# Anyone use E-Sword?



## Jonathan (Nov 29, 2004)

I was just wondering if any of you used E-Sword. I consider it the best Bible software available. All for free too. If you don't use it go to www.e-sword.net. It has all the commentaries linked to each verse, daily devotionals, dictionaries, every version of the Bible you can think of, and a lot more. I find it an awesome tool for study.


----------



## ReformedWretch (Nov 29, 2004)

I do now, thanks! (The commentaries are lacking though!)


----------



## ANT (Nov 29, 2004)

I have used E-Sword for a couple of years now, maybe 3 years. It is a great program that has been extremely easy to use. It also comes with great resources!


----------



## daveb (Nov 29, 2004)

E-sword is great, I've been using it for a few years. It offers a number of reformed add-ons which is very nice to see.


----------



## alwaysreforming (Nov 29, 2004)

I used to use E-sword for Pocket PC (Palm Pilot, PDA's, etc). My favorite aspect of it was the "Morning & Evening" devotional by Spurgeon. I lost the program somehow and cannot seem to be able to reinstall it, much to my loss.

I think I'll check out the desktop version to which ya'll are referring. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## 4ndr3w (Nov 29, 2004)

I enjoy it more than my purchased software. I've used it for quite sometime. I do like that it is modular, there are somethings I didn't want installed on my computer. I purchased the NASB module for $20. It's a good buy. The free ESV is also very nice.


----------



## Presbyrino (Nov 29, 2004)

E-Sword is a great tool. I have the following add-ons:
WCF, Matthew Henry Commentary, Calvin's Institutes, Doctrinal Works of the Reformed Tradition, The Temple - Its Ministry and Service by Alfred Edersheim. I'm planning on sending a donation to the brother who developed this software. He did an excellent job.


----------



## Jonathan (Nov 29, 2004)

I have every single add-on available for E-sword...  Adam mentioned that the commentaries were lacking; I did some searches online and found many e-sword users have taken the time to make add-on commentaries. I have found some here and there... I will look again and tell you where to find them. I am currently working on making Spurgeon's Plowman into an e-sword file. It is actually quite easy. 

If I am ever feeling very bold... and have about 2 years of free time I will try and put Calvin's commentaries into an e-sword file. That would be awesome... Especially if you could link each verse to Calvin's commentaries on it. We should get a few people together and all work on putting his commentaries into an e-sword file.


----------



## Presbyrino (Nov 29, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Jonathan_
> We should get a few people together and all work on putting his commentaries into an e-sword file.



Is there a website that explains how to make add-ons for E-Sword? Also, does anybody know how old a work needs to be to be available as "public domain"?


----------



## Jonathan (Nov 29, 2004)

Go to www.e-sword.net and go to training... it is really easy. For making a book... like the Institutes, you use the Topic Notes editor. For a commentary you use the Study Notes. The only thing is it takes a loooooong time, to make it all nice. 

I was also wondering about the public domain thing. I would love to put certain books into e-sword files, but I am not entirely clear about the whole public domain thing. If someone knows that would be awesome.



[Edited on 11-30-2004 by Jonathan]


----------



## Presbyrino (Nov 29, 2004)

Here's a list of CopyRight HowTos used by project guttenberg. I would imagine the same rules apply to all electronic use of public domain literature.

http://www.gutenberg.org/howto/copyright-howto


----------



## Jonathan (Nov 29, 2004)

http://www.ccel.org/c/calvin/comment3/comm_index.htm At the bottom it says that they are public domain. 

I think I will start on them soon . How nice would it be to have Calvin hooked up to E-sword. The only problem with making commentaries for e-sword is that it takes quite a bit of work. I think I could only link up to one chapter a day in Calvin's commentaries... that would take like... how long.... 19 years?


----------



## Apologist4Him (Mar 6, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Jonathan_If I am ever feeling very bold... and have about 2 years of free time I will try and put Calvin's commentaries into an e-sword file. That would be awesome... Especially if you could link each verse to Calvin's commentaries on it. We should get a few people together and all work on putting his commentaries into an e-sword file.



Sounds like a great idea! That would be awesome! I love John Gill's exposition of the Bible. I have quoted him numerous times. The addition of Calvin's commentaries would make e-Sword even more useful. For example, quick access to his commentary on the Genesis creation account, would make it easier to answer people who misquote or misinterprete him.


----------



## bond-servant (Mar 7, 2005)

I've used e-sword for a while, and also like it more than my purchased software. And, if you ever get Calvin's commentaries in an e-sword file, let us know. That would be AWESOME!


----------



## LadyFlynt (Mar 7, 2005)

We have it, but hubby didn't like it as much (possibly because we don't have any of the addons)...we have SwordSearcher, which I bought for $10 and he loves it.


----------



## Apologist4Him (Mar 7, 2005)

> _Originally posted by bond-servant_
> I've used e-sword for a while, and also like it more than my purchased software. And, if you ever get Calvin's commentaries in an e-sword file, let us know. That would be AWESOME!



