Catholic New American Bible RE

This is the New American Bible, Revised Edition on your iPhone or iPad, the translation approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is the Bible you hear at Mass in this country.

The whole Bible downloads to your device, so it reads offline. You can switch between books, swipe through chapters, pinch to change the font size, search verses, bookmark, highlight, and copy. It includes the book introductions and the footnotes, endnotes, and cross-references as tappable links, plus the daily readings and a read-the-Bible-in-a-year plan.

Having the NABRE with its notes in your pocket is the selling point. The footnotes in this translation are substantial, and being able to tap a reference and jump straight to it is the kind of thing that keeps you reading instead of giving up. Because it is the Mass translation, the readings line up with what you just heard on Sunday.

It is good for following the daily readings, for preparing for Mass, and for anyone who wants the official U.S. Catholic Bible with its full set of notes.

It costs a few dollars, which is fair for the complete annotated text, though the design is plain and has not changed much in years. The ratings are mixed, mostly about the dated interface rather than the Scripture itself.

It is $2.99, from developer Greg Fairbrother. On the App Store here: Catholic New American Bible RE. A no-frills but faithful way to carry the Mass Bible with you.