Turn every Bible reference on your site into an instant verse preview.
PrimeBible Verse Preview automatically finds references in your content — "John 3:16", "Romans 8:1-4", even shorthand like "2 Sam 7:12" — and turns each one into an elegant tooltip that reveals the verse the moment a reader hovers or taps. No copying Scripture into every post, no interrupting your writing, no sending readers off to another site.
It reads like plain writing and just works: type a reference naturally and it becomes interactive on the front end.
Built and maintained by
PrimeBible, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to making Scripture accessible to everyone, it is fast, privacy-respecting, and free — forever. No accounts, no upsells, no tracking.
Key Features
- Automatic Detection - Finds Bible references like "John 3:16" or "Romans 8:1-4" in your content
- Manual References - Add explicit references with the
[primebible] shortcode
- Multiple Translations - Choose from KJV, ESV, ASV, WEB, and more
- Translation Selector - Pick from supported translations instead of typing codes manually
- API Test Tool - Verify the selected translation and endpoint from the settings screen
- Mobile Optimized - Touch-friendly with long-press support for mobile devices
- Lightning Fast - Aggressive caching, lazy loading, and prefetch optimization
- Fully Customizable - Control appearance, behavior, timing, and styling
- Privacy First - No tracking, no external dependencies beyond the Bible API
- Accessibility - Keyboard navigation and screen reader friendly
- Theme Support - Light, dark, or auto-detect system preference
- Performance - Deferred loading, intersection observer, minimal DOM manipulation
How It Works
- Install and activate the plugin
- Configure your preferred Bible translation and appearance
- Write content naturally: "For God so loved the world (John 3:16)"
- The reference automatically becomes interactive
- Visitors hover or tap to see the verse instantly
Advanced Features
- Lazy Scanning - Only processes content when it enters viewport
- Smart Caching - LRU cache with configurable size and expiry
- Per-Post Control - Disable scanning on specific posts/pages via meta box
- Exclude Selectors - Prevent scanning in code blocks, comments, etc.
- CSP Aware - Injected styles carry a configurable nonce attribute (works with static-nonce CSP setups; per-request rotating nonces are not supported)
- Chapter Verse Counts - Optional JSON config for accurate verse range detection
- Bundled Verse Counts - Accurate cross-chapter expansion works out of the box
- Prefetch - Intelligently preloads nearby references
- Analytics Ready - Optional Google Analytics integration
- Custom CSS - Add your own styles to match your theme
Perfect For
- Theology and Bible study blogs
- Church websites and ministries
- Christian authors and writers
- Seminary and Bible college sites
- Devotional and sermon websites
- Christian education platforms
Technical Highlights
- No jQuery or external library dependencies
- Modern vanilla JavaScript (ES2020+)
- Deferred script loading for zero blocking
- Intersection Observer API for performance
- Fetch API with retry logic and timeout
- Mobile-first responsive design
- Lightweight - a single deferred script, no jQuery, no render blocking
Automatic Installation
- Log into your WordPress admin panel
- Navigate to 'Plugins → Add New'
- Search for "PrimeBible Verse Preview"
- Click 'Install Now' and then 'Activate'
- Go to 'Settings → PrimeBible' to configure
Manual Installation
- Download the plugin zip file
- Extract to
/wp-content/plugins/primebible/ (the zip extracts to a primebible folder)
- Activate through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress
- Configure at 'Settings → PrimeBible'
After Installation
- Navigate to 'Settings → PrimeBible'
- Choose your preferred Bible translation (default: KJV)
- Select theme (light/dark/system)
- Adjust timing and behavior settings if desired
- Save changes and test on a post with Bible references
Manual References
Use the shortcode when you want exact control over the clickable text:
[primebible ref="John 3:16"]
You can also override the translation for a single reference:
[primebible ref="Romans 8:1" translation="ESV"]this promise[/primebible]
2.5.3
Important fix: everyday words like "is 5" or "am 24" are no longer detected as Bible references. Also fixes the Load-in-Admin setting and hardens settings output. Recommended for all users.
2.5.2
Fixes shorthand Bible reference loading and adds a translation selector, API test tool, shortcode support, and bundled verse counts.
2.5.1
Recommended update: Performance improvements, counts-aware detection, and mobile enhancements. Fully backward compatible.
2.0.0
Major update with significant performance improvements, lazy scanning, and enhanced customization. Recommended for all users. Settings will be preserved but please review new options.
1.5.0
Adds multiple translations and theme support. Your existing settings will be preserved.