Features

Scripture

Find and project Bible verses in Crater. Reference lookup, full-text search, verse ranges, translations and on-screen options.

On this page

The Scripture tab (Ctrl + 2) finds any verse in seconds, whether you know the reference or only remember a few words.

Included translations#

Crater comes with 14 English translations. They’re listed by abbreviation in the sidebar.

CodeTranslation
AMPCAmplified Bible, Classic Edition
ASVAmerican Standard Version
CEVContemporary English Version
ESVEnglish Standard Version
GNTGood News Translation
KJVKing James Version
MSGThe Message
NASB2020New American Standard Bible (2020)
NIVNew International Version
NKJVNew King James Version
NLTNew Living Translation
RSVRevised Standard Version
TLVTree of Life Version
TPTThe Passion Translation

The Passion Translation doesn’t include every book yet. Exodus to Deuteronomy, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job and Ecclesiastes are missing from it.

The search box at the top of the sidebar has two modes. Switch between them with Ctrl + F, by clicking the icon at the left of the box, or from the gear menu above the list.

Reference mode (book icon)#

This is the default. Type a reference and Crater jumps straight to the verse and loads it into Preview.

You typeCrater finds
John 3:16 or john 3 16John 3
jn 3 16John 3
rom 8Romans 8
1 cor 13 4, 1cor 13:4 or first corinthians 13:41 Corinthians 13
ps 23Psalms 23
John 3:16-18John 3
to 18, selected together

A few tips:

  • Abbreviations are flexible. Common short forms like gn, ex, mt, mk, lk, jn, rev all work, and Crater tolerates small spelling mistakes such as phillipians.
  • Press Space after a short book name and Crater completes it. Typing jn then Space gives John .
  • Check the line under the box. It shows how Crater read what you typed, for example Interpreted: John 3 16.
  • Use a colon or a space between chapter and verse. Crater doesn’t read dots (John 3.16).
  • Ranges stay inside one chapter. John 3:16-18 works. For verses across chapters, select them with the mouse (see below).
  • Type a translation code after the reference, like jn 3:16 niv, to switch translation as you go.

If you prefer typing into separate book, chapter and verse boxes, choose the controlled input style from the gear menu. Tab or Space moves to the next box and Backspace in an empty box moves back.

Search mode (magnifier icon)#

Search the words of every verse in the current translation, for when you remember part of a verse but not where it is.

  • Type a few words, like be still and know. Results are ranked with the best match first, up to 100 results, with the matching words highlighted.
  • Put a phrase in quotes to match it exactly: "the Lord is my shepherd".
  • Put - in front of a word to leave it out, and use OR (in capitals) for either word.
  • Apostrophes don’t matter. Gods finds God’s.
  • Words shorter than three letters are ignored. A search made only of short words, like I am, finds nothing.
  • Click the library icon beside the search box to search all translations at once. Each result shows its translation code.

Showing verses#

ActionResult
Click a verseLoads it into Preview
Up / DownMoves through the verses, loading each into Preview
Double-click, or EnterSends it live
Right-click > Push to LiveSends it live
Right-click > Add to Schedule, or Ctrl + TAdds it to the schedule

Selecting several verses#

  • Shift + click selects every verse from the current one to the one you click.
  • Ctrl + click (Cmd + click on a Mac) adds or removes single verses. Gaps and verses from different chapters are fine.
  • Shift + Up/Down grows or shrinks the selection from the keyboard.
  • Typing a range like John 3:16-18 selects it for you.

Double-click or press Enter inside a selection to send the whole passage. It appears on one slide with verse numbers, titled with the reference and translation, for example John 3

(KJV).

Copying a verse#

Click the copy button above the verse list (or in the Preview panel for a scripture item). Crater copies the text with its reference, ready to paste into a bulletin or message.

Switching translation#

Click a translation code in the sidebar. Crater keeps your place: if you were on John 3

in KJV, you’ll be on John 3
in NIV. Double-click a translation code to switch and send the current verse live in that translation at the same time.

To change which translation opens by default, go to Settings > Scripture > Default version.

Scripture display options#

Find these in Settings > Scripture:

  • Highlight current verse. Shows a multi-verse passage one verse at a time. Each slide shows the whole passage with the current verse bright and the others dimmed, so the congregation can follow along as you step through.
  • Show book
    in footer.     Adds a reference line, like John 3
    , along the bottom of every scripture slide.
  • Show Strong’s tab. Shows or hides the Strong’s tab.

How verses look on screen (font, colours, background, where the reference sits) comes from your scripture theme. See Themes.

Search behaviour has its own options in Settings > Search, such as whether to highlight matching words. See Settings.

Recent searches#

When the search box is empty, a Recent button lists your last few searches in this session. Click one to run it again.