Perform a Basic Bible Text Search

The steps below walk you through performing a basic search for specific text in a specific version. Once you are familiar with the basic procedure for performing a search, you can learn to perform more comprehensive searches—one of the most powerful aspects of working with Accordance Bible Software.

Hint At any point in the procedure below, instead of typing a full search argument in the Search Entry box, you can select commands, book names, and words using the Quick Entry drop-down menu. Quick Entry can be configured via the Appearances area of the Preferences dialog box.

1. Open a Search tab The core tab used to search Bible texts, it consists of a search entry area and a search results area, if not already open (File > New Tab and select a Text or Tool).
2. If desired, change the desired search text (usually a Bible version) using the Text pop-up menu in the Search Entry area.
   




3. Shortcut keys can be used to quickly select another search text.
4. The default text that appears when you launch Accordance can be set in the Preferences dialog box, Search Tab area.
5. Click Help>About the Text to display the full name and copyright information for the selected search text.
3. In the Search Entry box, choose the type of text you want to find, Words, Verses, or Flex.
4. Words: Click Words to enter words, phrases, commands, and symbols. You can also select the desired word, phrase, command, or symbol from the Search menu or shortcut menu Also known as a contextual menu, acessed by right-clicking (or pressing Ctrl+Click, Mac only) over a screen element.
5. Flex: Click Flex to enter words, phrases, commands, and symbols. Note: A Flex search finds all verses containing English grammatical forms, plurals, and singulars of all words rather than exact phrases.
6. Verses: Click Verses to enter any commonly accepted book abbreviations, or enough letters to uniquely identify the book. Chapter and verse references use the standard notation shown in the Symbols submenu of the Search menu.

Hint When the Search tab is first opened it displays all of the first text available to Accordance. The search is set to Verses and the Search Entry box is empty. To return the Search tab to that setup, click Verses, clear the Search Entry box and Press Enter.

1. If the search criteria do not match the current setting, for example, Verses, Accordance automatically searches for the Words entered. A message appears if your search criteria could not be found.
2. The search automatically switches from Verses to Words if you enter a search command or grammatical tag.
4. Enter search criteria in the Search Entry box, as follows:
1. Click in the Search Entry box. A blinking insertion point appears.
2. Press Tab or triple-click in the box to select everything in it. You can now enter new criteria, replacing the previous content.
3. In the Search Entry box, type in one or more references—or the arguments for your search. The text in the Search Entry box is black.
   
   You can either type in the entry or use menus and dialog boxes.
5. To start the search, press Return. The search hits are displayed in the Search Results area of the Search tab.
6. If desired, re-use an argument for a new search using the Search History pop-up menu.
1. In the Search Entry box, click the Search History pop-up menu ().
   




2. Select an argument from the Search Options pop-up menu to restore the argument and Words/Verses setting, and repeat the search without having to re-enter it.
3. Select Clear History to remove the stored items from the History of search arguments.