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Featured in “The App List” from The Sunday Times: The Bible App by YouVersion!

YouVersion is honored that the Bible App™ has been recognized by The Sunday Times in their definitive guide to the world’s best 500 apps (subscription required). The Sunday Times online is one of the most popular national newspaper sites in the UK. Regular Sunday Times app reviewers and experts in relevant fields selected their favorite apps, based on their practicality, their usefulness, or even just how fun and addictive they are. And the Bible App made the list!

From the very beginning, our primary goal with the Bible App has always been to make it as easy as possible for people to engage with the Bible as part of their everyday lives. Whether you’re using a reading plan to make the most of your time in Scripture, connecting with your friends online about your experiences reading the Bible, or using notes to journal and share how God’s Word is speaking into your life, the Bible App is always as close as your mobile device.

It means a lot to us at YouVersion to be included on The Sunday Times’  list. We love the Bible, and we’re always excited when more people will have the opportunity to discover God’s story for their lives.

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The Bible App: 1 Billion Minutes Reached

1 Billion MinutesA couple of weeks ago, we updated you on our progress toward our goal for the YouVersion community to read the Bible for 1 billion minutes in 1 month. We also promised we’d let you know as soon as we reached that billion, so we could celebrate together. Yesterday, February 15, we just passed 1 billion minutes of engaging with Scripture using the Bible App™. While it took 46 days instead of the 31 we had hoped for, it’s still nothing short of extraordinary. Going all the way back to the Bible App’s launch in July 2008, this period represents the most people reading the most minutes in the shortest amount of time that we’ve ever seen. It’s reason to rejoice.

We celebrate big numbers when they happen because they’re exciting, and because they can help us establish some perspective. But of course what’s important to us is not numbers—it’s you. Every download, every account created, every status update and tweet, every reading plan subscribed to, each represents a person, a human being, connecting with the Scriptures. We love the Bible, and our single-minded goal is now, as it has always been, to help as many people as possible engage with God’s Word as a natural part of their everyday lives. Thank you for reading in the Bible App. Thank you for being a part of what God is doing.

The best thing about a billion more minutes…is that it’s only the beginning.

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Available Now from YouVersion: Offline Versions on the Bible App for BlackBerry

Today we’re pleased to announce the single feature requested most by our BlackBerry users: Access to Bible translations for use offline. You can immediately download this newest version of the Bible App™, v. 3.0, through your browser or by visiting BlackBerry App World.

Other features. Our previous BlackBerry release included German, French, and Traditional and Simplified Chinese; this time, we’re adding to that Russian and Portuguese. And speaking of languages, the default Bible version the Bible App displays reflects the language you set for your device. Finally, you should notice when you open it that the Bible App loads much faster now.

Important! To download an offline translation, your device must:

  1. Be running BlackBerry 5.0 OS or newer.
  2. Have an SD media card with at least 50 MB of free space.

What’s offline use? In the past, BlackBerry users have not had access to Bible translations unless connected to the Internet or your service provider. Now, for the first time on BlackBerry, once you’ve downloaded a Bible version to your BlackBerry’s SD card, you’ll be able to read it anytime, anywhere—whether you’re online or not.

How you can get your free offline versions:

Make sure you’re connected to the Internet or to your service provider. Then, from the Bible reader:

  1. Select the top bar, where the current translation is presently displayed.
  2. All versions display in alphabetical order by language. Any translation with a download icon (a box with an arrow pointing down) means it’s available as an offline version. Select that version’s download icon.
  3. Follow the instructions and select the large Download button.
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Limited Time: NIV Available Offline…Free on YouVersion!

2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. To commemorate this milestone achievement, which made the Bible available in the common language of the people, throughout 2011, YouVersion will roll out events and opportunities that will help you more easily access, engage and share the Bible. The first of these events is that Bible App™ users will be able to download the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible. Made possible through a special partnership with Biblica and Zondervan, this offer will only be available for a limited time.

Beginning THIS SATURDAY, February 12, at 8:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time (GMT-5), and lasting for 400 hours, you’ll be able to download the NIV to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Android device. When you download the NIV, that means you’ll be able to read it even when you can’t connect to your service provider or to the Internet. This special promotion will end on March 1, at 12:00 PM noon U.S. Eastern Time (GMT-5).

Downloading offline versions:

When the NIV becomes available on Saturday, here’s how you’ll be able to get yours:

iPhone/iPad/iPod touch:

Make sure you’re connected to the Internet or to your service provider. Then, from the Bible reader:

  1. Tap the top bar, where the current translation is presently displayed.
  2. All versions display in alphabetical order by language. Any translation with a download icon (a green box with a white arrow pointing downward) means it’s available as an offline version. Tap that version’s download icon.
  3. Follow the instructions and tap the large Download button.

1. Tap current translation 2. Tap download icon3. Tap Download button

Android:

Make sure you’re connected to the Internet or to your service provider. Then, from the Bible reader:

  1. Tap the box at the top right that displays the version short code.
  2. All available Bible versions display. Any translation with a download icon (an arrow pointing down) means it’s available as an offline version. Tap that version’s download icon.
  3. After a few moments, a different icon displays next to the short code, indicating your download is complete.

1. Tap current translation2. Tap download icon3 Download is complete

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For Valentine’s Day: 5 Days to a Better Marriage

Reading PlansPrepare for Valentine’s Day this year by reading our brand-new Devotional, “Love and Marriage,” together with your spouse. Today is February 7, so if you start tomorrow or the next day, the two of you can finish up this 5-day plan just in time for the big day. Each day, “Love and Marriage” leads you through a passage about how God views this important commitment, then follows up with additional ideas to help you discuss your relationship in a Scriptural context. (If you’re using the Bible App™ to read, you’ll find “Love and Marriage” under “Topical.”)

If you haven’t been much of a Bible reader in the past, then you really should try Reading Plans. They’re a terrific tool to help you engage with God’s Word and even to develop a daily habit. When you choose a Reading Plan, YouVersion gives you an easy schedule with a little to read each day. With more than 60 plans you can choose from—and lots more on the way—you’re sure to find topics that interest you.

Each Reading Plan description tells you what it covers and how long it will take. We have plans that take you all the way through the Bible in a year, or just select parts, even specific topics and daily devotionals. Whether you want to learn, get perspective, or focus your time with God in a certain area, Reading Plans are a simple way to help you read through God’s Word.