Help Center
Answers to common questions about Bible First.
Yes — Bible First is completely free to download and use. There are no subscriptions, in-app purchases, or premium tiers. Every feature described in this support guide is available to every user at no cost.
No account is required. Bible First stores all your data — favorites, prayers, and settings — locally on your device. Nothing is sent to a server or linked to any account.
Bible First requires iOS 15.0 or later. It is compatible with iPhone and iPod touch. An iPad-optimized version may be added in a future update.
Bible First works fully offline after the initial download. All Scripture text and topic content is bundled inside the app — no internet connection is needed to browse, search, or read.
An internet connection is only required to download the app itself.
From the Home tab, tap any category card — such as "Miracles of Jesus" or "Women of the Bible." You'll see a grid of topics within that category. Tap a topic to open its full entry, which includes the relevant Scripture passage and a commentary.
Tap the magnifying glass icon at the top right of the Home screen. Begin typing any name, keyword, or phrase — results will appear instantly across all sixteen categories simultaneously.
While viewing any topic entry, tap the heart (♡) icon in the navigation bar. The heart will fill to indicate the topic is saved. Tap it again to remove it from your favorites.
To view all saved favorites, tap the Favorites tab at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the Prayers tab at the bottom of the screen, then tap the + New Prayer button. You'll be guided through a three-step form:
Tap Save Prayer on the final step to save it to your journal.
On Step 3 of the prayer form, tap the microphone icon to begin speaking your prayer aloud. The app will transcribe your words into text using iOS's built-in speech recognition.
Bible First will request microphone access the first time you use this feature. You can manage this permission in Settings → Bible First → Microphone on your iPhone.
Yes. In the Prayers tab, tap any prayer to open it, then tap the Edit button to modify it using the same three-step wizard. To delete a prayer, swipe left on it in the list and tap Delete.
Your prayers are stored only on your device and are never transmitted to any server. They are private to you. Please see our Privacy Policy for full details on how your data is handled.
Bible First loads its full library (over 1,000 topic entries) when it first opens. On older devices, this may take a moment. You should see a brief loading shimmer while content is being prepared.
If content never appears, try force-closing the app and reopening it. To force-close: swipe up from the home bar and hold until the app switcher appears, then swipe up on Bible First.
Your data is stored in the app's local browser storage on your device. This data should persist through app updates. If data was lost, it may have been cleared when the app was uninstalled and reinstalled.
If this happened unexpectedly, please contact us with your iOS version and device model so we can investigate.
Make sure Bible First has permission to access your microphone. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone on your iPhone and ensure Bible First is toggled on.
Also make sure you have an active internet connection, as iOS speech recognition requires connectivity the first time it is used.
We love hearing from our users! Send bug reports and feature requests to levihopper+biblefirst@gmail.com. Please include: