By listening to the Bible, you may think yous've joined the new phenomenon of audio book, podcasts, etc. Nevertheless, you're actually participating in an ancient tradition of listening to God's Word read aloud. We'll get into the "how" of using audio Bibles in the app in this post. Just start, let's answer the "why."

Why Should You Mind to Sound Bibles?

Hither are four ways that audio Bibles tin modify the manner you appoint Scripture and the world around you.

1. Engage Holistically with Sound Bibles

Ancient Well-nigh-Eastern societies were hearing dominant. They didn't have much that compares to books and authors like we do today. Instead, all data was shared orally. Traditions and stories were passed on, generation by generation, through discussion of mouth. This may seem incredibly impressive—but, think most how many songs you know the words to, without ever seeing them written downward. If yous hear something plenty times, you're sure to call up it.

In our days of writing and reading, authority is oft found in books and authors. Just, in hearing-dominant societies, authority remains in tradition and community. We tin see this play out even after Jesus leaves. The Gospels weren't written immediately after the rising. Instead, for years the disciples shared the expert news by word-of-mouth. The stories of Jesus' life belonged to the Christian customs and were preserved by their constant re-hashing of events.

There are many important reasons for us to have Scripture written downward. But, when you listen to the Bible read aloud, you lot are participating in an ancient tradition. Information technology's prissy to step back, close your eyes, and hear God's Word spoken over you like Christians and Jews experiences for centuries.

Olive Tree Bible App phone audio

two. Appoint Finer with Sound Bibles

We all know at to the lowest degree one speed-reader who tin bust through the Lord of the Rings trilogy in a month. They brand reading expect easy. Merely, for almost people, reading is more of a challenge.

First of all, information technology can be hard to keep a focused mind. Ever discover yourself re-reading that verse for a third time? We've all been there.

But secondly, the Bible is definitely one of the more difficult books to stay completely focused while reading. This isn't something we should be ashamed of, but recognize that there are a lot of unfamiliar concepts in there! Not only are you trying to empathise what God is trying to teach you (a big enough goal!) but you're also trying to pronounce Melchizideck correctly, understand the importance of Levirate police force, and retrieve the context of the passage.

That'due south a lot.

But audio Bibles tin save some of that overload.

By listening, you lot can give your mind a pause. Y'all tin can more easily take in information and process it… and then remember information technology.

Most people learn better, retaining more data, by listening. If this is you, and then audio Bibles can be a game-changer.

3. Engage Differently with Sound Bibles

You also may discover that y'all tin notice new takeaways past listening.

This is like to the differences yous may find in reading an email and having a person talk to you over the telephone.

Inflections can bring text to life, providing more emotion and context. While reading Paul's sometimes long-winded letters, you may get lost and lose sight of the point of the sentence. Simply by listening, you may really be able to engage different with the text than always before.

iv. Engage More with Audio Bibles

Ofttimes, the sweetest moments of being a child of God are plant in intentional silence, quietly reading or writing. Information technology is definitely important to find this quiet lonely fourth dimension, where we can humbly meet with God.

However, if you have kids, a job, or the demand to go buy groceries once in awhile, and then you know this quiet alone fourth dimension tin be hard to reach.

Just audio Bibles tin can help fill up in the gaps.

Say yous only have 40 minutes left before you demand to get the kids ready for bed. You haven't exercised or read the Bible today. Instead of feeling torn betwixt 2 healthy activities, combine them. Listen to an audio Bible while yous run, taking care of both your soul and your body.

Yous can besides become artistic. Think of activities y'all do during the twenty-four hour period that require your hands and eyes, but your ears are gratuitous to listen. What about:

  • driving
  • doing dishes
  • rocking a baby to sleep
  • going on a walk
  • getting prepare in the morning

Y'all're sure to recollect of many other opportunities to mind to God's Word.

Lastly, we wouldn't recommend that you supplant intentional quiet fourth dimension with this multi-tasking-Bible-listening. Similar we said earlier, audio Bibles can help fill in the gaps. They can help you engagemore. Observe ways to use them throughout the day to go an extra dose of God's Give-and-take that you couldn't have before.

ENGAGE CONSISTENTLYWITH AUDIO BIBLES

Audio Bible Reading Plan Complete

Brainstorm an audio Bible reading plan so you consistently mind to the Word of God! You tin can start past opening the reading program section of the app, picking a plan, and choosing an audio Bible as your preferred translation.

preferred translation reading plan

Audio Bible plans work just like reading plans. You can fix a custom goal, personalized reminders, and more than.

How to Use Audio Bibles in the Olive Tree Bible App

First, let's start things off with a video. It's less than five minutes long and can answer quite a few of your questions!

Finding Your Audio Bibles in the Library

The first step to using an sound Bible is opening it! To do so, open the library. It's the icon at the meridian of the app with three books.

Boom, library is opened. But maybe y'all only see books. In that location is a manner to toggle between your books, your audio, and all your books and audio. Simply tap the top of the window where in that location is a down arrow. A filter will expand similar so:

Switching between books and audio in the library of the Olive Tree bible App

Downloading or Streaming Audio Bibles

Adjacent, you need to choose how yous will listen to your sound Bible. If you were to tap the sound Bible correct here and now, you would begin streaming — granted, you need an Net connection for this.

If you've known us long, you know that we are dedicated to making sure you can engage God's Word anytime, anywhere. Because of that mission, you lot tin also cull to download your sound Bibles. Information technology'due south really simple.

Blue arrows next to audio Bibles

Audio Bibles have a blueish arrow next to them instead of a green arrow. Tap the arrow and then yous will be able to choose whether y'all want to download the unabridged sound Bible or just a book or 2. Audio Bibles contain big files, so we gave yous the freedom to choose.

