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What’s an Enhanced Resource?

enhanced resource bible app

At least once a year, we like to highlight our enhanced resources: resources that we’ve enriched and optimized for the Olive Tree Bible App. Instead of these resources simply being eBooks that you only scroll and read, we’ve made the content discoverable by search and the Resource Guide, hyperlinked verses, activated cross references, and more.

Digital resources have their perks!

Truth is, most of our resources are enhanced in some way now. This is great for you… but only if you know how they are enhanced! So, first let’s look at where to find which enhancements a product has. Then, we will go through all the different enhancements we are currently implementing and how they work.

IS THIS PRODUCT ENHANCED?

Here is a screenshot of our website:

Olive Tree website showing enhanced features

Inside the green circle, you can see a list of features (enhancements) that are inside this resource. If you tap the arrow, you will be able to see the full list.

Not sure what the feature means? No problem. Tap on the name of the feature and a description will appear.

These descriptions are also available in the store while you are inside the app.

13 DIFFERENT ENHANCEMENTS

1) STRONG’S NUMBERS

Gain the insight of studying the Bible in its original language without knowing Greek or Hebrew. Simply tap a linked word and read the original definition in a pop-up window. You can also build your understanding by searching for other uses of the word in the Bible and looking up related articles.

Olive Tree strong's enhanced feature

2) PARSINGS

Tap on a word and access it’s parsing instantaneously. A pop-up window will display a dictionary definition, a link to more information, a gloss, and parsings. For more advanced study, you can search on the word’s morphology as well.

NA28 with parsings

3) COMMENTARY / STUDY NOTES

Gain reliable knowledge on any passage of the Bible, exactly when you need it. The Resource Guide will let you know when information in this title is relevant to anything you’re reading in the main window. It will also conveniently track along with you as you read through the Bible.

The number inside the purple circle lets you know how many related articles a resource has on the passage you are reading.

Olive Tree's commentary section of the Resource Guide

4) MAPS

Wondering where that ancient Israelite city is located that you just read about? Check out the maps the Resource Guide found for you, pulling in maps from all the resources you own. Then, zoom-in or make it full-screen—or both.

maps inside the Olive Tree Bible App

5) CROSS REFERENCES

Quickly see all the verses relevant to the current verse you’re reading. Tap on the cross reference, a pop-up window will appear, and then you can quickly navigate to the corresponding verse—without ever leaving the passage you’re reading.

cross references in the NIV Bible

6) DICTIONARY / ARTICLES

This is so much more than a traditional dictionary. While you’re reading the Bible and other titles, the Resource Guide will pull up related articles dictionaries you own. You can even select words you want clarity on, tap “Look Up”, and access any relatable information in a convenient pop-up window.

In this example, we saw that the Resource Guide suggested we see if there were any articles in our library on “Apostles.” This is what it found!

a list of articles on Apostles

7) READING PLANS

Not sure what to read during your devotional time each day? Stay committed to growing spiritually with daily readings, personalized reminders, and a calendar to track your progress.

When you see this feature on a product, it is most likely a devotional book. Instead of leaving this file as an eBook, we’ve adapted it to work like our other reading plans.

Unto the Hills devotional reading plan in the app

8) CHARTS

Learn more with information displayed in visually-appealing ways. Not sure what charts you have? The Resource Guide will automatically pull up charts from any relevant sources while you’re studying.

This screenshot was taken directly after tapping on a chart that the Resource Guide pulled up.

an image of charts in the Olive Tree Bible App covering Hebrews 1

9) OUTLINES

Get a feel for how books of the Bible are laid out and how your commentaries will be structured. You can also access these from the Resource Guide when it’s applicable to the passage you’re reading, providing additional context.

Outlines of Hebrews

10) INTRODUCTIONS

Quickly find information about a book of the Bible, its author, date, audience, purpose, and other topics worth keeping in mind. If you have an introduction to the book of the Bible you’re currently reading, the Resource Guide will make it easily accessible for you.

Introduction to the Book of Jonah

11) SERMONS

Read sermons prepared by famous pastors. If you’re reading a passage of Scripture that one of the sermons addresses, it will appear in the Resource Guide for quick access.

sermons in the olive tree resource guide

12) TAGGED IMAGES

Reading about a person, place, or thing but don’t know what it looks like? If this book has an image of what you’re looking for, the Resource Guide will let you know. Just glance under “Image,” and tap to see the photo enlarged.

Images of Corinth in the Resource Guide

13) LINKED VERSES

Did your resource mention a passage of Scripture, but you can’t remember what the verse says? No fear! Tap the linked verse and a pop-up window will appear, giving you quick and easy access to the verse in context.

linked verses in a pop-up window

SEE OUR TOP ENHANCED RESOURCES

If you are wondering which enhanced resources could be helpful for you, we’ve pulled together a list of our top-sellers! Visit our website to see the list and check out which enhancements each resource has.

SEE WHAT’S ON SALE

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10 Comments

  1. michael

    this really has almost all the useful tools for a theologian and any people with a desire to read,analysis, and meditate on the word of God
    thanks for the app coz it has really helped me

  2. Daron Applequist

    So I read the Olive Tree Blog about enhanced resources. 13 different enhancements were described. I assume no one product has them all. Can you suggest a product that has cross references, linked verses and more.

    • Cierra Klatt

      Sorry, Dayeton! I’m not sure what you mean by “one”. Is there a type of resource that you’re looking for?

  4. Randy

    I’m relatively new to the Olive Tree Bible Study app – but so far I like it.

    One thing though, I find your blogs very confusing – they tend to produce more questions than clear answers.

    For instance, above you mention “13 Different Enhancements.” But what precisely does this mean? Are all 13 included in the Life Application Study Bible? Are they included in other products? If so, which ones in particular – ones that come included with the basic app? Or ones you must purchase?

    Really confusing – at least to me it is.

    • Cierra Klatt

      Hey, Randy! Sorry that it is confusing. We totally get how it can be. If you look at the first image at the top, you’ll see a green circle showing where on a product page that you’ll find which enhancements are in a resource. I would recommend going to our website, olivetree.com, clicking on a few different resources, and reading about what enhancements come with each of them. There isn’t a resource that has all of them, and you don’t have to make additional purchases. Basically, it is our way of showing you how we make these resources so much more than just a book you read on an eReader.

  5. Tom Herbertson

    The Catholic Study Bible Notes has most of its content that’s not already part of NABRE before and after the Bible text, yet there’s no reasonable table of contents outside of the Bible books, nor is it enhanced for the Resource Guide. The only notes that show up there are abbreviated versions of those already in the NABRE. This makes the added material very difficult to access, with only a search and a scroll (and without fast vertical scroll bars on iOS to move through it or see how much is left) as aids in finding text of interest. Seeing as it’s the only popular-priced Catholic study resource, it seems to me a great candidate for enhancement. Furthermore, the addition of st least a Table Of Contents for non-Bible-book material and vertical scroll bars in all resources would be a welcome addition.