New listening options allow Christians to maximize their time in the Word.
The Word of God never returns void—even if you listen to it in traffic, at the gym, or while folding laundry.
A growing number of Bible resources give listeners the chance to engage with Scripture through their headphones, with new platforms and audio versions making it easier to access Bible reading throughout the day.
Creators and fans say that even without putting eyes to the page, they’re able to read more Scripture and be spurred to deeper study.
“What’s special about [listening] is it makes it easier to just marinate on those big themes of Scripture,” said Jonathan Bailey, cofounder of Dwell, an app for listening to the Bible. “It makes it easier to have the Scriptures wash over you and just be in a posture of soaking or dwelling.”
Dwell launched in 2018, back when Bailey said most Scripture resources were still focused on reading. The app, funded through Kickstarter, now has 2 million downloads.
The YouVersion Bible app added 43 new Bible audio versions in 2023 alone and reported that audio chapter plays were up by 47 percent over the past year. The English Standard Version (ESV) has recently released several new audio versions as well, featuring a range of different voices and accents, including Irish singer Kristyn Getty and Bible teacher Jackie Hill Perry.
The rise of audio Bible resources corresponds with a broader listening trend as people increasingly rely on their smartphones for information and entertainment. Americans are three to four times more likely to listen to podcasts than they were a decade ago, according to Pew Research Center.
While listening to Scripture can maximize time in the Word since it can be done while multitasking, people may …