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Frequently asked questions

New here? Start with the story behind PassageLab.

What should I expect from a study — and what shouldn't I?
Expect a strong, well-organized starting point: the research you'd normally gather across many tools, assembled and cross-referenced for your passage in minutes. Expect it to accelerate and enrich your preparation, surface angles you might have missed, and hand you preach-ready structure and illustrations. Don't expect it to replace your own study, prayer, and discernment — it is a research aid, not a substitute for the teacher. Study content is generated by AI (Claude, by Anthropic); before you publish or cite anything, verify quotations, dates, and especially citations against primary sources. The Sources page is built for exactly this: it cross-checks recommended works against real library catalogs so you can cite with confidence.
Is it really free to start?
Yes. The Overview of any passage is free with no account required, and each account's first Deep Dive is free. You can also explore two full sample studies to see exactly what a finished study looks like before paying anything.
How does billing work?
There's no subscription. You add a card once, and you're charged at the moment you unlock a study — $5 for a Quick Study, $10 for a Deep Dive, $20 for an Academic Study. Expanding a study to a higher tier only ever costs the difference. You can set a monthly spending limit in your account, and every charge shows a receipt code you can quote to us any time.
Is there a subscription or a membership fee?
No — PassageLab is not a subscription service, and we have no plans to make it one at this time. There are no monthly or annual fees, no membership, and nothing auto-renews. You add a payment card once, and you're only ever charged when you choose to unlock a study. If you never unlock another study, you're never charged again — it's simply pay-as-you-go, and it stays that way unless we ever note otherwise right here.
Can I save my studies?
Yes — every study you generate is saved to your account automatically and syncs across your devices. Nothing is removed unless you delete it, and a study keeps its progress even if you navigate away while it's generating.
What if a study isn't right, or I want a refund?
We honor refunds — a study that failed or fell short shouldn't cost you anything. Every paid study in your account has a “Request refund” link that opens a pre-filled email; include the passage, your receipt code, and a screenshot, and we'll make it right. You can also reach us any time at info@passagelab.app.
Which Bible translations do you use?
Scripture text is drawn from public-domain translations — the King James Version (primary), plus the World English Bible, American Standard Version, and Young's Literal Translation. Original-language study draws on the Greek and Hebrew directly.
Is my payment information safe?
Yes. Payments are handled by Stripe, an industry-standard processor. Your full card number is never stored on our servers or visible to us.
How accurate is the content?
PassageLab is built to be trustworthy and honest about its limits. Model choice is matched to the task, bibliographies are verified against real catalogs before they're shown, and the app tells you plainly when something is an AI suggestion to confirm. Treat every study as a well-researched draft to weigh with your own judgment — not as a final authority.

What each role gets

The role you choose tailors which tabs your study includes — a children's-ministry study and a seminarian's study of the same passage are built differently. You can select up to two roles to combine their tabs. Here is exactly what each role receives:

Pastor
Sermon preparation and preaching.
Quick Study ($5): Overview · Scripture · Historical Context · Author · Illustrations · Sermon Outline · Leadership · Book List · Sources
Deep Dive (+$5): Original Language · Hermeneutics · Christ Connection · Apologetics · Interpretive Conflicts · Commentary · Church Fathers · Archaeology
Academic (+$10): exegesis · structure · digest · question · apparatus · parallels · reception · excursus · bibliography · research
Theologian
Systematic and biblical theology.
Quick Study ($5): Overview · Scripture · Historical Context · Author · Book List · Sources
Deep Dive (+$5): Original Language · Hermeneutics · Theology · Cross-References · Christ Connection · Apologetics · Interpretive Conflicts · Commentary · Church Fathers · Archaeology
Academic (+$10): exegesis · structure · digest · question · apparatus · parallels · reception · excursus · bibliography · research
Teacher
Bible study and adult education.
Quick Study ($5): Overview · Scripture · Historical Context · Author · Illustrations · Sermon Outline · Leadership · Small Group · Book List · Sources
Deep Dive (+$5): Hermeneutics · Christ Connection · Interpretive Conflicts · Commentary
Academic (+$10): exegesis · structure · digest · question · apparatus · parallels · reception · excursus · bibliography · research
Small Group Leader
Discussion and community.
Quick Study ($5): Overview · Scripture · Historical Context · Author · Illustrations · Small Group · Book List · Sources
Deep Dive (+$5): everything in Quick, generated at greater depth
Academic (+$10): exegesis · structure · digest · question · apparatus · parallels · reception · excursus · bibliography · research
Youth Leader
Youth ministry.
Quick Study ($5): Overview · Scripture · Historical Context · Author · Illustrations · Youth · Book List · Sources
Deep Dive (+$5): everything in Quick, generated at greater depth
Academic (+$10): exegesis · structure · digest · question · apparatus · parallels · reception · excursus · bibliography · research
Children's Ministry
Teaching children faithfully.
Quick Study ($5): Overview · Scripture · Author · Illustrations · Children · Book List · Sources
Deep Dive (+$5): everything in Quick, generated at greater depth
Academic (+$10): exegesis · structure · digest · question · apparatus · parallels · reception · excursus · bibliography · research
Student
Seminary and academic work.
Quick Study ($5): Overview · Scripture · Historical Context · Author · Leadership · Essay Outline · Book List · Sources
Deep Dive (+$5): Original Language · Hermeneutics · Theology · Cross-References · Apologetics · Interpretive Conflicts · Commentary · Church Fathers · Archaeology
Academic (+$10): exegesis · structure · digest · question · apparatus · parallels · reception · excursus · bibliography · research
What does each tab contain?
Overview. Main idea, summary, setting, key themes, and teaching opportunities. Always free.
Scripture. The passage text with the key verse and verse-by-verse notes.
Historical Context. The political, religious, economic, and social world the first readers assumed.
Author. Who wrote the book, the evidence for it, and any genuine scholarly debate over authorship.
Original Language. Key Greek and Hebrew words, what they mean, and what they unlock in the text.
Hermeneutics. How to interpret this genre correctly — the rules to follow and the mistakes to avoid.
Theology. What the passage reveals about God, Christ, the Spirit, humanity, and salvation.
Cross-References. Connected passages across Scripture that illuminate this one.
Christ Connection. How the passage points to Christ and fits within redemptive history.
Apologetics. The hard questions and objections this text raises, with reasoned responses.
Interpretive Conflicts. Where faithful interpreters differ, with the strongest case for each view.
Illustrations. Sermon-ready stories, analogies, and images to bring the passage home.
Sermon Outline. A preachable structure with points, movements, and transitions.
Leadership. Leadership principles and applications drawn from the text.
Small Group. Discussion questions and a guide for leading a group through the passage.
Youth. Age-appropriate framing, questions, and application for teenagers.
Children. A simple, faithful way to teach the passage to children.
Essay Outline. An academic essay structure — thesis, argument, and support — for the passage.
Commentary. A deeper, verse-by-verse exposition of the passage.
Archaeology. Relevant archaeological discoveries and material culture behind the text.
Church Fathers. How the early church read this passage, with quotations.
Book List. Recommended scholarly and pastoral books on the passage.
Sources. A verifiable bibliography with citation styles, cross-checked against real catalogs.
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