# Saba Bible MCP (npm · saba-bible-mcp)

Install Saba's open Bible library, search it, and read scripture.

- Trust score: 63/100 (medium)
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-09-26

## Components

- npm · `saba-bible-mcp`: 63/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/jra-zachpennington-saba/saba-bible-mcp.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/jra-zachpennington-saba/saba-bible-mcp)

## Channel facts

- Registry: `npm`
- Package: `saba-bible-mcp`
- Version: `0.1.1`
- Transport: `stdio`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically from public evidence about the published package, including repeated runs of it in an isolated sandbox, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-09-26.

- **Supply Chain Security**: 90/100
  - No malware found by supply-chain analysis.
  - CVE check failed: a known high-severity CVE affects sharp 0.34.5, reached via @huggingface/transformers > sharp. A fixed version is available.
  - No install/post-install scripts declared.
  - 53 of 179 dependencies flagged as unhealthy (1 deprecated).
- **Provenance & Transparency**: 19/100
  - Repository check failed: the declared repository URL returned HTTP 404.
  - Provenance check failed: no build-provenance attestation is published.
  - Clear OSI-approved license (MIT).
  - Actively maintained (last published 2 days ago).
  - Security-disclosure policy not yet verified: we couldn't inspect the source repository.
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 79/100
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (excellent).
  - Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 1112 tokens (~123/item across 9 items; 9 tools + 0 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 0/100
  - Stability not yet verified: not enough scan history yet (needs a 30-day window).
- **Tool Coverage**: 100/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 100% of tool parameters carry a description.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - We read all 9 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.
  - An AI judge read all 10 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a supported MCP spec version (2025-11-25); the latest is 2026-07-28.

**Unverified: 1 category.** A category scored 0 because we could not verify it: a data source with nothing on this package, evidence we could not reach, or a check we could not run. We only credit what we can confirm.

## Install

### How do I install the Saba Bible MCP server?

Saba Bible MCP runs locally as an npm package, launched with npx -y saba-bible-mcp. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add jra-zachpennington-saba -- npx -y saba-bible-mcp
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jra-zachpennington-saba": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "saba-bible-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "jra-zachpennington-saba": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "saba-bible-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add jra-zachpennington-saba -- npx -y saba-bible-mcp
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "jra-zachpennington-saba": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "npx",
        "-y",
        "saba-bible-mcp"
      ],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add jra-zachpennington-saba --command npx --arg -y --arg saba-bible-mcp
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  jra-zachpennington-saba:
    command: "npx"
    args: ["-y", "saba-bible-mcp"]
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "jra-zachpennington-saba": {
      "Transport": "stdio",
      "Command": "npx",
      "Arguments": [
        "-y",
        "saba-bible-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add jra-zachpennington-saba -t stdio -c npx -a -y saba-bible-mcp
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jra-zachpennington-saba": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "saba-bible-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-09-25 (score 63, 0)

- [functional] We updated how we score, so this day's move reflects our rubric, not a change to the server

### 2026-09-21 (score 63)

First indexed and scored.

## MCP tools (9)

### `list_resources` (~79 tokens)

Show what's available (Bibles, notes, dictionaries, grammars, books, stories, reading plans, and search) and whether each is already downloaded. Use this to pick an id. You can read Bibles and verse notes; dictionaries, grammars, books, and stories are listed only. To see if search is ready, call check_index.

### `install` (~101 tokens)

Download free Bibles, notes, and the ULT search index onto this computer. Call this before the first read or search. Leave ids off, or pass ["all"], to get everything that is free. Does not download ESV, NIV, or other copyrighted Bibles -- those need download_ipns and an address from the user.

Input parameters:

- `ids` (array): Ids from list_resources. Leave off or pass ["all"] for everything free, including search

### `download_ipns` (~74 tokens)

Download a copyrighted Bible (ESV, NIV, and the like) from the address the user gave. Ask for that address if they didn't give one -- don't invent it.

Input parameters:

- `path` (string, required): The address the user provided, such as ipns/…/file.zip or a content.saba.bible path

### `check_index` (~48 tokens)

Check whether topic search is downloaded and usable. Use this when someone asks if search is set up. Not downloaded is a normal answer, not an error -- then install ["search-en-ult"].

