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Bible MCP Server

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that lets AI assistants fetch Bible verses, passages, and chapters from MyBible-format SQLite databases.

Features

  • list_bibles — List all installed Bible translations

  • list_books — List all books in a translation

  • get_passage — Get a single verse or verse range (e.g., John 3:16, Romans 8:1-3)

  • get_chapter — Get an entire chapter with section titles

Related MCP server: bible-mcp

Setup

Install dependencies

npm install

Add Bible translations

Place MyBible .SQLite3 files in the Bibles/ directory, one folder per translation:

Bibles/
├── NIV'11/
│   ├── NIV'11.SQLite3
│   └── NIV'11.commentaries.SQLite3
├── KJV/
│   └── KJV.SQLite3
└── ...

Each subfolder must contain at least one *.SQLite3 file (the main Bible database). Commentary databases (*.commentaries.SQLite3) are optional. The folder name becomes the translation ID used in tool calls.

Configure with your AI client

Add to your MCP client config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bible": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["path/to/BibleMCP/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

For development:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bible": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["tsx", "path/to/BibleMCP/src/index.ts"]
    }
  }
}

Configuration

Environment Variable

Default

Description

BIBLES_DIR

./Bibles

Path to the directory containing Bible translation folders

Development

npm run build      # Compile TypeScript to dist/
npm run dev        # Run server in dev mode (tsx)
npm test           # Run all tests
npm run test:watch # Run tests in watch mode
npm run typecheck  # Type-check without compiling

MyBible Format

This server reads the standard MyBible SQLite schema:

  • info table — metadata (description, language)

  • books table — book numbers, short/long names (66 books, numbered 10–730)

  • verses table — book_number, chapter, verse, text (text may contain HTML markup)

  • stories table — section titles / pericopes

  • introductions table — book introductions

Verse text is returned as clean plain text with all HTML markup stripped.

License

This server code is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE.

Bible translation modules in the Bibles/ directory are not covered by this license — they are subject to their respective copyrights and are not distributed with this repository.

Available Tools

4 tools
get_chapterA

Get an entire chapter of the Bible with all verses and section titles.

Inputs: book (required), chapter (required), translation (required).

get_passageA

Get a single Bible verse or a range of verses by book, chapter, and verse number(s).

Inputs: book (required), verse (required), chapter (required), translation (required), +1 more.

list_biblesA

List all available Bible translations installed in the Bibles directory.

Inputs: no named parameters.

list_booksB

List all books in a specific Bible translation.

Inputs: translation (required).

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Loading tool schema changelog…

    TDQS

    A3.7/5.0

    Scored across 4 tools

    Disambiguation5/5

    Each tool targets a distinct purpose: browsing translations, listing books, retrieving a specific passage, or fetching a full chapter. There is no overlap or ambiguity between them.

    Naming Consistency5/5

    All tool names follow a consistent verb_noun pattern (list_bibles, list_books, get_passage, get_chapter), making the set predictable and easy to navigate.

    Tool Count4/5

    With 4 tools, the server feels well-scoped for its purpose. While minimal, it covers browsing and reading operations without unnecessary bloat. One or two additional tools (e.g., search) could be expected but not required.

    Completeness3/5

    The server covers basic lookup workflows (list translations, list books, retrieve passages/chapters), but lacks search, cross-reference, or note capabilities. Users can successfully read verses but may encounter dead ends for discovery beyond hierarchical listing.

    Maintenance

    ActivityInactive
    ResponsivenessOutdated data

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