- E-Sword
] .
Bibles
The first 253 installed Bibles are viewable in tabs. All Bibles are linked to the same open reference. This allows the reader to switch back and forth between versions seamlessly.
Examples of available Bibles are " La Biblia de las Américas", "The Holman Christian Standard Bible", and "The Targum of Jonathan Ben Uzziel (Pseudo-Jonathan)".
Compare Tab
The compare tab allows the reader to view the currently selected verse in Bibles. [cite web|url=http://www.e-sword.net/images/compare.gif|title=e-Sword Compare Tab|publisher=Rick Meyers|date=
2007-01-31 |accessdate=2007-02-15] There are two known issues with this tab:
* Bibles in Hebrew, Aramaic, and other Right to left writing systems are not displayed in the comparison field. (This is due to bugs in Microsoft Windows, and Microsoft Access.);
* This tab is not displayed if more than 253 Bibles have been installed in e-Sword. (This is due to bugs in the toolset that e-Sword was created with.);Parallel Tab
The parallel tab allows the reader to create a customized Parallel Bible of up to four versions [cite web|url=http://www.e-sword.net/images/parallel.gif|title=e-Sword Parallel Bible|publisher=Rick Meyers|date=
2007-01-31 |accessdate=2007-02-15] .The only way to read the 254th, and subsequent Bibles that have been installed in e-Sword, is to use the parallel tab.
Bible Reading Plans
Bible reading plans enable one to easily track one's progress in systematically reading the Bible. For e-Sword, one has to click on a completed icon, for it to start at the correct reading the next time one opens this component.
These resources can be easily created from within e-Sword. Some end users have created more customized reading plans, by using one of the e-Sword Utility Programs.
Bookmarks and Verse Lists
Up to ten verses can be bookmarked. The bookmarks are displayed as yellow flags on the side of the Bible.
Verse lists of any size can be easily created. These are frequently used to store the results of searches. Icons on the tool bar allow one to easily switch verses, without reloading the verse list. For example: The components of the
Documentary Hypothesis have been distributed as a set of Verse Lists.By renaming a verse list file name to "bookmark.lst", the first ten entries in the verse list can be displayed as bookmarks.
Bible Markup
A basic palate of six colors, and an extended palette of 48 color are offered to highlight text. Four different ways to underline text are available. These are stored in a separate file, so that it can be easily shared with others. The highlighting is translation/resource dependent. Markup for the 1769 KJV will not be displayed for any other translation.
Verse Analysis Tool
This tool provides an analysis of the selected passage, by listing the frequency that each word is used. An option enables "common words" to be excluded from the analysis.
A major issue is that it only analyzes the Latin Writing System.
Commentaries
Many commentaries are available for download [cite web|url=http://www.e-sword.net/download.html|title=e-Sword History|publisher=Rick Meyers|date=
2007-01-31 |accessdate=2007-02-15] .Examples of available commentaries include "Matthew Henry's Commentary", "The Preacher's Commentary Set", and "Allusions to the NT in the Ante-Nicene Fathers "
tudy Notes
The Study Notes option allows the reader to chronicle his own thoughts as he studies the text, creating a custom and personalized commentary. [cite web|url=http://www.e-sword.net/images/editor.gif|title=e-Sword Downloads|publisher=Rick Meyers|date=
2007-01-31 |accessdate=2007-02-15]Some e-Sword utility programs (Text2DAO, Commentary Module Editor) claim to convert a Study Note file to commentary file.
"The Pulpit Commentary" is an example of resource that has been distributed as a study note file.
Dictionaries
Many original language and English language dictionaries are available for download so as to facilitate in depth understanding of the text. [cite web|url=http://www.e-sword.net/download.html|title=e-Sword Downloads|publisher=Rick Meyers|date=
2007-01-31 |accessdate=2007-02-15]Examples of dictionaries include "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia", "Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words", and "Wulfilla Gothic Concordance".
Devotionals
Devotional resources include "Day By Day by Grace"'by Bob Hoekstra, Revised Common Lectionary Readings (2006-2008), and "My Utmost for his Highest".
Prayer List
This component functions as a way for the individual to track their prayers. Who is to be prayed for, and why the request was made.
Examples of user created and distributed Prayer modules are "The Prayers for the Rosary" (Roman Catholic), and "The Catholic Prayers"(Latin, Italian, Spanish, and English versions.).
cripture Memory Verse List
This component allows one to easily create a list of verses to memorize. Several tests to see how well one has memorized the passage are included. The only two resources of this type to be publicly distributed are
Four Spiritual Laws and "The Roman Road".Map / Graphic Viewer
Every good study Bible has a set of maps.
pulls up the maps for e-Sword. Distributed map sets include "The CIA World Fact Book", and "Son Light Bible Atlas". Harmony
This functionality was included in version 7.8.1, released 25 December 2006. The only resource that is currently available is A. T. Robertson's "A Harmony of the Gospels". Other sets of parallel passages, such as
The Ten Commandments have been announced, but not publicly released.ermon Illustrations
This functionality was included in version 7.9.3, released on 17 January, 2008. "Bible Illustrations", published by AMG Publications, is the only resource that will be available for this component.
Topical Notes
The original concept was that this would be user created notes on specific topics. Because of the ease with which users could create this type of resource, it became the format for creating a theological library for e-Sword.
"Ante-Nicene Fathers", John Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion", "Nelson's Bible Manners and Customs",and "Encyclopedia of Bible Facts" are examples of topical files created by Equipping Ministries.
