Finding a good Bible MP3 for iPod is quite easy. Thanks to advances in Internet Technology you can choose from various translations as well as free or paid versions.
I can hear your question before you even ask it…why pay for a Bible MP3 for iPod if I can get it for free? Well, while there are some good quality free options, if you want a bit more style and drama you can pay for a dramatised version; I would explain the benefits of paid versions later when we get to the paid options.
When you decide to listen to the Bible, believe me the last thing you need is an author with a monotone voice. I tried that once and soon found that such versions have very similar effects to a bedtime story. I have since upgraded to a dramatised version, and I must say it was worth every cent.
So here are the free options:
Audio Treasure
This website has the entire King James Version of the Bible free to download. There are some other translations but not all can be saved to your PC or played on your iPod.
To play the mp3 files on your iPod you’ll have to do some work and although the process would differ from PC to PC, the general steps are:
1. Create a folder on your PC for the entire Bible or for each separate book.
2. Once you download the mp3 file which is zipped you will need to extract the files on your PC.
3. Create identical folders in iTunes in preparation for the downloaded files.
4. Once the files are extracted, copy and paste to the corresponding playlist/folder in iTunes.
5. Plug in your iPod to your PC and update the newly added mp3 files.
The best thing about this format of the mp3 Bible for the iPod is the fact that the Bible is separated into books and chapters, so you can choose certain books to listen to whenever you want. Some other formats just run the entire Bible in one long format.
Bible Player
At Bible Player you have access to unique freeware software that can be used especially with your iPod. I have not personally tried this one, but it is an option that you can look into.
If you have some bucks to spend, here is my favourite Bible MP3 for iPod.
Dramatised Audio Bible
This Bible can be found at Audible.com and the translation is in NIV format. From the minute you begin listening you are drawn into the storylines as you follow the characters. Each character has a unique voice and there are loads of sound effects. The only thing missing is the picture, but actually the audio dramatisation is so good that your imagination creates the pictures and this provides a more engaging and interesting listening experience.
You do have to join Audible.com to access this Bible mp3 for iPod and if you do, you just might find other interesting books to listen to.
To download the Bible you’ll need to use the audible download manager and you can set your listing device to be your iPod, so once the Bible is downloaded into the program it automatically updates iTunes for you. The next time you open iTunes and plug in your iPod your Bible would load while your iPod updates. And it is as simple as that.
The only thing I do not like about this option is that the mp3 file is separated in chunks and not book by book or chapter by chapter. So if I want to read Judges 9 for example, I have to scroll through the file, stop and listen and repeat until I get to the desired chapter.
Even with this minor hiccup I prefer this NIV dramatised version because it does not put me to sleep. I can remember more of what I hear and it is easy to connect what I’ve heard before with what I am listening to at any given moment. I must also mention that the sound effects are just great.
Bible Bible.com
There is another paid for option at this site. You can listen to a sample of the voice only narration and decide if you like the narrators tone. You can choose between the KJV and the NIV which come in CD format but the files can be loaded to your iPod as well.
So there you have it, depending on your taste and budget you could decide which Bible mp3 for iPod format and translation you like most. I hope that these options have helped you decide.