Downloading audio Bibles in the Olive Tree Bible App

Listening (and Reading Along)

CHOOSING WHERE TO First

Now that you've decided how to listen, let's decide where to commencement. After selecting an audio Bible in your library, you volition encounter the histrion open.

David Suchet NIV audio Bible open

Tapping the verse reference at the top of the role player will let you choose precisely which book, chapter, and poetry you want to first listening at. When we built this feature in the app, many of us were frustrated with the inability to choose exactly where we wanted to start when we used other platforms. So, we hope you lot find this feature every bit useful as we do.

verse chooser in the audio player of the olive tree bible app

READING ALONG

In the screenshots above, you might have noticed that the Bible text is appearing in the audio player. You should know this isn't an automatic characteristic of the sound Bible. The audio Bible really is just… audio.

But if y'all have a text Bible in the same translation (NIV, NKJV, etc.), and so it will announced while you lot listen.

SPEEDING THINGS UP & More

Next, at the bottom of the histrion, there are three buttons: volume, speed, and connect. They are all rather straightforward options!

Tapping the volume icon volition allow you lot to adjust the volume. Then, tapping speed will allow y'all to tiresome down or speed up the sound.

Lastly, the connect button lets you share the sound with other nearby devices—like a bluetooth speaker or your car's stereo system.

BOOKMARKS

Yous can leave a bookmark by tapping the bookmark icon on the right-side of the player, between the championship and the Bible text.

So, view your bookmarks by borer the bill of fare in the top-correct corner. This feature allows yous to revisit a spot hands. Maybe you bookmark your favorite passages so that you can listen to them once a week.

SLEEP TIMER

In that same bill of fare in the peak-right, you can access the sleep timer. We learned that some people prefer to heed to audio while they fall asleep. And since your unconscious self can't turn the audio off, we can exercise information technology for you. Just select how much fourth dimension y'all'd similar to take pass before nosotros telephone call it quits — or choose to listen until the finish of the chapter.

DRIVE Fashion (MOBILE But)

Lastly, hither's how yous use drive mode!

Make sure the Olive Tree Bible App is open up on a mobile device. Then, tap the "Driving" icon at the bottom of the audio player.

drive mode in the olive tree bible app

At present the buttons are much larger and safer to use!

Audio Bible Genres

Sound Bibles are a genre of their ain… and then they create several sub-audio volume genres! Here are a few of the genres, with examples of each.

audio bible genres olive tree app

DRAMATIZED

NKJV Word of Promise Sound Bible

"This world-class audio production immerses listeners in the dramatic reality of the Scriptures as never before with an original music score by composer Stefano Mainetti (Abba Pater), feature motion picture quality sound effects, and compelling narration by Michael York and the work of over 600 actors."

Inspired By… The Bible Feel (TNIV)

"The most aggressive, critically-acclaimed presentation of the Bible ever produced, Inspired Past … The Bible Experience  features a star-studded bandage of nigh 200 performers. Highlighting the cast is 2007 Academy Award-winning role player Forest Whitaker as the vocalization of Moses, along with Angela Bassett (Esther), Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Jonah), Denzel and Pauletta Washington (Song of Songs), LL Cool J (Samson), Eartha Kitt (Ophidian), Bishop T.D. Jakes (Abraham), and Bishop Eddie L. Long (Joel) amongst others."

KJV Complete Audio Bible Dramatized

"For those who value the timeless KJV translation, this new audio recording offers a rich listening experience. Featuring top voice talent enhanced by original music and audio effects, the KJV Complete Bible Dramatized Audio brings the King James Version to life. World-class narration, a fully orchestrated background, and colorful character renderings engage the ears, the imagination, and the heart."

NRSV NASB audio bible olive tree app

Vox ONLY

ESV Hear the Give-and-take Audio Bible

"The ESV "sounds like" the Bible – with the kind of dazzler, clarity, and nobility that we love to hear and read. It likewise retains the Bible's rich imagery and theological words – words like grace and justification and salvation – that are essential to our faith. This audio bible is read by David Heath."

NASB Sound Bible, Read by Stephen Johnston

"Let the ability of the Scriptures refresh your soul and encourage you lot in daily life when y'all heed to the precise New American Standard Bible. This recording, which is carefully read word-for-word past masterful narrator Stephen Johnston, features the NASB without background music."

NRSV Audio Bible – Vocalism Only

"Let the power of the Scriptures refresh your soul. Cut-edge recording delivers the consummate text of the NRSV–over 80 hours— in a convenient audio format. Carefully read word-for-word by masterful narratorStephen Johnston."

olive tree audio bible phone app

Johnny Cash Reads the New Testament Sound Bible: NKJV

"The Spiritual Legacy of an American Legend:

'To plough the written Word into the spoken Word has long been my dream. As I read the words of the Lord I prayed to experience and show simply His love with a articulate deliverance of His messages, constantly enlightened that He is speaking to me, and that when I am reading His words, I am not Him.'"

Complete NIV Sound Bible Read by David Suchet

"Always since he became a Christian at the historic period of xl, it has been Poirot histrion David Suchet'due south dream to make an audio recording of the whole Bible. In between filming the last episodes of Poirot, David Suchet spent over 200 hours in the recording studio to create the very outset full-length audio version of the NIV Bible spoken by a single British player."

NIV Listener's Sound Bible Read By Max McLean

"Verses you accept read many times volition bear upon you in a new way when you hear them through the NIV Listener's Audio Bible. Read in a unmarried vocalisation with subtle background music, Max McLean'southward skillful, engaging, but never over-dramatized style will bring God's Word to life during your personal and family devotion times, grouping Bible written report, or during your weekday commute."

START LISTENING

Ready to beginning listening to God'due south Word? Visit our website to see all the audio Bibles we offer.