Catena: Bible & Commentaries

Catena: Bible & Commentaries

by AD30 Inc.

5.1K ratings
483 reviews
Free

Details

Released
April 5, 2017
Updated
November 4, 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

Explore the Bible with insights from 2,000 years of Christian tradition. Access commentaries from Church Fathers, verse-tagged sermons, and multiple translations. Discover daily readings and enhance your study with notes and highlights.

✓Verse-by-verse Church Father commentaries
✓Library of complete works from Fathers
✓Verse-tagged video and podcast sermons
✓Over 220 Bible translations
✓Daily readings and lectionaries
✓Search across Scripture and commentaries
✓Highlighting and note-taking
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What users say about Catena

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What's New in Catena

7.1.0

November 4, 2026

Catena 7.1.0 brings reading plans, a page for every Father, and a new way to listen to talks. New - Reading plans. Start one of more than 80 plans prepared from the Fathers, or build your own from any book of the Bible or a Father's work. Read by days, by minutes a day, or a chapter a day. Choose its color and icon, and mark each reading done as you go. - Read together. Invite others to a plan by link, see who is reading along, and share highlights and comments on each day's verses. - A page for every Father, with his life, his works, and the plans drawn from his writings. Tap a Father anywhere in the app to open his page. - New covers for every book and plan in the Library, and a cover at the top of each book's page. - A new talk player built around one sentence at a time, with the full transcript beside it. - The Orthodox Church in America lectionary. - In the interlinear, see the roots each word is built from, with their meaning. Improved - The reader's header now shows where you are in the chapter. - The Lectionary shows each reading's first verse under its reference. - Highlights always cover whole words, the same on the app and the website. - On iPad, the verse panel and the text use a comfortable reading width. Fixed - The sign-in buttons on the Highlights tab stay on screen.

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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 Bible study application that provides verse-by-verse commentaries from Church Fathers, complete works, and verse-tagged sermons. It aims to help users understand Scripture with the insights of 2,000 years of Christian tradition.

Does Catena have ads?

No, Catena does not contain advertisements. The app is completely free to use without any ad interruptions.

How many Bible translations does Catena offer?

Catena offers over 220 translations of the Bible in 71 languages, including specialized versions like the Van Dyck Arabic and Bohairic Coptic New Testament.

Can I read the full works of Church Fathers in Catena?

Yes, Catena provides access to over 1,500 complete texts from Church Fathers, such as Augustine's 'Confessions' and 'City of God,' allowing you to read their works in full.

What kind of audio and video content is available in Catena?

Catena features a large library of verse-tagged video and podcast Bible studies and sermons. Each piece of content is transcribed and tagged to the specific verses it teaches on.

Does Catena offer daily Bible readings?

Yes, Catena includes daily readings from various lectionaries, such as the Coptic, Ethiopian, Catholic, and Greek lectionaries, along with Synaxarium, feasts, and fasting seasons.

What are the pros and cons of Catena based on user reviews?

Users praise Catena for its helpful commentaries, ease of navigation, and great insights for Bible study. Some cons mentioned include occasional bugs, missing commentaries or translations, and a desire for improved offline functionality.

What is the user sentiment for Catena?

Catena has an overall positive user sentiment, with users frequently highlighting its helpful commentaries and insights, ease of use, and the value it provides for Bible study and learning.