Paul's Handkerchief is a Bible study platform with a difference. Going Word-by-Word through Scripture, we are reclaiming the Ancient Near East context and mystery of our modern Bibles. It combines a multi-translation Bible reader, a new lexicon, scholarly commentaries, book/chapter/verse overviews, Q&A, interactive study tools, and AI pastoral support — all built around the conviction that the Bible deserves your best attention, and that God rewards those who seek Him in it.

The name comes from Acts 19:11–12, where even Paul's handkerchief carried healing power. It's a reminder of the beautiful mystery of God — that He works in ways far beyond what we can comprehend.

Who is this website for?

Paul's Handkerchief is for anyone who wants to fall in love with the Word and grow in their faith through consistent, daily engagement with Scripture. Whether you are a lifelong student of the Bible or someone who has never read it cover to cover, everything here is designed to meet you where you are.

Is it free?

Yes. The Bible reader, commentaries, lexicon, Q&A, overviews, and 3% Club are all free. Some premium features — including deeper RabbAI conversations and custom quiz topics — require a Patron membership.

Do I need to create an account?

You can read the Bible and explore content without an account. To track your progress in the 3% Club, save journal entries, bookmark content, use the Cafe interactive experiences, and access RabbAI, you will need to create a free account.

How do I get started?

Simply create an account and begin reading from one of the six tracks. Choose your starting point and read at your own pace. The app will track your progress and help keep you accountable to the rhythm of daily Scripture engagement. When you first create an account, a short onboarding wizard will walk you through your preferences — your preferred Bible version, which track to start with, and your reading goals — so your experience is tailored to you from day one.

Which Bible translations are available?

Currently the KJV and ASV are available. The F.O.G Bible translations — The F.O.G Study Bible (ultra-literal, preserving Hebrew idioms and Ancient Near East context), F.O.G Message (paragraph-by-paragraph narrative flow), and F.O.G Jr. (simplified for fresh eyes) — are works in progress, with chapters being released as they are completed. The F.O.G translations are our own proprietary renderings designed to surface the depth and beauty of the original languages.

Why multiple translations?

No single English translation fully captures the depth of the original Hebrew and Greek. Reading two or three translations side by side — which our Split View makes easy — surfaces nuances that any single version inevitably obscures.

What does F.O.G stand for?

F.O.G stands for Fresh Oil & Glory — a reflection of our conviction that Scripture is not a static document but a living Word that meets us anew each time we open it.

What is the 3% Club?

It's a Bible reading challenge. Only about 3% of Christians have read the entire Bible — all 1,189 chapters. The 3% Club helps you become one of them, chapter by chapter, at your own pace. It is the heart of the Paul's Handkerchief experience.

How does the challenge work?

The core of it all is simply having a coffee with Jesus whilst making your way through the cover-to-cover Bible Reading Challenge. As you take part and mark chapters as complete, you earn experience points (XP), advance through ranks, and ultimately earn your certificate of completion. Along the way, you can journal your reflections, challenge friends to quizzes and crosswords, and share and be encouraged by the community.

What are the six reading tracks?

The challenge offers six simultaneous reading tracks that let you move through Scripture in different ways — a beginning-to-end canonical track, a chronological track, a Gospel-focused track, and others. You can read from all six at once, whichever track suits your appetite on any given day. Each chapter you complete counts toward your total of 1,189.

I prefer reading a physical Bible. Can I still take part?

Absolutely! The heart of the challenge is the rhythm of the Word, not the screen. Many of our members read from their physical Bibles and simply use the app to mark chapters as complete at the end of their reading session to track their progress and earn their certificates.

What are ranks and how do I advance?

Ranks are earned through consistent reading and engagement. As you accumulate experience points by completing chapters and activities, you advance through ranks like Talmid, Zaken, and more. Each rank unlocks special badges and recognition in the community.

How does the streak work? Does it reset if I miss a day?

Your streak is a gentle daily motivator. Each day you read and mark at least one chapter, your streak grows. If you miss a day, it resets to zero. But your total chapters read are never lost. The streak is about consistent habit; the total is about your journey. A Streak Guardian feature helps you maintain your momentum.

Do I get a certificate for completing the challenge?

Yes! Once you have read every one of the 1,189 chapters of the Bible at least once across all six tracks, you earn your official Certificate of Completion. This certificate tracks how many times you've completed the full journey — you can complete it multiple times.

What is the Registry?

The Registry is a simple act of faith: a place to declare publicly that you are committing to the journey of reading the entire Bible. Signing the Registry adds your name to a community record of those who have taken this step. It is not a requirement — just a meaningful milestone for those who want to mark the beginning of their commitment.

What are bookmarks and how do I use them?

You can bookmark any chapter, verse, overview, or letter on the site. Bookmarks can be tagged with custom emoji labels, making it easy to organise and retrieve the content that matters most to you — whether it's a favourite passage, a verse you are memorising, or something you want to revisit later.

What are the Cafe experiences?

The Cafe is a collection of five interactive tools designed to make your daily "Coffee with Jesus" time richer and more varied. Each one approaches Scripture from a different angle — meditation, memorisation, word study, quiz, and crossword — so you can engage with the Word in whatever way fits your mood and your moment.

What is Guided Meditation?

Guided Meditation walks you through a passage of Scripture slowly, prompting you to pause, reflect, and pray over what you have read. It is designed to help you slow down — especially on days when your mind is racing — and let the text sink in rather than just speed through it.

