23 Bible translations
KJV, ASV, WEB, BSB, and nineteen more, plus Tyndale's original Pentateuch and New Testament, no separate downloads.
Looking for something like e-Sword?
An e-Sword Alternative Worth Trying
e-Sword has introduced a lot of people to free Bible software, and it's a fine program. Vellum takes a different approach: everything ships in one install, in four panes you can see at once, without a separate module manager to work through.
Version 1.14.0 · Portable or installer · ~275 MB · Free forever
How Vellum compares
| Vellum | e-Sword | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Always free | Free app, some modules paid |
| Content on first install | 23 translations, 15 commentaries, 8 dictionaries built in | Core modules included, more via separate downloads |
| Layout | Bible, Commentary, Dictionary, and Notes visible together | Resizable windows, configured per user |
| Original languages | Reverse-interlinear Hebrew & Greek with Strong's built in | Available via separate modules |
| Account required | No | No |
| Platform | Windows & Linux | Windows |
This is a straightforward feature comparison, not a claim that one program is better for every use case. e-Sword's module library is large and long-established. If you mainly want everything already in place on first launch, Vellum is worth trying.
What comes built in
15 commentaries
A patristic Catena spanning roughly AD 100–1700 plus 14 classic commentaries, all selectable from one menu.
8 merged dictionaries
Easton's, Smith's, Hastings', Hitchcock's, Schaff's, the ISBE, Fausset's, and Vine's Expository Dictionary, searched as a single lookup.
Notes, a Topical Index, and a Lesson Builder
A running Sermon Notes page, verse-linked Study Notes, Nave's Topical Bible, and a Lesson Builder for assembling multi-passage teaching outlines, all included from the start.