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The Notes feature allows you to capture your thoughts, insights, and reflections while reading and studying Scripture. Notes are tied to specific Bible chapters and saved securely to your account.
Notes are a user-specific feature. You must be signed in to create and view notes.

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Getting Started with Notes

Access the notes feature while reading any Bible chapter:
1

Sign In

Ensure you’re signed in to your account.
2

Navigate to a Chapter

Go to the Bible reading page and select any chapter you want to study.
3

Open Notes Panel

Click the “Open Notes” button or toggle to reveal the notes editor.
  • Desktop: Notes appear in a side panel next to the Bible text
  • Mobile: Notes open in a full-screen sheet
4

Start Writing

Begin typing your thoughts, observations, and questions in the rich text editor.

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Rich Text Editor

The notes feature uses Plate.js, a powerful rich text editor with formatting capabilities:

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Available Formatting Options

The editor toolbar provides common text formatting tools:
  • Bold: Emphasize important points
  • Italic: Add subtle emphasis or denote quotes
  • Underline: Highlight key concepts
  • Strikethrough: Mark completed items or outdated thoughts
The rich text editor provides a word processor-like experience, making it easy to format your notes for clarity and organization.

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Taking Effective Notes

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Note-Taking Workflow

1

Read First

Read through the chapter to understand the overall context.
2

Note Key Insights

Open the notes panel and write down:
  • Key themes or messages
  • Verses that stand out
  • Questions for further study
  • Personal applications
3

Format for Clarity

Use headings, lists, and formatting to organize your thoughts.
4

Save Regularly

Click the “Save” button to persist your notes to the database.

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Note-Taking Ideas

What to Include in Your Notes

  • Observations: What do you notice about the text?
  • Interpretations: What does this passage mean?
  • Applications: How does this apply to your life?
  • Questions: What do you want to understand better?
  • Cross-references: Other Bible passages that relate
  • Theological insights: Doctrinal or thematic connections
  • Historical context: Cultural or historical background
  • Personal reflections: How the passage speaks to you

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Side-by-Side View

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Desktop Experience

On desktop devices, notes appear alongside the Bible text: Benefits of side-by-side viewing:
  • No context switching: See Scripture and notes simultaneously
  • Easy reference: Look at specific verses while writing
  • Efficient study: Read, reflect, and write without navigation
  • Visual comparison: Connect your notes to specific parts of the text
Layout: 
┌─────────────────┬──────────────────┐
│                 │                  │
│  Bible Text     │  Notes Editor    │
│                 │                  │
│  Genesis 1      │  My Observations │
│                 │                  │
│  Verse 1-31     │  • God created   │
│                 │  • Everything    │
│                 │    was good      │
│                 │                  │
└─────────────────┴──────────────────┘
The side-by-side layout is responsive. On smaller desktop screens, the panels adjust to ensure both remain readable.

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Mobile Experience

On mobile devices, notes open in a dedicated sheet: Mobile workflow:
  1. Read the Bible chapter in full-screen view
  2. Tap “Open Notes” to reveal the notes sheet
  3. Write your notes in the full-screen editor
  4. Close the sheet to return to reading
Advantages:
  • Maximum screen space for typing
  • Distraction-free writing environment
  • Easy toggle between reading and writing
  • Touch-optimized editor controls

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Saving and Managing Notes

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Automatic Saving

Notes are saved when you:
  1. Click the “Save” button
  2. Notes are persisted to the database immediately
  3. A confirmation message appears (typically via toast notification)
Notes are not auto-saved as you type. Remember to click “Save” regularly to avoid losing your work.

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Editing Existing Notes

Return to a chapter to continue or edit your notes:
1

Navigate to Chapter

Go to any Bible chapter where you’ve previously taken notes.
2

Open Notes

Click “Open Notes” to reveal the notes panel.
3

View Previous Content

Your existing notes load automatically in the editor.
4

Edit and Save

Make changes and click “Save” to update your notes.
Each Bible chapter has its own independent notes. Notes are tied to the specific chapter ID, so they remain consistent across Bible translations.

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Resetting Notes

Clear your current edits and revert to saved content:
  1. Click the “Reset” button in the notes editor
  2. Any unsaved changes are discarded
  3. The editor reverts to the last saved version
The Reset button only affects unsaved changes. Once you’ve clicked “Save”, those changes are permanent unless you manually edit them again.

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Chapter-Specific Notes

Notes are organized by chapter:

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How It Works

  • Each chapter in the Bible can have one note associated with it
  • Notes are tied to the chapter ID (e.g., GEN.1 for Genesis 1)
  • Your notes are unique to you - other users can’t see them
  • Notes are independent of translation - the same notes appear regardless of which Bible version you’re reading

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Benefits of Chapter-Based Notes

Why Chapter-Level Notes?

  • Natural organization: Aligns with how most people study the Bible
  • Easy navigation: Return to notes by returning to the chapter
  • Context preservation: Notes stay connected to the Scripture they’re about
  • Flexible scope: One chapter note can cover multiple verses and themes

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Privacy and Security

Your notes are private and secure:
  • User-specific: Only you can see your notes
  • Encrypted storage: Notes are stored securely in the Convex database
  • Account-linked: Access your notes from any device by signing in
  • Persistent: Notes remain saved indefinitely
Notes are tied to your user ID and chapter ID. As long as you’re signed in to your account, your notes are available.

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Best Practices

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Effective Note-Taking Tips

Use structure to stay organized:
  • Use headings to separate different types of observations
  • Create bulleted lists for multiple points
  • Use numbering for sequential thoughts or action steps
  • Format quotes from the text differently from your thoughts

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Sample Note Structure

# Romans 8 Study Notes

## Key Themes
- Life in the Spirit vs. life in the flesh
- Freedom from condemnation
- Assurance of salvation

## Important Verses
- v.1: No condemnation for those in Christ
- v.28: All things work together for good
- v.38-39: Nothing can separate us from God's love

## Questions
- What does Paul mean by "flesh" in this context?
- How does v.26-27 relate to prayer?

## Applications
- Remember: I am not condemned
- Trust God even in difficult circumstances
- Nothing can separate me from His love

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Next Steps

Enhance your Bible study by combining notes with other features:
  • Create Collections of verses mentioned in your notes
  • Use Search to find related passages for deeper study
  • Generate AI Stories to explore different perspectives on passages
Notes work best when combined with other study methods. Use them alongside prayer, reading, and reflection for a comprehensive Bible study experience.