True Vineyard is a comprehensive biblical study tool built by John Bigelow, director of True Vine Ministry. It is not just an app — it is a research platform that works on desktop and mobile. You can use it directly within this website or open it in its own window for a full-screen experience.
The platform is organized into interconnected modules: an interactive map, a people groups database, a biblical figures library, scripture lookup, a family tree, a textual variants browser with witness scoreboard, a multi-tradition calendar, and a chronology lab. Each module is designed to be used independently or together. John continues to add new features and content — so check back often.
New here? Start with the Interactive Map. It is the most visual and intuitive entry point. You do not need any prior knowledge to explore it meaningfully.
The map is the heart of True Vineyard. It plots biblical locations across the ancient Near East — from Eden to Susa — with rich contextual data tied to scripture, history, and the relevant manuscript tradition. You can explore freely or follow guided biblical moments.
Biblical LocationsBiblical MomentsTerrain ViewSatellite ViewParchment ModeMidnight Mode3D ViewMeasure / Itinerary ToolLayer TogglesBook Filter
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Open the app and the map loads as the default view. You will see location pins across the ancient Near East.
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Click any pin to open the location panel — it shows the biblical name, modern equivalent, key scripture references, and manuscript notes.
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Switch view modes using the toolbar — try Parchment for an ancient-map aesthetic, or Satellite for modern geographic context. Midnight mode is ideal for extended reading.
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Select a Biblical Moment (e.g. "Exodus Route" or "Paul's Missionary Journey") to filter the map to only the locations relevant to that narrative moment.
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Use the Itinerary tool to measure distances between locations — useful for understanding travel times in the ancient world.
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Toggle layers to show or hide different data sets — territory borders, trade routes, topography, and more.
Tip: On mobile, pinch to zoom and tap pins to open them. The 3D view works best on desktop with a mouse.
Biblical figures from Adam to the return era — with LXX Greek and Hebrew name forms, biographical summaries, key events, trivia, and — uniquely — a "Common Misconceptions" section that addresses misreadings present in MT-based traditions. Figures are sortable by order of appearance, alphabetically, or by popularity. Each profile includes an "Appears In" list of every chapter where that person is mentioned, with direct links into Scripture Lookup.
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Select "Biblical Figures" from the navigation.
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Browse or search by name. Results show the LXX Greek form of the name — which may surprise you (e.g. "Joshua" in the LXX is "Iesous" — the same as "Jesus").
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Open a figure's profile to read their biography, key scripture references, and how they appear in the LXX vs. MT textual traditions.
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Read the Misconceptions section — this is one of the most valuable features for researchers who want to understand where popular teaching has departed from the oldest textual evidence.
Did you know? The name "Jesus" (Greek: Iesous) is the same word the LXX uses for "Joshua." This connection is referenced in Hebrews 4:8 and Acts 7:45 — the NT authors used it deliberately.
Scripture Lookup lets you browse the Bible book by book and chapter by chapter — with every location, figure, and people group cross-linked directly from the text. Coverage currently runs from Genesis through Proverbs, and John continues to expand it. Each chapter shows its connections to the map, the figures library, and the people groups module, with text-critical notes and LXX/SP variants flagged throughout.
Genesis – ProverbsCross-linked LocationsCross-linked FiguresTextual Variant NotesLXX / SP / MT ContextChapter Tensions
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Select "Scripture Lookup" from the navigation.
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Choose a book from the list — coverage runs Genesis through Proverbs, with each book summarized and its witnesses noted.
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Select a chapter to see the full cross-linked entry — locations, figures, and people groups mentioned all link directly to their profiles.
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Look for Chapter Tensions — these are sections where the LXX, SP, or DSS diverge from the MT in theologically significant ways, with honest scoring of the evidence.
Tip: The command palette (Cmd/Ctrl+K or /) is a global search — chapters appear alongside locations, figures, variants, and people groups so you can jump anywhere from one box.
The Family Tree lays out the lineages of the biblical narrative on one pannable canvas — from Adam through the patriarchs to the houses of David and Saul and the royal line through the exile. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and collapse or expand any dynasty line. Cards with a colored marker open the full figure profile in Figures. Textual divergences in the genealogies (such as the second Cainan of the Greek genealogy) are flagged where they occur, and alternative spellings from the Septuagint and Samaritan Pentateuch appear beneath each name.
