Pencil Bible: Journal & Study

Pencil Bible: Journal & Study

Sermon Notes, Study & Drawing

1.5K ratings
328 reviews
Free
In-App Purchases

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • March 8, 2022
  • September 10, 2026

Features

Pencil Bible: Journal & Study screenshot #1 for iPhone
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Pencil Bible: Journal & Study screenshot #8 for iPhone
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About

This app allows users to write notes, highlight scripture, and draw directly on Bible pages, enhancing spiritual study and reflection. It supports various Bible translations and offers a free tier with limited annotation, with an option to upgrade for unlimited access.

Write notes on scripture
Highlight verses
Draw directly on Bible pages
Support for multiple Bible translations
Annotation on iPad and iPhone
Dark Mode
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What users say

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What's New in Pencil Bible

3.0.55

September 10, 2026

Copy and paste your handwriting: Circle any handwriting with the lasso, and a menu appears: cut, copy, paste or delete it, just like text. Style your page: A new Style button in Change Bible Layout — a left-aligned chapter number, smaller verse numbers, italic headings, and a switch to hide the translators' notes. Tidy your folders: Saved a verse by mistake? Open it in the Folders tab and tap the x to take it back out. Also in this update: • Line straightening now works with the pencil, the highlighter and the fineliner, not just the pen. Hold still at the end of a line and it snaps straight. • Text that printed twice in bold is gone — 1,090 places, mostly in the New King James. • God's name is now set in small capitals, the way a printed Bible sets it, in the ESV, NKJV, NIV, NLT, NVI and NVIP. • Words the translators added show in italics again — the Amplified, the Orthodox Jewish Bible, and the Spanish and Portuguese Bibles. • Images can be resized and rotated again. Drag a corner, or the dot above the picture. • Text boxes remember the font and size you last chose. • A new text box, image or sticker arrives at the top left, clear of the toolbar. • The Passion Translation's footnotes are now set like every other Bible's. • Copying a verse no longer brings hidden formatting marks along with it. • A setting to keep the toolbar on screen while you scroll, and recently opened Bibles fit three across when there's room.

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Subscription plans

Weekly

Weekly subscription

$0.997 Days
How to cancel Pencil Bible subscription ⁉️
6

In-App Purchases

$8.99

ESV

English Standard Version

User reviews

Impressive

I’ve had the app for about a year or so and I have been thoroughly impressed with the quality and functionality of the app. I also appreciate how the app is continuing to evolve and the developers have even responded to emails in the past. If you wrestle with hermeneutical work (IYKYK) I can attest this app is worth it and subscription. Thanks for adding (more) various translations!
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Fantastic Resource

Really adds to the enjoyment of Bible Study.
So easy to add your own notes, drawings, scribbles, or anything you want.

Letting you know of some bugs

When using text boxes: some times a text doesn’t respond to be edited: moving, resize etc.. even while other text boxes can easily be modifies on the same page. It’s just frozen. Tried backing of the app and going back in still frozen

Fantastic Resource

Really adds to the enjoyment of Bible Study.
So easy to add your own notes, drawings, scribbles, or anything you want.

Unfortunately subscription required

This would be great if it was a one time fee. Won’t use bc they lock you into a subscription. Can split screen with a free bible app and note app and achieve the same goal. Also other bible apps give you different versions for free. If you want a different version it’ll be $10 bucks. Obviously they only care about bleeding as much money out of the user as possible.
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Developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

5 issues

Frequent crashes and app freezes

Bug

Disappearing annotations and notes

Bug

Misaligned or distorted writing

Bug

Issues with Apple Pencil compatibility

Bug

Inconsistent behavior across device types

Bug

Requested Features

9 requests

Landscape mode support

Feature

Split-screen/multi-tasking capabilities

Feature

More Bible version options (e.g. NIV, NASB, CSB)

Feature

Ability to add custom pages/sections

Feature

Improved pencil/stylus functionality (e.g. pressure sensitivity, customizable tools)

Feature

Handwriting-to-text conversion

Feature

Stickers and other creative elements

Feature

Verse-level navigation

Feature

Offline access without subscription

Feature

FAQ

What can I do with the Pencil Bible app?

Pencil Bible allows you to read the Bible, write notes, highlight verses, and draw directly on the scripture pages. It's designed to be a digital canvas for your spiritual growth, journaling, and study.

Is the app free to use?

The app is free to read the entire Bible and annotate up to 10 pages. For unlimited annotation and access to all features, you can upgrade to a premium version.

What devices is Pencil Bible compatible with?

The app is available on both iPad and iPhone. Apple Pencil features require compatible iPads, but annotations are available on iPhone without a subscription.

Can I use different Bible translations?

Yes, you can choose from popular translations such as ESV, NIV, NLT, and CSB. You can also customize fonts to your preference.

How does the app handle annotations and notes?

You can annotate directly on the Bible pages using Apple Pencil or other drawing tools. Your annotations and notes can be edited anytime, and the app supports using across multiple screens and devices.