Catena: Bible & Commentaries

Catena: Bible & Commentaries

by AD30 Inc.

5.1K ratings
483 reviews
Free

Details

Released
April 5, 2017
Updated
October 6, 2026

Features

Catena: Bible & Commentaries screenshot #1 for iPhone
Catena: Bible & Commentaries screenshot #2 for iPhone
Catena: Bible & Commentaries screenshot #3 for iPhone
Catena: Bible & Commentaries screenshot #4 for iPhone
Catena: Bible & Commentaries screenshot #5 for iPhone
Catena: Bible & Commentaries screenshot #6 for iPhone
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About

Access scripture with verse-by-verse commentary from early Christian theologians. Gain insights into the roots of authentic faith and apply God's word to your spiritual life. This resource offers authoritative guidance for interpreting scripture and understanding the early church.

✓Verse-by-verse commentary
✓Insights from church fathers
✓Early Christian theologian perspectives
✓Scripture interpretation guidance
✓Spiritual life application
✓Understanding the early church
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What users say about Catena

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What's New in Catena

7.0.1

October 6, 2026

Catena 7.0.1 adds the Arabic Van Dyck Bible with the deuterocanonical books, new church calendars, and faster reading. New - Added the Arabic Van Dyck Bible with the deuterocanonical books: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, the Maccabees, Baruch, and more. - Added new church calendars: the Byzantine Old Calendar, the Greek order, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and the pre-1955 Roman Missal. - The verse panel now also shows commentary and talks on parallel passages, such as the same story in another Gospel. - Each commentary now shows the years its author lived. - Choosing your Preferred Commentator now shows every Father on a timeline, with search. Improved - Chapters open faster and scroll more smoothly. - The Fathers and eras you hide in Settings are now hidden on every verse, and left out of the commentary count. - Related verses now open in full, with a link to their chapter. - You can turn the daily quote reminder on or off from the Quote of the Day in the Library. - You can now remove the NKJV and RSV to save space. If no Bible is left, Catena reinstalls them automatically, even offline. - Video shelves now mix speakers, so one series no longer fills a whole row. Fixed - Fixed a freeze when tapping a verse. Back now returns you to the verse you came from. - Fixed commentary cards freezing or selecting text by accident. - Setting your Deuterocanonical Version to "None" now saves correctly.

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User reviews

Fantastic App!

The new overhaul is great! Compared to a few years ago, it's a massive improvement. I have a few suggestions:

Normally, when reading on other Bible apps, the section headings (like “Miracle at Cana” in John 2, for example) will be hidden once you scroll down. In this app, however, the headings stay fixed to the top of the page until you reach the next section, then they’re replaced. The fixed headings are annoying and make the page busier. It’s also annoying having the headings in a glass bubble. They take up too much space on the page. I suggest putting the headings within the text, as other Bible apps do.

Moreover, the text on the page is uncharacteristic. The verse numbers are normal size rather than superscripts, same with letter asterisks. Can these be made into superscripts?

Third, the only way to open the settings button is to scroll all the way to the top of the page. You cannot adjust Bible settings while halfway down the page. Can this be adjusted?

Fourthly, the red letter text for Christ is incorrect. Most sections only show the first verse that he speaks in red and the rest of his speech in black.

Lastly, the verse selection options are too small at the bottom of the page. This makes it difficult to use the highlight feature.

Overall, the app has improved greatly, but it could still use a few adjustments to make it easier to use.
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Amazing

Catena was already an amazing resource but the new update is 10/10

Yearly plan

I like the new update a lot but I had a plan for reading the whole year and after the update I cannot find the plan or the place where to start a new one like the old version.

Crank it up to 11!

Wow. Just opened the app and was surprised by the update, did a little exploring, and the amount of new features and quality of life updates is insane! Totally awesome. Love the filters that allow to tailor what you see. Such a huge upgrade to everything!

Worst update ever

It’s laggy, and filled with Oriental “Orthodox” slop. Change it back.

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

3 issues

Verse navigation sometimes gets stuck

Bug

Difficulty accessing certain Bible versions

Bug

Occasional freezing or white screen issues

Bug
✨

Requested Features

4 requests

Add more Bible translations

Feature

Improve sharing and note-taking features

Feature

Include Orthodox lectionary and liturgical calendar

Feature

Provide source links for commentaries

Feature

FAQ

What is Catena?

Catena is a free reference app that provides the Bible with verse-by-verse commentary from early Christian theologians, offering insights into scripture from the original church perspective.

Who are the Church Fathers featured in Catena?

Catena features commentaries from early Christian theologians whose faith is the basis for all Christians, offering perspectives from the original Church. These commentaries speak to a deeper experience in the roots of authentic faith.

Is Catena available on multiple devices?

Yes, Catena is supported on iPhone, iPad, and iPod, making it accessible for users across various Apple devices.

How often is Catena updated?

The latest version of Catena is 5.5.1, and it was last updated on January 14, 2023. This indicates a consistent effort to maintain and improve the application.

What do users like most about Catena?

User reviews highlight helpful commentaries and insights, its usefulness for Bible study and learning, easy navigation, and diverse perspectives from different traditions. Many users express gratitude for the hard work put into the app.

Are there any reported issues with Catena?

Some users have reported occasional bugs and crashes. There are also mentions of missing some commentaries or translations, and a desire for improved offline functionality.

What is the age rating for Catena?

Catena has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users interested in biblical study and commentary.

Does Catena have ads?

No, Catena does not contain advertisements. The app is free to use and does not display any ads to its users.