From Adam to ZerubbabelPannable CanvasExpand / Collapse LinesProfile LinksLXX Alternative NamesJubilees & Enoch TraditionsSearch & Quick Jump
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Select "Family Tree" from the navigation. The canvas opens centered on Adam with the first four generations visible.
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Drag to pan across the canvas. Use the – and + buttons beneath any person to collapse or expand that line of descent.
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Use the search box or the quick-jump chips (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, etc.) to fly the canvas directly to a person and highlight them.
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Click a PROFILE link on any card to open that figure’s full entry in the Figures module — biography, name forms, key events, and misconceptions.
Tip: Cards show alternative name spellings from the Septuagint and Samaritan Pentateuch beneath the familiar English name — helping you connect the tree to the manuscript traditions.
The Variant Browser catalogs every significant divergence between the Septuagint, Samaritan Pentateuch, Dead Sea Scrolls, and Masoretic Text — all in one searchable, filterable place. Each entry explains what the difference is, why it matters, and what the evidence says. The Witness Scoreboard at the top gives a running tally of which witness each variant favors, honestly scored across four categories: older witnesses, MT preferred, genuinely divided, and interpretive.
Septuagint (LXX)Samaritan Pentateuch (SP)Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS)Masoretic Text (MT)Filter by BookFilter by WitnessFilter by VerdictWitness Scoreboard
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Select "Variants" from the navigation to open the Variant Browser.
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Read the Witness Scoreboard at the top — it gives you an immediate sense of how the evidence is distributed across the four traditions.
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Filter by book, witness, or verdict to narrow the list to specific areas of interest — for example, all variants from Genesis favoring older witnesses.
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Click any variant’s chapter reference to jump directly to that chapter in Scripture Lookup.
Keyboard shortcut: Press V anywhere in the app to open the Variant Browser instantly.
The Calendar module is unlike anything else available online. It presents ten calendar traditions used in the biblical world side by side — each with its strengths, its watch points (areas of uncertainty or debate), and its significance for biblical chronology. Understanding which calendar is being used in a given passage often unlocks the meaning of otherwise puzzling texts.
Torah AvivRabbinicKaraiteSadduceeSamaritanEnoch / JubileesQumranEthiopian OrthodoxIslamic HijriChristian Paschal
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Select "Calendar" from the navigation.
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Select a tradition to read its overview — when it originated, how it calculates months and years, and which communities used it.
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Read the Strengths and Watch Points for each tradition — this is an honest, unbiased presentation designed to help you evaluate the evidence yourself.
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Compare traditions side by side for specific festivals or dates — invaluable when studying the timing of Passover, Pentecost, or the Day of Atonement across different communities.
The Chronology Lab is the most advanced module in True Vineyard — designed for researchers who want to work directly with the numerical data of the three major textual traditions (LXX, SP, MT) and see how each affects the biblical timeline. This is where the chronological arguments of "Beyond the Consensus" come to life.
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Select "Chronology" from the navigation.
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Select the Genesis genealogy to see the patriarchal ages (birth of first son + remaining years) in LXX, SP, and MT side by side. The differences are striking — and deliberate.
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Use the timeline simulation to see how each textual tradition places the date of creation, the flood, and the birth of Abraham on a timeline. The LXX/SP timeline is roughly 1,300 years older than the MT.
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Read the annotations explaining why specific numbers were altered in the MT tradition and what messianic timeline calculations each set of numbers produces.
Advanced tip: This module pairs directly with the "Beyond the Consensus" article — specifically the section on Patriarchal Ages and the Seder Olam Rabbah. Read them together for the full picture.
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Desktop gives you the most. The map's 3D view, the side-by-side comparison panels, and the chronology lab all work best on a larger screen. Use a desktop or laptop for research sessions.
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Mobile works great for map browsing. The map, figures, and people groups modules are fully mobile-optimized. Calendar and Chronology are more comfortable on a larger screen.
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You can link directly to any location, figure, or group. If you find something you want to share, copy the URL in your browser — it will link directly to that specific entry.
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Scripture references are clickable. Throughout the app, scripture references link to the relevant text. The app uses LXX-primary sourcing — so the verse numbers and wording may differ slightly from your MT-based Bible.
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Have questions or want to share a finding? Email us at
connect@truevine.life. A community discussion area is being planned for future release.