I've decided to start working on Calvin's commentaries myself. I'm beginning with the book of Romans, and so far, I only have Romans Chapter 1 done...and Genesis 1:1. If enough people were to work on it, it could be done in a matter on months. I'm using the text I've downloaded from http://www.ccel.org/index/author-C.html I'm manually copying and pasting the text into study notes. What I'll do is save a copy of the original notes file and then convert the NOT file into a CMT file with CMT Editor v.3.3 http://www.dnspad.com/engine/index.php?subcat=8&PHPSESSID=35dbfa239588e4e6b424de3cc38242b3



The text will appear as follows:



> *9. "For God is my witness,* etc. He proves his love by its effects; for had he not greatly loved them, he would not have so anxiously commended them to the Lord, and especially he would not have so ardently desired to promote their welfare by his own labors. His anxiety then and his ardent desire were certain evidences of his love; for had they not sprung from it, they would never have existed. And as he knew it to be necessary for establishing confidence in his preaching, that the Romans should be fully persuaded of his sincerity, he added an oath "” a needful remedy, whenever a declaration, Which ought to be received as true and indubitable vacillates through uncertainty. For since an oath is nothing else but an appeal to God as to the truth of what we declare, most foolish is it to deny that the Apostle used here an oath. He did not notwithstanding transgress the prohibition of Christ.
> 
> It hence appears that it was not Christ´s design (as the Superstitious Anabaptists dream) to abolish oaths altogether, but on the contrary to call attention to the due observance of the law; and the law, allowing an oath, only condemns perjury and needless swearing. If then we would use an oath aright, let us imitate the seriousness and the reverent manner exhibited by the Apostles; and that you may understand what it is, know that God is so called as a witness, that he is also appealed to as an avenger, in case we deceive; which Paul expresses elsewhere in these words,
> 
> ...


----------



## 4ndr3w (Mar 10, 2005)

*1689 LBCF and e-Sword*

FYI:

I haven't found the 1689 LBCF either so I've been working on putting it (w/ Scripture references) into an e-Sword .top file.


----------



## nlknorr (Mar 21, 2005)

Hello,
I have been working on Calvin for ESword as well and have John - Jude completed. I have started on The Harmony of the Gospels but it is a little more difficult because of the way it is organized. I am using the .htm files from ccel.org and CMT Editor 3.3. I zoomed through what I have so there maybe cut and paste type or hebrew/greek mistakes. My thought was to get it done as quickly as I could then go back and correct where I messed up. 

The file is over 5mb zipped up but I can email it to those interested. With some help, I think we could finish all of Calvin's Commentaries in little time.

Nate


----------



## 4ndr3w (Mar 22, 2005)

Nate,


I too have been working with Apologist4Him [Andrew] on Calvin's commentaries and have been working on the book of Hebrews. I have had trouble getting the right font colors and formatting (Greek/Hebrew) to come across properly from either .not files or even directly from the rich text format via CMTeditor. I don't want to spend alot of time working on this only to find out later that I have to start over so I have taken the time to study how the programming works and there seems to be a difference in the formatting tables for .cmt files and .not files. For example the font color tables seem to be defined differently. If I view the rich text code generated via the .NOT the color code for navy is "\cf1"; however, when converting that to the .CMT navy is instead "\cf9". "\cf1" renders as black in the .CMT. I have also seen fonts change as well. Are you getting similar results?

[Edited on 3-22-2005 by 4ndr3w]


----------



## Shane (Mar 22, 2005)

I use Esword as well. Its the best free bible software I have managed to find.


----------



## nlknorr (Mar 22, 2005)

Hello Andrew,
The only problem I have noticed is that sometimes, the Greek is not displayed correctly. This shows up with a little box in the middle of the Greek word. Everything else seems to be working ok. Basically, I open the .htm file in Microsoft Word and cut and paste from there. I then run the Scripture Tooltip function which correctly changes all of the Scripture to the ESword format and displays in green. If you like, I would be happy to email you what I have.


----------



## Apologist4Him (Mar 31, 2005)

> _Originally posted by 4ndr3w_
> Nate,
> 
> 
> I too have been working with Apologist4Him [Andrew] on Calvin's commentaries and have been working on the book of Hebrews. I have had trouble getting the right font colors and formatting (Greek/Hebrew) to come across properly from either .not files or even directly from the rich text format via CMTeditor. I don't want to spend alot of time working on this only to find out later that I have to start over so I have taken the time to study how the programming works and there seems to be a difference in the formatting tables for .cmt files and .not files. For example the font color tables seem to be defined differently. If I view the rich text code generated via the .NOT the color code for navy is "\cf1"; however, when converting that to the .CMT navy is instead "\cf9". "\cf1" renders as black in the .CMT. I have also seen fonts change as well. Are you getting similar results?



Hey Andrew, I'm sorry I havn't got around to responding to your last email. I became busy, and it looks like I'm going to be busy for awhile without time to work on Calvin's Commentaries. I decided to debate TAG with a non-believer on another website. Between my job, preparing meals, and doing laundry (and other chores), and researching and studying for the debate, and a little time to relax, I will have a busy schedule for awhile. 

But in reading your email and latest response in this thread, you are way ahead of me. Your knowledge of programming far exceeds mine. Let's just say, I wouldn't have fun with a "Programming for Dummies" book. 

I am interested in the project, at some point I may have a fair amount of time on my hands, if you can, please keep us updated. 

Thx


----------