What is Scripture Memory?

Scripture Memory uses spaced repetition to help you hide God's Word in your heart. Verses are presented in a flashcard format, and the system surfaces them for review at optimal intervals so the words stick. It works for both short verses and longer passages.

What is Strong's Recall?

Strong's Recall is a flashcard-based tool for learning the Hebrew and Greek words behind the English text. Each card shows a Strong's number, its transliteration, and its meaning — helping you build familiarity with the original languages one word at a time. It pairs naturally with the F.O.G Lexicon.

What are the Bible Quiz and Bible Crossword?

The Bible Quiz offers over 1,200 themed quizzes across all 66 books of the Bible, with adjustable difficulty. The Bible Crossword generates crossword puzzles from Scripture — a fun, low-pressure way to reinforce your knowledge of people, places, and events in the Word. Both can be played solo or used to challenge friends.

What resources are available overall?

A veritable treasure trove awaits you. Rediscover every book, chapter, and verse of the Bible with passionate prose overviews at three levels of depth. Challenge friends from a selection of over 1,200 Bible Quizzes and Crosswords. Enjoy regularly added explainer videos. This expanding collection of Biblical scholarship is anchored by the F.O.G Lexicon, Commentaries, and the F.O.G Bibles — together revealing both the deeper meaning of Scripture and some of its forgotten treasures.

What is the F.O.G Lexicon?

It is an expanded, updated lexicon of all 14,197 unique words in the Bible — building on Strong's Concordance with fresh clarity and Messianic Jewish insights. When you click a highlighted word in the Bible reader (where Strong's data is available), a drawer opens with the lexicon entry for that word, including its lemma, transliteration, part of speech, KJV definition, usage count, first mention, and full concordance.

What are Book, Chapter, and Verse Overviews?

Every book of the Bible has a full Book Overview covering its structure, themes, messianic insights, sacred architecture, key characters, and geography with maps. Each chapter has a Chapter Overview with a focused summary and cross-references. Many significant verses have a dedicated Verse Overview with deeper commentary. Think of them as three levels of zoom — from the wide-angle view down to the microscope — and you can access them from any Bible passage you are reading.

What is the Discovery Hub?

The Discovery Hub is a multimedia learning space where video explainers, infographics, and other resources are gathered to help you explore the Bible from fresh angles. New content is added regularly.

What is Universal Search?

The search bar at the top of the site lets you search across Bible text, the F.O.G Lexicon, Letters from JPJ, book and chapter overviews, Bible questions, and CMS pages — all from one place. It is the fastest way to find anything on the platform.

How often are new commentaries added?

We are working through all 66 books of the Bible systematically. New commentary is being added regularly. If there is a specific book or chapter you are eager to see, reach out — frequently requested content is prioritised.

Can I contribute?

Yes! The F.O.G Bible Project is open-source in spirit. If you are a Bible scholar, linguist, or lifelong student of the Word, get in touch. We would love to hear from you.

What are Letters from JPJ?

Letters from JPJ are essays written by our founder, Jean Paul Joseph, on topics ranging from biblical theology and Ancient Near East context to personal reflections on faith, Scripture, and the Christian life. They are published regularly and cover both deep dives into specific passages and broader thematic explorations. You can browse, search, and filter them from the Letters page.

Can I sponsor a Letter?

Yes. Each Letter can be sponsored by a Patron member as a way to support the ministry and help make this content freely available to everyone. Sponsors are listed on the Letter itself.

What is RabbAI?

RabbAI is an AI study companion built into the platform to help you explore Scripture more deeply during your personal reading time. It can answer questions about the text, provide historical and cultural context, and guide you toward a richer understanding of the passage you are reading.

Is RabbAI a replacement for my pastor?

Absolutely not. RabbAI is a study companion — a tool for exploring Scripture more deeply in your personal reading time. It is not a substitute for human community, spiritual accountability, or pastoral care from a real person who knows you.

Can anyone use RabbAI?

RabbAI is currently available for Patron members as a patron-exclusive feature. It is a goal to eventually be able to make this freely available to all members through the generosity of patrons.

How can I use my journal reflections?

Your journal is a sacred space to record insights, prayers, and reflections from your Scripture reading. You can add images, media, and format your thoughts to make them uniquely yours. Share entries with the community to encourage others, or keep them private for personal meditation — you control the privacy settings on each entry.

Can I share my progress with others?

Absolutely. Share your journal reflections with the community. You can control privacy settings on each entry — make them public to inspire others or keep them private for personal notes. Use the share button on any entry to send it to friends or social media.

Can I follow other readers?

Yes. You can follow other members of the community and see their public journal entries in your feed. It is a way to stay encouraged by the journeys of others — and to encourage them in return. You can also control who follows you.

Can I like or comment on journal entries?

Absolutely. Community journal entries support likes and comments, creating space for genuine encouragement and conversation around what others are discovering in the Word. It is one of the ways the 3% Club becomes a shared journey rather than a solo one.

How can I support Paul's Handkerchief?

You can support the ministry through one-time donations or by becoming a Patron member. Patron membership unlocks premium features including deeper RabbAI conversations, custom quiz topics, and the ability to sponsor Letters from JPJ. Your support helps keep the platform free for everyone and accelerates the development of the F.O.G Bible translations and new content.