Verse of the Day Widget for WP

by Allen Floyd

Description

Verse of the Day Widget for WP puts a daily Bible verse on your WordPress site in under a minute. Each day a King James Version (KJV) verse is presented over an AI-generated static or animated background, giving visitors a fresh piece of scripture every time they arrive.

Every site running the plugin shows the same verse on the same date, so your readers share a true verse of the day with the rest of the network rather than seeing a random line of scripture. The daily selection is driven by your site’s own timezone setting, so the verse of the day rolls over at your local midnight.

The verses themselves are bundled inside the plugin, so nothing is fetched from an outside verse service. No account, no API key, no signup, no paid tier, and nothing about your visitors is collected or transmitted. That makes it a straightforward fit for church websites, ministry sites, devotional blogs, Christian schools, and any site that needs a daily scripture block without a privacy review attached.

Where most daily verse tools are English-only, this one translates the King James Version (KJV) text into over 100 languages. Unlike general-purpose translation services that may prioritize contemporary readability, the translation prompt is designed to preserve the formal tone, phrasing, and emphasis of the KJV. The goal is to give Spanish, French, Tagalog, Korean, and other readers a translation that retains more of the original English text’s traditional register.

Check out the live demos to see both layouts in action: Sidebar Demo | Header Demo

Three Ways To Place The Verse Of The Day

Gutenberg blocks (block editor / site editor): Two native blocks, Verse of the Day Header and Verse of the Day Sidebar, appear under the Widgets category in the block inserter. Both are server-side rendered, so they work in block themes, full site editing templates, template parts, and patterns, not just inside post content.
Classic widgets: A header widget and a compact sidebar widget are registered for any theme that still uses classic widget areas.
Shortcodes: [votd_header_widget] and [votd_sidebar_widget] drop the verse into any post, page, or page-builder text module.

Key Features:

Daily Bible Verses: A KJV verse of the day, chosen from a curated scripture library bundled right inside the plugin. No external verse service, no API key, no rate limits. The library is expanded with each release.
Search-Engine Friendly (SEO): The full verse and its reference are printed straight into your page’s HTML source by WordPress, not loaded afterwards by JavaScript, so Googlebot and other crawlers can read and index the verse from the first fetch. The verse is marked up as a proper quotation (<blockquote> with a <cite> reference and a lang attribute for translated verses), and optional schema.org “Quotation” structured data (JSON-LD) describes the verse and its King James Version source. Long verses are shortened on screen with CSS only, so the whole verse is still in the page for search engines.
Gutenberg Block Editor Ready: Native blocks for both layouts, rendered server-side so the verse is present in the page HTML rather than painted in afterwards by JavaScript.
Multilingual Scripture: Display the daily KJV verse in over 100 languages, with translations prompted to preserve the formal tone of the King James Version. Translations are requested once per language per day and cached locally.
Animated Backgrounds: Display the verse over AI-generated 10-second looping video scenery, kept light (about 1.5 MB or less per video) and only downloaded when the widget scrolls into view. Choose animated only, static only, or a mix of both.
Nature Themes: Animated backgrounds are grouped into six themes: Autumn (falling leaves and warm fall color), Caribbean (turquoise water and island shores), Dolphins (dolphins swimming through open sea), Orcas (orcas gliding through open ocean), Swans (swans drifting on calm water), and Wolves (wolves roaming wild, open country). Choose your theme in Settings. New themes will be added in future updates, Lord willing.
Nature Themes: Animated backgrounds are grouped into themes: Wolves (wolves roaming wild, open country), Orcas (orcas gliding through open ocean), and Autumn (falling leaves and warm fall color). New themes will be added in future updates, Lord willing.
Extensive Background Library: Six animated video themes plus more than 70 static images in Google’s efficient WebP format..
Font Customization: 18 professional fonts, including Roboto, Open Sans, Inter, Lato, Source Sans Pro, Raleway, Montserrat, Nunito, EB Garamond, Merriweather, Playfair Display, Lora, Crimson Text, Roboto Mono, Source Code Pro, Fira Code, Poppins, and Quicksand.
Self-Hosted Fonts: One click in Settings downloads every font into the plugin’s own folder, so no font request ever leaves your server.
Privacy Clean: No visitor data collected, no analytics, no cookies set by the plugin, no third-party calls at all when the language is English.
Dual Layouts: A full-width layout for prominent header placement and a compact layout for sidebars and footers.
Public Domain Text: The King James Version is public domain, so there is no licensing restriction on displaying the verse of the day on your site.

