Mar 21, 2024 2 min read how I work

How I Work: Look Up Bible Passages with These Shortcuts

I’m always looking for ways to make my workflows easier and more efficient. As a pastor, I work a lot with the Bible. And if you’re an iPhone, iPad, or Mac user, here’s a trick to seamlessly search for a passage of scripture using Shortcuts and then copy and paste the text or the link where you need it.

What are Shortcuts?

Apple released Shortcuts in 2018. It's an app that lets you create custom workflows and automation using built-in functions and apps you've downloaded. I use Shortcuts often to capture ideas quickly, stay on track during my morning routine, and turn all the lights off at night when I'm ready for bed.

Bible Shortcuts Download Links

The Shortcuts above will search either the NRSVUE or CEB translations on YouVersion (Bible App) or Bible Gateway. If you prefer a different translation, you can customize it in Shortcuts. Check out the quick video below to see it in action!

Using Shortcuts to look up a passage in YouVersion

How I Use These Shortcuts

There are so many ways these Shortcuts can make your everyday workflows more efficient. When I need to send our lay Scripture reader the text for the upcoming Sunday, I use the Bible Gateway Shortcut to copy and paste the text into an email. When I'm assembling our weekly Bible reading plans for The Local Church, I’ll link the URL to the passage so the recipient can open the Bible app right from their email or right from the post.

My favorite part of each Shortcut is that it gives you a choice about whether you want to open the passage or simply copy the URL to your clipboard. That makes it easy to paste it wherever you need it.

Download the Shortcuts and give it a shot. Let me know what you think!

➡️ Do you use Shortcuts? If so, how?