Free REST API for Bible verses with full-text search. Multiple translations, 80+ books including Apocrypha.
curl "https://bible-api.dws-cloud.com/v1/verses/John%203:16"
Get verses by reference. Supports single verses, ranges, full chapters, and comma-separated references with context inheritance.
Query: translation - Translation ID (default: web)
| Format | Example | Try |
|---|---|---|
| Single verse | John 3:16 | Try |
| Verse range | Romans 8:28-39 | Try |
| Full chapter | Psalm 23 | Try |
| Multi-chapter | Genesis 1:1-2:3 | Try |
| Comma-separated | Romans 14:14, 22-23 | Try |
| With translation | John 3:16?translation=kjv | Try |
| Abbreviations | Jn 3:16, Gen 1:1 | Try |
Get a full chapter with navigation hints. Designed for sequential reading apps.
Query: translation - Translation ID (default: web)
Response includes: navigation.previous and navigation.next with testament field (OT/NT/AP) for client-side boundary handling.
Full-text search across all verses.
Query:
q - Search query (required) |
translation - Translation ID |
book - Filter by book (e.g., ROM) |
testament - Filter by OT, NT, or AP |
limit - Results per page (default: 20) |
offset - Pagination offset
List all books with chapter counts and metadata.
Query: testament - Filter by OT, NT, or AP
Get a random verse.
Query:
translation - Translation ID |
book - Limit to specific book |
testament - Limit to OT, NT, or AP
{
"reference": "John 3:16",
"translation": {
"id": "web",
"name": "World English Bible"
},
"verses": [{
"book": "JHN",
"book_name": "John",
"chapter": 3,
"verse": 16,
"text": "For God so loved the world..."
}],
"text": "For God so loved the world..."
}
| ID | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
web | World English Bible | Default. Modern English, public domain. |
kjv | King James Version | 1769 edition, public domain. |
This is a free, public API. Please be respectful:
Want to run your own instance? The API runs on Cloudflare's free tier. See the Wiki for architecture details and how to add translations.
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