Video summary

How to Set Up the Bible in Obsidian

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main ideas / lessons

  • Expensive “Bible software” (e.g., Logos, Accordance) can search scripture, link related notes, and show original Hebrew/Greek definitions—but for casual Bible study, those tools can be overkill.
  • You can replicate much of that workflow in Obsidian for free by importing/creating Bible text as plain text files and using Obsidian features like:
    • local graph
    • backlinks
    • tags
    • transclusion
    • CSS tweaks
    • plugins
  • The key decision is how to structure and connect the Bible inside your Vault:
    • where Bible text lives (embedded via link vs stored locally)
    • file granularity (note-as-chapter vs note-as-verse)
    • how you link to other notes (graph connections, backlinks, tags, folder hierarchy)

Once the Bible is inside Obsidian, you can build a personal library that supports:

  • cross-referencing verses across your own study notes
  • topic-based browsing (e.g., promises, prayer)
  • daily reading plans with checkoff tasks
  • local-language lookups (Strong’s number / lexicon), with visual enhancements

Methodology / setup steps (detailed)

1) Choose how the Bible will be added to your Obsidian Vault

Option A: Store the Bible text inside your Vault

  • Preferred approach for local note connections and visualization in Obsidian’s local graph.

Option B: Don’t store full text; instead link/embed verses

  • Use UVerion Linker (via the uver site).
  • Allows easy embedding across translations.
  • Limitation: embedded verses aren’t easily connectable to other notes at the verse level within your local graph.

2) Decide the “granularity” format for Bible files

Note-as-chapter

  • Pros
    • fewer files added to the Vault
    • less clutter and fewer items in the graph
  • Cons
    • verse-level connections won’t appear in the local graph
    • you can still link/embed specific verses using plugins (e.g., Bible Linker), but not as deeply graph-connected

Note-as-verse

  • Pros
    • adds a very large number of files (around 30,000)
    • allows connections at the individual verse level and visualized in the local graph
  • Tradeoffs
    • more clutter overall
    • potential slowdown mainly in the big graph view
    • possible mobile performance concerns (mitigate by excluding the Bible folder during sync if needed)

Recommendation: note-as-verse, citing “atomic notes” as valuable.

3) Manage performance (especially on mobile)

  • If using Obsidian Sync:
    • exclude the folder containing all verse files from syncing.
  • Rationale:
    • mobile is mainly used for capture/journaling rather than deep study.

4) Build cross-references with other notes (personal “verse library”)

Workflow described:

  1. Take sermon/lesson sketch notes (example tool: GoodNotes on an iPad).
  2. Export those as images and place them into Obsidian notes.
  3. Transclude or reference the verses mentioned in the message.
  4. Then:
    • start from a sketch note
    • click a referenced verse via local graph
    • open the verse note
    • see other sketch notes that referenced the same verse over time

5) Import original-language data (lexicon / Strong’s numbers) and enhance readability

Speaker’s Vault structure:

  • Root folder: Bible
  • Books → chapters → verse files using naming convention:
    • book chapter.verse.md (the stated book chapter.verse MD naming convention)
  • Each chapter note includes verses under third-level headers and inline links to lexicon definition files.
  • Lexicon resource referenced: Kingdom study tools (copied lexicon files into the Vault)

Reading experience:

  • In note-as-chapter, hover Strong’s numbers to view definitions from original languages.

Visual improvement:

  • Add a CSS file with styling tweaks in Obsidian settings.
  • Apply a CSS class (e.g., lexicon) so definitions/links look more like superscript and are easier to read in plain text.

6) Create a chronological daily reading plan (automated checkoff)

  • Speaker created a daily reading note manually from an online chronological Bible plan.
  • Uses the Obsidian Tasks plugin:
    • query a daily note template to pull “daily readings” into the daily note via a custom callout
    • implement each day’s readings as tasks
    • set tasks to repeat yearly so checking them off spawns the next instance automatically

7) Add organization layers beyond the Bible text itself

If using note-as-verse, additional grouping methods include:

  • Tags (note-level tags on verses)

    • add tags like promise, prayer, etc.
    • clicking a tag in the sidebar runs a search showing all verse notes with that tag
    • hover behavior: hold Command to preview the verse in a popup
    • caveat: requires manual tagging first

  • Topical Bible folders/notes (transclusion by topic)

    • create a root folder like: topical Bible
    • add subfolders for topics (example: attitude)
    • each topic note contains transcluded verses selected from analog topical Bibles
    • benefit: browse inspiring verses by theme while still navigating via local graph links

8) Connect notes in multiple ways (no single “right” system)

  • Speaker emphasizes that backlinks, folder hierarchy, and tags can all work.
  • The “best” method is personal and may require trial and error.
  • Use whichever connection style fits how you think and work.

Resources provided (what’s included)

The speaker provides downloadable zip resources (URLs given as download.mms.com/bible), including:

  1. Zip #1

    • King James Bible in note-as-verse format
    • includes also note-as-chapter version
    • not tagged
    • no links to Greek/Hebrew lexicons

  2. Zip #2

    • King James Bible in note-as-verse
    • plus note-as-chapter version
    • includes Greek and Hebrew lexicon files
    • designed to support verse-level connections and original-language references

  3. Zip #3 (personal study files)

    • note-as-verse King James with the speaker’s personal tags
    • note-as-chapter linked to lexicon files
    • includes topical Bible notes

Additionally:

  • mentions an online community with an Obsidian published version for members
  • extra materials (e.g., mindmap formats)
  • community activities (co-working, accountability, bi-weekly Q&A)

Speakers / sources featured

Speaker

  • Unspecified (speaker not named in subtitles) — the presenter describing the Obsidian Bible setup and personal workflow.

Software/tools mentioned

  • Logos
  • Accordance
  • Obsidian
  • UVerion Linker / uVer site
  • Obsidian Sync
  • Obsidian Tasks plugin
  • GoodNotes (iPad note-taking app)

Reference resources mentioned

  • Kingdom study tools (source of Greek/Hebrew lexicon files copied into the Vault)
  • chronological Bible reading plan (found online; source not specified)
  • Analog topical Bibles (general category; no specific title named)

Community / newsletter sites mentioned

  • download.mms.com/bible (download link)
  • practicalpk.com (newsletter signup; “Practical PKM” mentioned)
  • mentions an online community with co-working/accountability/Q&A (platform not explicitly named)

Original video