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First Principles

First Principles

by CheapBrain

48 ratings
64 reviews
🔍 Reference
📚 Books
Free
In-App Purchases

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • April 27, 2012
  • September 21, 2026

Features

Developer

CheapBrain
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🧾$0.99
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About

Access your favorite scripture study series offline and share verses easily. Expand references with a tap, copy text for sharing, and adjust text size for comfortable reading. Report errors or suggest improvements directly through the app.

✓Offline scripture access
✓Expand scripture references
✓Copy and paste scripture text
✓Adjustable text size
✓In-app feedback
Show original description

What users say

Summarized from real user reviews of First Principles. Based on 48 reviews and a 4.3/5 average, it highlights the 10 positives and 10 negatives reviewers mention most about this Reference app.

Positive things

  • 👍Great resource for bible studies
  • 👍Convenient access to studies
  • 👍Helpful for personal study and teaching
  • 👍Easy to use interface
  • 👍Scriptures inline with studies
  • 👍Collaborative resource
  • 👍Good value for price
  • 👍Useful for making disciples
  • 👍Encourages spiritual growth
  • 👍Great to have on the go

Negative things

  • 🐛App has only one study (1993)
  • 🐛Font is wonky
  • 🐛Unable to see studies in list view
  • 🐛App not maintained (4 years since last update)
  • 🐛iOS versions may not be compatible
  • 🐛Latest update seems to have broken study visibility again
  • 🐛Blank screen when trying to open studies
  • 🐛App crashes frequently
  • 🐛Users have to pay for studies
  • 🐛Paid twice for app/studies
See all reviews

What's New in First Principles

4.0.12

September 21, 2026

New in this update: • Introducing the new San Diego Bible study series — 9 studies including Seeking God, The Word of God, Following Jesus, Discipleship, Light & Darkness, The Cross, Sound Doctrine, The Church, and a medical perspective on the crucifixion. • Every scripture reference in the app has been re-verified against the 1984 NIV translation for accuracy, including a full line-by-line check of all 66 books. We also found an error that had been sitting in one of our studies since 1993 — right in front of our noses this whole time! It's now fixed. • General improvements and bug fixes. Thank you for studying God's Word with First Principles.

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7

Subscriptions & In-App Purchases

$0.99

Knowing God Study Series

Knowing God Study Series

User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

App has ONE study

This app is nothing like it is presented before you download it. It only contains the study from 1993 and the font is wonky. ICOC is a cult anyway
JvfyijvdstuhcJvfyijvdstuhc

Response from developer

Thanks for the feedback — you're right that the app had fallen out of date, including only having the 1993 study and some font issues. That's been addressed in the newest version, which includes additional studies and a properly updated, readable font. I'll leave the comment about ICOC aside, since this app is meant to be a neutral resource for the studies themselves rather than a place to debate the organization. I'd encourage you to download the latest version and see the difference for yourself. I'd also genuinely like to know your home church, as I'm adding new study series going forward and want to represent a range of communities well. If the update addresses what you ran into, I'd appreciate it if you'd reevaluate your rating to reflect the current version. Sincerely, Ed Partch Denver, CO

Needs software update

I’ve shared this app with a handful of folks who are unable to see the studies in the list view and thus unable to use the app as intended. It looks like this app isn’t maintained currently (4 years since the last update) and potentially the new iOS versions we have are not compatible with the current software. Hopefully that will change soon since this can be such a useful resource for folks.
Show more
Jo_@oJo_@o

Response from developer

Thanks for the honest feedback, and I'm sorry the app let you and the folks you shared it with down. You were right that it went a long time without updates — our main programmer stepped away from the project for several years, which is exactly why compatibility slipped. The good news is First Principles is actively maintained again, and version 4.0 has been rebuilt from the ground up for current iOS. Please download the latest version and let me know how it runs for you. Also, I'd love to know your home church — I'm adding new study series going forward and want to make sure we're covering what communities like yours are actually using. If you get a chance to try the update, I'd really appreciate it if you'd reevaluate your rating and let me know if it reflects your experience with the new version. Sincerely, Ed Partch Denver, CO

Unable to see all studies

I just downloaded and see that the latest version update was suppose to fix the bug where iOS is unable to see all the studies available, this seems to be broken again
WigglsmchappyWigglsmchappy

Can’t figure out how to get additional books

I have friends who have multiple books on their app and I can’t seem to figure out how to get any additional ones besides First Principles. For example, you can see the additional books on this page
WealthAddictWealthAddict

Life changing information

Great app! Very helpful
DannyboythemanDannyboytheman
See 59 more reviews

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

6 issues

Studies not visible in list view

Bug

Latest update broke study visibility

Bug

Blank screen when opening studies

Bug

App crashes frequently

Bug

Font is wonky

Bug

Paid twice for app/studies

Bug
✨

Requested Features

9 requests

Print options for studies

Feature

Ability to see additional books

Feature

More studies available

Feature

Dark mode

Feature

Advanced analytics dashboard

Feature

Translate into any language

Feature

Repentance and Baptism studies added

Feature

Prepared to Answer content

Feature

More churches sharing their studies

Feature

FAQ

What does the First Principles app do?

The First Principles app provides offline access to your favorite scripture study series. It allows you to easily share verses, expand references, and customize text size for a comfortable reading experience.

How can I share scriptures with others using this app?

You can copy parts or all of a study by tapping and holding the desired text, then using the selection dots to expand your selection. Once selected, tap 'Copy' and then paste the text into another app or email to send to a friend.

Is this app free to use?

The app is free to download and use, with options for in-app purchases. This means you can access core functionalities without cost, and choose to purchase additional features or content if desired.

Can I change the text size?

Yes, you can easily change the text size within the studies. Tap the settings button (gear icon), then tap the 'A' to make text smaller or the larger 'A' to make text larger.

What if I find an error or have a suggestion?

If you encounter any formatting or content errors, or have ideas for improvement, you can submit feedback directly through the app. Tap the settings button on the home screen and select 'Email feedback'.