Why I Built rbible.net (a calmer, private Bible reader)

I built rbible.net because I kept bumping into noisy Bible sites ads, consent banners, “accept all cookies” pop‑ups, tracking on every page. I wanted something quiet. Something that loads fast, works offline, and doesn’t know anything about you. So I wrote a small web app with plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

It does two things I personally reach for most days: it shows a verse from each testament (a gentle nudge back into the text), and it lets me read comfortably English or Greek with progress saved on my device.

How it’s built (briefly)#

Plain HTML, CSS, and vanilla JavaScript. No frameworks, no build step beyond minifying, and no backend. It’s a small Progressive Web App (PWA) shipped as static files. There are no cookies, no analytics scripts, and fonts are self‑hosted. If you view source, you’ll see it’s intentionally simple.

What rbible.net does#

It focuses on two simple experiences I care about:

• A “Verse of the Day” that shows one verse from the Old Testament and one from the New, chosen from short, hand‑curated lists. Tap “Get New Verses” for a fresh pair. Animations are gentle because I dislike flashy UI.
• A clean Bible reader: browse books, pick chapters, read in English or Greek, and keep your progress locally. It works fully offline as a PWA, so you can install it and use it like a lightweight native app.

Key Features Explained#

Verse of the Day#

Two verses, one from each testament. They’re picked from small lists I assembled over time (not scraped, not “AI‑generated”). Tap “Get New Verses” and it refreshes with a new pair. Verses fade in softly, and your language choice (Greek or English) is remembered.

Bible reader#

From books to chapters to verses—the navigation stays out of the way. You’ll see all 66 books grouped by testament, a simple grid of chapter numbers, and clean chapter pages with verse numbers. Finished chapters highlight in gold. There’s a 🎲 button because sometimes I just want a bit of serendipity.

Reading progress#

Progress stays on your device via localStorage:

// Stored in localStorage as 'rbible-read'
{
  "genesis": [1, 2, 5, 10],  // Read chapters
  "exodus": [1],
  "matthew": [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
}

When you finish a chapter, it’s highlighted in gold, the book’s completion state updates, and your progress sticks across sessions in the same browser. I don’t collect or sync any of this—if you clear your browser storage, that’s your call (and your data).

Dual‑language support#

Switch between Greek and English instantly. Preferences are saved locally; the structure is the same across languages. Typography is chosen to suit each (Cormorant Garamond for Greek, Lora for English) because readability matters more than fancy effects.

Shareable links#

Navigation uses simple URL hashes, so you can share direct links like rbible.net/bible.html#genesis/1. The browser’s back/forward buttons work as expected—no client‑side router tricks needed.

Privacy‑first design#

From the start, privacy wasn’t a “nice to have”—it was the foundation. There’s no tracking or analytics, no cookies, no external APIs, and fonts are self‑hosted. Your language preference and reading progress stay on your device and aren’t uploaded or shared. Honestly, I don’t want to know how you use it; that’s between you and the text.

Design & experience#

Visual design#

It should feel reverent and calm. Gold accents for highlights, a deep background for comfortable reading, and light text for contrast. Cards sit on a slightly lighter shade to create gentle depth. Typography pairs Cormorant Garamond for headers, Inter for UI, and Cormorant Garamond (Greek) or Lora (English) for scripture. No gradients, no blurs—just clear type and space.

Animations#

Animations are subtle and supportive—gentle reveals on the verse page, soft fade‑ins when content loads, smooth scrolling, and clear feedback when you hover or tap. If an animation ever distracts from reading, I remove it.

Responsive design#

It adapts nicely across devices, with a mobile‑first layout, thoughtful tweaks around tablet sizes, comfortable widths on desktop, and touch‑friendly targets throughout. I test in a couple of browsers and on a small phone—if it feels cramped, I fix it.

How to use rbible.net#

Daily inspiration#

Visit rbible.net to see one verse from each testament. Tap “Get New Verses” for a fresh pair, and switch between Greek and English any time. If you leave the tab open, it won’t nag you or pop anything up.

Reading the Bible#

Head to rbible.net/bible.html, pick a book and chapter, and read. Use Previous/Next to move around, watch chapters you’ve finished highlight in gold, switch languages whenever you like, and try the 🎲 for a random chapter. If you come back tomorrow, your progress will still be there.

Install as a PWA (mobile)#

Android#

Open rbible.net in Chrome, use the menu (⋮) to “Install app” or “Add to Home screen,” then launch it from your home screen.

iOS#

Open rbible.net in Safari, tap Share → “Add to Home Screen,” then launch it from your home screen.

Installed apps work offline and feel native.

Future plans#

I’d like to add full‑text search, simple bookmarks for favorite verses, and lightweight notes that stay local. If you have strong opinions about verse numbering or translation choices, I’m open to suggestions.

Try rbible.net: https://rbible.net

Questions or feedback? I’d love to hear from you.