How to Access the Bible via API or Download the Bible as Data

Here you’ll find Bible datasets, databases, and texts that can be used in software development and programming. We want to help people get answers to questions like: where can I download the Bible text for free; download the Bible data set to use in apps and software projects, how to access Bible as API, Bible download in XML, CSV, USFM, or other formats.

There are also many popular Bible versions and translations that have copyrights requiring licensing for legal usage. The Digital Bible Library enables developers to easily access popular versions like NIV (New International Version) and ESV (English Standard Version). For usage rights of other copyrighted Bible texts, you will need to contact the corresponding copyright holder to make legal arrangements for permissible use.

Bible API

Digital Bible Library (DBL) – United Bible Societies
The Digital Bible Library® (DBL) curates Scripture translation content in a standardized digital format for a larger digital scripture development ecosystem. DBL now hosts a secure collection of over 2000 texts in more than 1400 unique languages. DBL streamlines licensing and access to high-quality, digitized translations by approved ministries, mission agencies, and technology innovators.

ABS BibleSearch API @ API.Bible – American Bible Society (free)
With nearly 2500 Bible versions available across over 1600 languages, API.Bible offers the largest collection of Bibles available. The Bible Search Application Programming Interface (API) allows any developer to include Scripture content and text anywhere in their website or application for non-commercial purposes. Access via XML or JSON requests served over HTTP using RESTful resources.

Bible Brain API – Faith Comes By Hearing (free)
Bible Brain provides simple API calls for easy access to Bible text, audio, and video in 1700 languages.

Biblia.com API – Faithlife (free)
Biblia.com API provides Web, mobile, and desktop applications with access to Bible text through web services. Specifically, there are services that get information about the available Bibles, download the text of those Bibles, and search those Bibles. Additional services support validating Bible references, comparing Bible references, and finding Bible references in text and HTML.

ESV Bible Web Service API– Crossway (free for non-commercial use)
API access to the Holy Bible, English Standard Version. The ESV API is available in HTML, plain text, and the XML format used to store the text.

NLT API – Tyndale House Publishers (free for non-commercial use)
API access to the New Living Translation of the Bible

NET Bible’s Bible.org API – NET Bible (free)
API access for using NET Bible text in your web application or service. (html/json/xml)

SWORD Engine API – CrossWire Bible Society’s open source Bible software

RESTful Bible API – more than 7 versions, 5 languages and multiple features to simplify your day to day.

getBible API – API access to the Bible via Joomla component and JSON. Also, download Bible text in many languages at its GitHub repository, including Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai.

bible-api.com – Sinatra web app that serves RESTful JSON web API for open and public domain Bibles. Repository of public domain and freely licensed Bibles in XML and other standard formats.

jsonBible.com – interprets Scripture reference into more easily parsed format; “an experiment in creating a Bible API” – with KJV, NIV, NKJV, ESV, NASB, and more.

SWORD-to-JSON – Convert SWORD modules to JSON: Generate json files of many Bible versions

Node.js based Bible API GraphQL web service and API RESTful web service

Bolls Bible API https://bolls.life/api/ – with many Bible versions and languages, including KJV, NKJV, CJB, TLV, NASB, ESV, NIV, NLT, Hebrew עברית, Українська Ukrainian, Русский Russian, Español Spanish, Deutsch German, Farsi فارسی, தமிழ் Tamil, Japanese 日本語, Ελληνικά Greek, Chinese 中文, and more – by Bohuslav Богуслав Павлишинець

Bible SuperSearch API – This web service API allows the Bible SuperSearch Bible search engine to be used seamlessly on any website or app. There is no cost to use the API, however, your website will be limited to 1000 hits per day. Many languages available for non-commercial use.

IQ Bible API – “provides everything you need to build powerful and feature-rich Bible apps and websites. This API has over 40 endpoints ranging from the original Hebrew and Greek to professional audio narrations and advanced study tools.”