### `search_vector` (~120 tokens)

Find verses about a topic or idea in the Literal Text (ULT). BM25 keyword + Granite vectors, fused with RRF. Use this for "verses about hope" or "spirit hover". For an exact substring, search_lexical. If search is not downloaded this errors; then install ["search-en-ult"] or use search_lexical.

Input parameters:

- `limit` (integer): How many verses to return, 1-50. Default 20
- `query` (string, required): Topic or question, like God comforting those who mourn

### `search_lexical` (~122 tokens)

Find verses that contain these exact words. Use this for a quote or a specific phrase, like "Jesus wept". Defaults to ULT if it is downloaded, otherwise the first downloaded Bible. Works even when topic search is not set up.

Input parameters:

- `limit` (integer): How many verses to return, 1-50. Default 20
- `query` (string, required): Exact words to find, like Jesus wept
- `resource` (string): Which Bible, like en_ult. Leave off to use ULT or the first downloaded Bible

### `read` (~147 tokens)

Read Bible verses as plain text. Each line starts with the reference (JHN 11:35 Jesus wept). Say which Bible. Don't use this for commentary -- that is read_commentary. If a reading plan gave only a chapter, start at verse 1.

Input parameters:

- `book` (string, required): Bible book, like John or JHN
- `chapter` (integer, required): Starting chapter
- `end` (object): Last verse to include, same book. Leave off to read just the starting verse
- `resource` (string, required): Which Bible, like en_ult. Not a commentary id
- `verse` (integer, required): Starting verse. Use 1 if you only know the chapter

### `read_commentary` (~163 tokens)

Read notes on a verse -- Translation Notes, Matthew Henry, Calvin, and similar. Use this for "what does Matthew Henry say" or "notes on John 3:16". Returns matching notes, or none if there are not any. For the Bible text itself, use read.

Input parameters:

- `book` (string, required): Bible book, like John or JHN
- `chapter` (integer, required): Starting chapter
- `end` (object): Last verse to include, same book. Leave off to read just the starting verse
- `resource` (string, required): Which notes, like en_tn (Translation Notes) or en_mhc (Matthew Henry). Not a Bible id
- `verse` (integer, required): Starting verse. Use 1 if you only know the chapter

### `reading_plan` (~117 tokens)

Today's reading from a plan like M'Cheyne: which passages, not the Bible text. Then call read on a Bible for each passage. If a passage is a whole chapter, read from verse 1.

Input parameters:

- `day` (integer): Plan day number. Leave off for today
- `resource` (string, required): Which plan, like plan/mcheyne
- `startDate` (string): The day they started, YYYY-MM-DD. Leave off to reuse the saved date, or January 1 of this year if none is saved

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: Provenance, Vulnerabilities, Dependencies. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/jra-zachpennington-saba/saba-bible-mcp#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-09-26: 63
- 2026-09-25: 63
- 2026-09-24: 63
- 2026-09-23: 63
- 2026-09-22: 63
- 2026-09-21: 63

## Common questions

### What is the Saba Bible MCP server?

Saba Bible MCP is listed in the public MCP registry as io.github.JRA-zachpennington/saba. Install Saba's open Bible library, search it, and read scripture. This page covers its npm package (saba-bible-mcp).

### Is the Saba Bible MCP server safe to use?

Saba Bible MCP scores 63 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. We recorded 2 known advisories against it as of 26 September 2026. It declares no install or post-install scripts. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the Saba Bible MCP server expose?

Saba Bible MCP exposes 9 tools: list_resources, install, download_ipns, check_index, search_vector, and 4 more. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 971 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Is the Saba Bible MCP server still maintained?

Saba Bible MCP is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 26 September 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

### What licence is the Saba Bible MCP server under?

Saba Bible MCP declares the MIT licence, which is OSI-approved. That covers the source only, and says nothing about the cost of any service it calls.

## Links

- npm package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/saba-bible-mcp
- Socket report: https://socket.dev/npm/package/saba-bible-mcp
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/jra-zachpennington-saba/saba-bible-mcp.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/jra-zachpennington-saba/saba-bible-mcp.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/jra-zachpennington-saba/saba-bible-mcp