In one of the more dramatic scenes featured on the tv show “The Chosen,” Jesus’ disciples are terrified when their boat encounters a storm that threatens to pitch them into the Sea of Galilee — all while Jesus sleeps nearby.
With YouVersion Platform, a new tech tool from Edmond-based YouVersion ministry, fans of the hit show about the life of Jesus may soon be connected to corresponding Bible passages as the historical drama’s scenes unfold on The Chosen mobile app.
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'” according to Mark 4:35-41, which corresponds to the intense scene featured during Season 3 of “The Chosen.”
Through YouVersion Platform, the technology and licensing that powers YouVersion’s popular Bible app is being given away to Bible organizations, developers and ministries, allowing YouVersion to enter a new phase in its goal to reach everyone on Earth.
“We don’t see the Bible App as ours, but something we feel called to steward on behalf of the global Church,” Bobby Gruenewald, YouVersion founder and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
“Part of stewarding it well is asking how we can make the Bible available to as many people as possible.”
Gruenewald, pastor and innovation leader at Edmond-based Life.Church, initially developed YouVersion as a website, shortly before famously creating the YouVersion Bible App. Life.Church marked the milestone of 1 billion installs of the Bible app in November 2025 with an event held at the Paycom Center in downtown Oklahoma City.
YouVersion leaders said two obstacles have historically made it difficult for many ministries to incorporate scripture into their digital experiences: the resources required to build reliable Bible technology and the complexity of securing Bible licensing agreements. They said YouVersion Platform removes both barriers, saving ministries many years and costly development and licensing negotiations.
YouVersion Platform allows scripture-based apps and websites to display the Bible in multiple versions and languages, using the technology that powers the Bible App. It gives free access to an embedded Bible reader featuring 1,487 Bibles from 36 publishers in 1,283 languages. It also provides high-level engagement analytics and the ability to sign in with YouVersion, so users can sync highlights and preferences across apps, with more features in development.
“When a ministry doesn’t have to spend years building what we’ve already built, it frees up resources to focus on doing what only they can do,” Gruenewald said. “That’s good for the global Church because it means more people are encountering God’s Word.”
‘The Chosen’ meets YouVersion Bible App
Along with Come and See, the ministry behind the tv show “The Chosen,” other organizations that are among the first to use YouVersion Platform are Biblica and Bible Project. YouVersion Platform was launched in public beta in December 2025 and is currently open for sign-ups. A public beta is a pre-release version of software made available to a broad audience for testing and feedback before official, stable release.
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“This tool is a game-changer for scripture licensing and innovation, making it easier than ever to integrate the Bible into apps,” leaders with Biblica, a global Bible ministry, said in a testimonial featured on the YouVersion Platform website.
Leaders with Come and See said they surveyed their community about the idea of incorporating scripture into the viewing experience and the response was overwhelmingly positive. With the help of YouVersion Platform, The Chosen plans to connect viewers to the source material in God’s Word as they encounter it on app screen.
“It’s a collaboration that is bringing the YouVersion Bible App and ‘The Chosen’ together through emerging technology,” James Barnett, chief executive officer of Come and See, said in a statement.
He said the latest addition to the YouVersion roster of technology tools brings a long-awaited requested feature in The Chosen app to fruition, allowing Come and See to serve fans in a unique way.
“Now, through the YouVersion Platform, users can actually see the scripture that inspired their favorite scenes in The Chosen,” Barnett said. “This powerful collaboration is bringing scripture to life in a way that has never been done before,” he said.
To learn more
For more information about YouVersion Platform, go to https://youversion.com/platform.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Edmond-based YouVersion is giving away the tech that powers Bible app
