God created us with an innate ability to look for patterns and organize information. It’s no wonder then that we have applied this gift to the Word. Concordances and Bibles tagged with Strong’s numbers represent countless hours of organization and study, and once you learn how to use these tools in tandem, you will be able to efficiently and effortlessly navigate the Word like never before.

What are these tools?

Before combining them, it might be helpful to learn a little about what these tools are and how they’re used.

Strong’s Tagged Bibles

Quickly utilize Strong’s numbers with a Strong’s tagged Bible. Unlike a traditional Strong’s Concordance, simply tap on a word in the biblical text and view the dictionary entry for the corresponding Strong’s number. With this functionality, you can easily understand the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic usage and range of meaning as you make your way through the Bible. In the settings, you can also choose to display the actual Strong’s number next to each word.

Go here for an in-depth look at our Strong’s Bibles.

Bible Concordances

While it’s great to have a Bible tagged with Strong’s numbers, concordances are how you actually find meaning from them. A concordance is a detailed list of every word in the Bible, verse reference, and English translation. Concordances typically catalog by the English equivalent, the original language, or both.

The words in a concordance can be organized by numbers, as in Strong’s numbers (most popular) or G/K (Goodrick-Kohlenberger, created as an improvement to Strong’s). Although concordances share some similarities with cross-references, they have key differences.

A Bible Concordance isn’t as helpful on its own, but thanks to the wonders of technology, we can coordinate these tools into a symphony of study.

Put them together with the Olive Tree App!

In the app, open a Strong’s Bible of your choice. For this example, we’ll be using the ESV Strong’s.

As you read, tap any word that seems interesting to you. You’ll see the Olive Tree Enhanced Strong’s Dictionary in the pop up window.

esv strong's

From here, tap ‘Lookup’ in the bottom right corner and select a concordance. Here’s what the Olive Tree ESV Concordance looks like.

NIV concordance

From here, we can explore how this Hebrew word qetseph is used across the Hebrew portion of the Bible.

TIP FOR MOBILE: Use the arrow in the top right corner to pop this window into parallel view.

To start linking concepts across scripture and languages, tap on an English word (like anger) and view how that translated word is used throughout the Bible. This is helpful in linking concepts and languages. At any time, tap “Dictionary” to refer back to the Olive Tree Enhanced Strong’s Dictionary.

Looking for a different translation?

Use a Strong’s Bible with a Concordance in a variety of translations:

  • NIV
  • ESV
  • NKJV
  • NASB
  • KJV
  • NRSV
  • And more!

Try it for yourself

Now that you’ve seen how easy it is to use these tools, it’s your turn. If you’re looking to boost your efficiency while you’re in the Word, get your own Strong’s Bible and Concordance today!

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