor to correctly determine the precise meaning of the passage being considered. The language package in Bible Works 8 is incredible, and it is very simple to use. As their motto indicates "focus on the text" this is the beauty and simplicity of Bible Works 8.

In subsequent articles I will delve further into the features and resources contained in the Bible Works 8 software package.