Accordance 13 Lite: Best Free Bible Software
Accordance Bible Software has released their Bible program for free. Available for MacOS and Windows, it is the best free Bible software today.
Updated February 2, 2023
Accordance 14 was released in December 2022. For Mac and Windows PCs, Accordance 13 Lite is still available as a download, and I believe it is still the best free Bible Software for desktop computers.
Accordance 13 Lite
Accordance Bible Software still offers their premium software for free. There is no time limit. Accordance 13 Lite is sufficient for Christians who want to devotionally study the Bible.
- Download Accordance 13 Lite (v. 13.3.2)
Let me review the content included in Accordance Lite.
Content of Accordance 13 Lite
1. English Bible Translations with Key Word Tagging
- English Standard Version (ESV) with Strong’s Numbers
- King James Version (KJV) with Strong’s Numbers
2. Bible Dictionary
- Easton’s Bible Dictionary
3. Topical Study
- Nave’s Topical Bible
4. Lexical Study
- Strong’s Greek Dictionary
- Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary
The ESV with key word tagging is such a useful feature. You can view the ESV as an interlinear. You can triple click any word to amplify and see its meaning. Hovering over the word gives instant details to the underlying Greek and Hebrew word and definitions in your default Greek and Hebrew dictionary.
You have an excellent starter Bible dictionary with Easton’s. You can do topical studies with Nave’s topical Bible.
The only thing missing to complete your basic Bible study library is a good Study Bible with study notes.
Features of Accordance 13 Lite
- Fast, Easy–to–Use Bible Search Engine
- Bible Reading Plans
- Parallels (Harmony of the Gospels, OT Parallels, NT Parallels)
- Outlines of the Bible
- International Bible Translations (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian)
Accordance Mobile App for iOS and Android
Accordance has a free mobile app that runs on Android and iOS devices (Apple iPhones and iPads). Almost all your library resources in Accordance 13 will run on Accordance Mobile. It has the best Bible search engine available for any mobile platform. When you purchase additional content for Accordance 13, it automatically becomes available on Accordance Mobile.
Accordance 14 Basic Starter Package
For $69, you can upgrade to the Accordance 14 Starter Package. Highlighted in bold are the additional resources you get with your upgrade.
1. Bible Versions
- English Standard Version with Strong’s Numbers (ESV) with translator’s notes and cross reference notes
- King James Version (KJV)
- American Standard Version (ASV)
It will cost $40 to upgrade the ESV to the ESV Study Bible with its study notes. The ASV is an excellent literal English translation that can complement the ESV for Bible study.
2. One Volume Commentary
- New Bible Commentary
- Jamieson, Faust, and Brown’s Commentary on the Bible
The New Bible Commentary is one of my favorite one–volume Bible commentaries. It is modern and very solid.
3. Cross References
- Treasure of Scripture Knowledge, Enhanced
4. Bible Dictionary
- Easton’s Bible Dictionary
- Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible
The Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible is my favorite one–volume Bible Dictionary. It is an abridgment of the 6–volume Anchor Bible Dictionary.
5. Topical Study
- Nave’s Topical Bible
6. Lexical Study
- Strong’s Greek Dictionary
- Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary
- Mounce’s Concise Greek-English Dictionary
- Kohlenberger/Mounce Concise Hebrew-Aramaic Dictionary
Mounce’s Greek–English Dictionary is my favorite concise Greek Dictionary, and the Hebrew–Aramaic dictionary is equally excellent for Hebrew and Aramaic.
7. Greek Bible
- Textus Receptus with Strong’s numbering
The Textus Receptus is a great starting Greek text for beginning Greek students. The interlinear function of Accordance 12 allows the Textus Receptus to make an excellent reverse interlinear.
5 Reasons I Recommend Accordance 13 Lite
1. It is free.
Accordance Bible Software offers its core Bible software engine for free. It includes the ESV text and a basic Bible study library adequate for most first–time Bible students.
2. It is easy to use.
Logos Bible Software, in my humble opinion, is the most advanced Bible software available. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most difficult to use.
Accordance 13 is extremely easy to use. Using Accordance as an electronic concordance is quick and simple. Greek and Hebrews word searches using Strong’s numbering is easy.
Timothee Minard posted a recent comparison between Accordance 13 and Logos 8.
3. It is powerful.
Bible scholars William Mounce and Dan Wallace both use Accordance Bible software for their study. Accordance’s graphic search construct engine enables the most powerful morphological and syntactical search available, even surpassing Logos. You to do morphological and syntactical searches, you need to purchase syntax databases and original texts with morphological tagging as an add–on.
4. It is fast.
Most searches in Accordance display instantaneously on my laptop. The same searches using Logos Bible Software take longer to enter, and the computer processing time of a Logos search may require 3-10 seconds.
5. Support is excellent.
The team that makes Accordance Bible software is small compared to other companies like OliveTree and Faithlife (Logos Bible Software). But they are extremely responsive. When I post a question on the forums or send an e-mail asking for help, I get a very personal helpful response in less than 1 business day.
Final Thoughts on Accordance 13 Lite for Free
I have been a Logos Bible Software user since the late 1990s. I have spent thousands of dollars in Logos Bible Software in the last 25 years, and I still use it regularly. I started using version 7 of Accordance Bible software back in 2007.
For new Bible students looking for their first serious Bible software, I recommend Accordance 13 Lite. And if you are looking for Bible software without spending any money, download Accordance 13 Lite today.
When you are ready, you can upgrade to the Accordance 14 Basic Starter package. You will never outgrow the power and simplicity of Accordance 13.
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