Bible karaoke: read Scripture word by word as it lights up

Bible karaoke is reading along with Scripture while each word lights up at a steady pace, the way lyrics light up on a karaoke screen. It keeps your place, sets a rhythm, and works whether you read silently or out loud.

Updated September 28, 2026

What is Bible karaoke?

On a karaoke screen, each word of the lyrics lights up as it's sung, so you always know where you are. Bible karaoke does the same with Scripture: the words light up at a steady pace and you read along. There's no music, and no singing required. You can read silently, or out loud on your own or with others.

Why read the Bible karaoke-style?

• You never lose your place. The highlighted word shows exactly where you are, even in long chapters.
• A steady rhythm carries you forward. You keep moving instead of stopping and starting.
• Everyone reads the same word. It makes reading aloud together easier, whether that's family devotions, a small group or reading with kids.
• Your attention has one place to go. The current words stand out, and the rest of the screen stays calm.
• Verses can stick. Many people find that seeing and saying a verse at a steady rhythm helps them remember it.

How fast should Bible karaoke go?

Adults read aloud at about 183 words per minute on average, and silently at about 238. Start near those numbers and adjust: slower for a group or for young readers, faster when you're reading on your own.

A good test is whether you could stop and say what the last verse meant. If you couldn't, slow down.

How to do Bible karaoke in Bible Captions

1. Download Bible Captions, free on iPhone.
2. Open any passage. Every book of the Bible is there.
3. Choose the Karaoke caption style.
4. Set your reading speed and press play.
5. Read along, silently or out loud, and pause whenever you want to stop and think.

Bible Captions also has other caption styles, such as Spotlight and Focus, if you'd like a different look.

Tips for reading aloud together

• Start short. A psalm or a single story is plenty for a first try.
• Go slower than feels natural. Groups read more slowly than one person reading silently.
• Take turns. Let each person lead a verse or a paragraph.
• Pause and talk. Stop after a passage and ask what stood out.
• Put the screen where everyone can see it. A phone works for two or three people; mirror it to a TV for more.

Try it with a verse

Here's a verse that works well read aloud at a steady pace:

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17 (KJV)

Bible karaoke vs karaoke songs and video tools

Searching for "Bible karaoke" also turns up Christian karaoke songs, and SIL's Bible Karaoke, a desktop tool that turns recorded Scripture audio and text into read-along videos. Bible Captions is different: it's a Bible reading app for your phone, and the pace comes from the reading speed you set.

Frequently asked questions

What is Bible karaoke?

Reading Scripture while each word lights up at a steady pace, like lyrics on a karaoke screen. You follow along silently or out loud.

Can I change the speed?

Yes. Set your reading speed in Bible Captions, slower for reading aloud or with kids, faster for silent reading.

Is Bible karaoke good for reading with kids?

It can make reading together easier, because everyone can see which word you're on. Choose a slower speed and pause often to talk about what you've read.

Is Bible Captions free?

Bible Captions is free to download on the App Store.