User created resources reflect the entire theological spectrum:
* Gnostic "Gospels of Thomas, Phillip, and Truth "
* Adrianus Haemstedius' "Historie Der Martlearen"
* TheDidache
* TheBabylonian Talmud
*New World Translation Bible Words Indexed
* The Writings ofCharles Spurgeon
* The Writings of John Gill
* Max Muller'sSacred Books of the East
* Aleister Crowley's "Liber Al vel Legis
* TheQuran
*The Egyptian Book of the Dead
* TheTao te Ching
* TheBhagavad Gita TEP Viewer
e-Sword remains one of the few programs to offer a viewer for STEP (
Standard Template for Electronic Publishing ) resources. "Light By Design" has licensed several resources for distribution from the e-Sword Home Site.Distribution
E-Sword is available for download from its [http://www.e-sword.net/index.html homepage] . Alternatively, it can be obtained on CD, for a donation of $25.00, or more. The program downloads with the
Strong's Concordance and theKing James Version annotated with Strong's reference numbers. Other resources can be downloaded and installed by users.From October 2001 though December 2002, "Sovereign Grace Publishers" included e-Sword in a CD that accompanied their hard copy Bibles. [ [http://www.e-sword.net/history.html e-Sword - the Sword of the LORD with an electronic edge ] ]
Ubuntu Christian Edition includes scripts to automatically download and install e-Sword. [ [http://www.whatwouldjesusdownload.com/christianubuntu/2007/05/features.html Ubuntu Christian Edition] ] For licensing reasons, e-Sword can not be included in this, or any other distribution.The e-Sword License
The inspiration for the license used by e-Sword comes from Matthew 10:8. "Freely you receive. Freely give". The major intent of the license is:
* e-Sword is to be distributed gratis [Point 2: The e-Sword License.PDF. This document is installed in the e-Sword directory, in version 7.8.1 or higher. It is also viewable from the Help menu in the main screen.] ;
* e-Sword resources are not to be sold at a profit;
* e-Sword content is not to be distributed on a for-profit website [Point 3: The e-Sword License.PDF.] ;All documentation and modules fall under this license, unless the documentation or module creator has specified a different license. Most user created documentation uses the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial - Share alike 2.0 License.
Starting with version 7.8.1, a PDF copy of the e-Sword license has been installed in the e-Sword directory, as part of the program installation. The license is also displayed from the Help Menu.
Resources
Official Resources
Official resources can be found at the e-Sword [http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html download page] . Resources in roughly 34 languages are available from this site.
Some user created resources can be found at [http://www.e-sword.net/usermods/ UserMods]
Commercial Resources
[http://www.eStudysource.com eStudySource] is the primary outlet of resources that must be purchased [ [http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6418087.html?nid=2287 New Company Makes Bible E-Content - 2/21/2007 - Publishers Weekly ] ] . Some publishers, such as [http://lockman.gospelcom.net/software/featured.php The Lockman Foundation] prefer to sell e-Sword resources of their material through their website.
Users
The projects of a small group of e-Sword activists are not officially sanctioned. The results of those projects have spurred the popularity of the program.
User Support Groups
English is the dominant language of the support lists. Venues for Korean, Dutch, German, Spanish, Romanian, and French exist.
Korean users are supported by a web forum. French, German, Dutch, and Romanian users are supported by mailing lists on Yahoogroups. Spanish and English users are supported by mailing lists, and web forums hosted at various sites on the Internet. The size of these groups ranges from 5,342 on the English [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eSword/ eSword] to Twelve on the French [http://fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/e-sword/ e-Sword] list. Activity on the support groups fluctuates.
Whilst the program is not easily used by those with accessibility issues, [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eSword-Accessibility/ eSword-Accessibility] provides some support for those individuals.
User Created Utility Programs
Users have created a number of tools to ease the process of creating new resources. Whilst documentation is lacking, their usage can be seen in the number of resources bearing a line stating the tool that was used to create the resource.
The most popular utility programs are:
* "Ben's e-Sword Tool 2.0", used to import text files into different types of resources;
* "Module Utility Program", used for creating MAP/graphic resources;
* "Text2DAO", used for creating most resource types;
* "TheWORDpad Editor", used for editing existing resources;
* "The Tooltip Generator" converts scriptural references that, when moused-over, will be displayed as a tooltip;
* "FixStrong's", used for converting Bibles to e-Sword 9.8 specifications;User Created Resources
The utility programs have made it very easy for users to create, and distribute resources. STEP modules are the only resource type that users have not created, and subsequently distributed.
Users have created resources in sixty different languages ranging from Lugandan to Klingon. English and Spanish are the most popular modern languages. Hebrew and Greek are the most popular Biblical languages.
Issues with User Created Resources
There are some issues with user created resources [ [http://www.bsreview.org/index.php?modulo=Reviews&id=19 Bible software Review ] ] :
Beginning in 2006, some users have tackled the following issues: Their effectiveness has yet to be determined.
Quality Control
This ranges from very good, to non-existent:
* "Textus Receptus (Stephanus)" includes an accurate, comprehensive morphological interlinear markup;
* One version of the Spanish "Biblia de Jerusalem" skips verses, duplicates entire chapters, and misplaces entire books;Copyright
Because of the ease with which material can be converted into e-Sword, resources that violate copyright law have been publicly distributed. Examples include English version of "New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures", The Spanish translation of "The Jerusalem Bible" (1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions), "The Dead Sea Scrolls", and "The Nag Hammadi Library" (2nd edition).
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