builds · · 3 min

Introducing minute.bible: Daily Scripture Reading Made Simple

A Progressive Web App that connects the current time to Bible verses, transforming everyday minutes into moments of reflection. Read scripture based on time or date, with automatic syncing highlights and a distraction-free reading mode.

Introducing minute.bible: Daily Scripture Reading Made Simple

I’m excited to share minute.bible – a Progressive Web App that makes scripture reading a natural part of your daily routine by connecting Bible verses to the current time or date.

The Idea

The concept is beautifully simple: use the current hour and minute (or month and day) as chapter and verse numbers to discover scripture. At 3:16, you might read John 3:16. At 12:05, you might explore Psalm 12:5. It transforms checking the time into an opportunity for spiritual reflection.

What started as a simple time-based verse finder has grown into a full-featured scripture reading app with highlights, dark mode, and a distraction-free reading experience.

Key Features

⏰ Time-Based Verses
Automatically finds Bible verses matching the current hour and minute. Navigate to previous or next minutes, or toggle “minutes before” mode to show verses counting down to the current minute.

📅 Date-Based Reading
Switch to month/day mode for daily scripture reading. Perfect for making Bible reading part of your morning routine.

✨ Highlights with Sync
Mark important verses and automatically sync them across all your devices. Your highlights are stored and synced seamlessly.

📖 Read Mode
Distraction-free chapter reading with paragraph headings and verse footnotes from the Berean Bible Project. Clean, focused scripture study.

🌙 Dark Mode
Comfortable reading experience with automatic theme switching. Designed with soft colors and a minimalistic UI to evoke peace and reflection.

📱 Progressive Web App
Install on your phone or desktop as a standalone app. Automatic updates. Fast, native-like experience.

The Technical Stack

Building minute.bible was an exercise in creating a fast, lightweight spiritual tool:

Frontend

  • Preact – React’s 3KB alternative for blazing-fast UI
  • Vite – Lightning-fast builds and hot module replacement
  • Tailwind CSS – Custom color scheme emphasizing tranquility
  • Zustand – Minimal state management for verse data and preferences
  • URQL – GraphQL client for efficient data querying

Backend

  • Node.js + GraphQL – Efficient API for Bible verse queries
  • Redis – Fast verse lookups and caching
  • Functional architecture – Domain-driven design with clear separation of concerns

Architecture

The codebase follows a functional clean architecture approach:

client/
├── domain/          # Business logic and state management
├── infrastructure/  # Technical implementations
└── presentation/    # UI components and pages
server/
├── services/        # Core business logic
├── controllers/     # Request handlers
└── infrastructure/  # Server setup and GraphQL schema

This structure keeps the code maintainable and testable. Components are small, focused, and composable.

Testament Grouping

One nice UX detail: verses are grouped into New Testament (expanded by default) and Old Testament (collapsed). This makes it easy to scan the most commonly referenced verses while keeping the UI uncluttered.

Each verse shows the book name in a stylized format, making it visually clear where you’re reading from.

Fallback Logic

If no exact match exists for a given time (e.g., 23:59 won’t exist in many books), the app displays the closest previous verse. This ensures you always have scripture to read, no matter what time it is.

PWA Benefits

As a Progressive Web App, minute.bible:

  • Installs as a standalone app on any device
  • Shows smart install prompts with persistence
  • Updates automatically in the background
  • Feels like a native app, not a website

Privacy & Data

Your highlights are synced using your own account credentials. We don’t collect or store your reading data on our servers. The app respects your privacy while giving you the convenience of cross-device sync.

Scripture Text

The Bible text comes from the Berean Bible Project, specifically the Berean Standard Bible (BSB) – a modern, accurate translation based on the best available manuscripts.

We’re grateful to the Berean Bible Project for making God’s Word freely available in digital formats.

Built for the Body of Christ

minute.bible is developed through Productive.me, my consulting company dedicated to creating useful tools that help people. It’s offered as a free resource for the Body of Christ.

As someone who values both technology and faith, I wanted to create something that would help others connect with God’s Word in meaningful ways. My mission is to be fruitful and multiply good habits through thoughtful technology.

Try It

Visit minute.bible and see what verse matches the current time. Install it as an app on your phone for quick access throughout the day.

No signup required. No tracking. Just scripture at your fingertips.

Technical Details: Built with Preact, Vite, GraphQL, and Redis. Following functional clean architecture with domain-driven design. PWA enabled with automatic updates. Developed with Claude Sonnet and OpenCode.

May this tool be a blessing to your spiritual journey.