Urantia Papers

Read a Work

works.read

Read-onlyIdempotent

The units of a reference in one work, in order, at most 200, each with its link: one verse or passage, a short range of up to 50, or a chapter. The prefix is optional ("BG 2.47" and "2.47" are the same); for the Bible, name the book ("John 3:16").

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`ref`	Yes	A unit, a short range, or a chapter: "John 3:16", "2.47", "Dhp 183", "John 3".
`lang`	No	Language of the catalog words: titles, traditions, summaries, labels, chapter titles, and Bible book names. "es" gives them in Spanish (an AI translation, CC0) with a `catalogTranslation` label. The text of each work stays English (`textLanguage`). Default "eng".	eng
`work`	Yes	"bible", or a work id from works.list, such as "bhagavad-gita".

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`data`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedOct 30, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / lang / description

Previous value: -"Language of the catalog words: titles, traditions, summaries, labels, chapter titles, and Bible book names. \"es\" gives them in Spanish (a machine translation, CC0) with a `catalogTranslation` label. The text of each work stays English (`textLanguage`). Default \"eng\"."New value: +"Language of the catalog words: titles, traditions, summaries, labels, chapter titles, and Bible book names. \"es\" gives them in Spanish (an AI translation, CC0) with a `catalogTranslation` label. The text of each work stays English (`textLanguage`). Default \"eng\"."

Changed4 schema fields changedOct 25, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / lang

Added value: +{
+  "default": "eng",
+  "description": "Language of the catalog words: titles, traditions, summaries, labels, chapter titles, and Bible book names. \"es\" gives them in Spanish (a machine translation, CC0) with a `catalogTranslation` label. The text of each work stays English (`textLanguage`). Default \"eng\".",
+  "enum": [
+    "eng",
+    "es"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / data / items / properties / work / properties / catalogTranslation

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "license": {
+      "const": "CC0-1.0",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "method": {
+      "const": "machine",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "review": {
+      "anyOf": [
+        {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "null"
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "method",
+    "license",
+    "review"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / data / items / properties / work / properties / textLanguage
```
Added value: +{
+  "const": "eng",
+  "type": "string"
+}
```

changedOutput schema / properties / data / items / properties / work / required

Previous value: -[
-  "id",
-  "title",
-  "tradition"
-]New value: +[
+  "id",
+  "title",
+  "tradition",
+  "textLanguage"
+]

Changed2 schema fields changedOct 19, 2026
- addedOutput schema / properties / data / items / properties / work / properties / tradition
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```
- changedOutput schema / properties / data / items / properties / work / required
```
Previous value: -[
-  "id",
-  "title"
-]New value: +[
+  "id",
+  "title",
+  "tradition"
+]
```
AddedOct 18, 2026

TDQS

A3.8/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnly, idempotent, non-open-world), and the description adds real behavioral context on top: ordered results, a hard ceiling of 200 units, ranges limited to 50, and the fact that each unit carries its link. It stops short of saying what happens on an unresolvable or overly broad reference.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two tight sentences with no filler, and the result shape leads. The opening is a bare noun phrase rather than a verb, which makes it slightly slower to parse as an action statement, but nothing here is wasted.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With an output schema present, return values need not be explained, and the description still telegraphs the 200/50 limits and the link-per-unit structure. The lang parameter's catalog-vs-text-language split is left entirely to the schema, and error behavior is unaddressed, keeping it short of full completeness.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description genuinely adds meaning the schema does not: the work prefix is optional ('BG 2.47' equals '2.47'), and Bible references require a book name. That is decision-relevant formatting guidance beyond the property descriptions.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description concretely states what comes back: the units of a reference within one work, in order, capped at 200, each paired with its link. That separates it from generic search siblings, but it never names works.search or bible.verse/bible.chapter, so the boundary against them is left implicit.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage is implied rather than stated: the reader infers this is the direct-lookup path once a work id is known (via works.list) and that 'for the Bible, name the book'. There is no explicit when-to-use-this-instead-of-works.search or bible.verse guidance and no stated preconditions.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All Urantia Papers tools Inspect

Try in Browser

One endpoint for every MCP toolRayrun runs every MCP server behind one URL and holds the credentials. Each call is decided per client, tool, and argument, then recorded.ray.runAd

Glama MCP Gateway

Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.