Third-Party Service

The daily Bible verses themselves are bundled locally inside the plugin (data/verses.json) and require no external service. When the verse language is set to English (the default), this plugin makes no network requests for verse content. (The only other possible external request is the Google Fonts CDN, and only until fonts are self-hosted — see “Third-Party Fonts & Licenses” below.)

When a language other than English is selected, the plugin uses one third-party service:

Verse of the Day Widget for WP Translation API
– Translates the day’s KJV verse into the selected language. The request is made server-side by your WordPress site (never by your visitors’ browsers), at most once per language per day, and the result is cached locally until midnight.
– Data Sent: The verse text and the selected language code. No personal data, visitor data, or site data is sent, collected, or stored.
– Access: https://www.freesmartphoneapps.com/verseoftheday/api/translate-verse/
– Privacy Policy: https://freesmartphoneapps.com/privacy-policy-votd/ (Updated 2025-05-21).

OpenAI API
– This API is used to translate the Bible verses into over 100 languages, ensuring a multilingual experience.
– Personal Data: The API does not collect or store any personal data.
– Access: The API is accessed at https://api.openai.com/v1.
– Privacy Policy: Refer to OpenAI’s privacy policy here: https://openai.com/privacy.

Third-Party Fonts & Licenses

This plugin offers 18 Google Fonts as font-family options. When downloaded via Settings > “Download & Self-Host All Fonts,” the actual font files are saved to this plugin’s own /fonts/ directory (one subfolder per font, each including a LICENSE.txt). Both licenses below permit free use, modification, and self-hosted redistribution:

Apache License, Version 2.0 (Roboto, Roboto Mono) — http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
SIL Open Font License, Version 1.1 (Open Sans, Inter, Lato, Source Sans Pro, Raleway, Montserrat, Nunito, EB Garamond, Merriweather, Playfair Display, Lora, Crimson Text, Source Code Pro, Fira Code, Poppins, Quicksand) — https://scripts.sil.org/OFL

Installation

Install the Plugin: Install directly from the WordPress plugin screen by searching for Verse of the Day Widget for WP, or upload the plugin files to the /wp-content/plugins/verse-of-the-day-widget-for-wp directory.
Activate the Plugin: Go to the ‘Plugins’ screen in WordPress and activate the plugin.
Place the verse of the day. Pick whichever fits your theme:
- Block themes / Gutenberg block editor: Edit a page, template, or template part, open the block inserter, and add Verse of the Day Header or Verse of the Day Sidebar.
- Classic themes: Go to Appearance > Widgets and drag the header widget or the sidebar widget into a widget area.
- Anywhere else: Paste [votd_header_widget] or [votd_sidebar_widget] into a post, page, or page-builder text module.
Configure: Visit the plugin settings page to choose your language, background type (static, animated, or mixed), and font family.

Screenshots

The verse of the day displayed on mobile, showing a short KJV verse over an AI-generated background.
A longer KJV verse on mobile, truncated in the widget with the full passage available on tap.
The daily verse shown in Chinese (Simplified), one of over 100 supported languages.
Plugin settings page showing the language selector for multilingual scripture.
Plugin settings page showing background type (static, animated, or mixed) and font family options.
The image displays the "Shortcodes" settings panel of the WordPress plugin on a mobile screen interface.

Faq

How do I display the verse of the day?

Three ways, all interchangeable. Add the Verse of the Day Header or Verse of the Day Sidebar block in the Gutenberg block editor or site editor; drag the header or sidebar widget into a widget area under Appearance > Widgets; or paste the [votd_header_widget] or [votd_sidebar_widget] shortcode anywhere shortcodes run. The older [votd_verse_of_the_day_widget_for_wp] shortcode still works for existing installs, but new sites should use the two layout-specific shortcodes above.

Does this verse of the day widget work with Gutenberg and block themes?

Yes. Both layouts are registered as native Gutenberg blocks, Verse of the Day Header and Verse of the Day Sidebar, and render server-side, so they can be placed in posts, pages, reusable patterns, and full site editing templates and template parts. They appear under the Widgets category in the block inserter, or you can search the inserter for “verse,” “scripture,” or “devotional.” The blocks reuse the same output as the classic widgets and the shortcodes, so all three placement methods display the verse identically.

This matters on a block theme such as Twenty Twenty-Five, because block themes have no Appearance > Widgets screen at all. On those themes, use the blocks (or a Shortcode block) rather than the classic Widgets screen.

Do I need an API key or an account?

No. There is no account, no API key, no signup, and no connected service to configure. Install, activate, place the block, and the verse of the day appears.

Is the plugin free?

Yes, entirely, under GPLv2 or later. There is no paid tier, no upsell, and no feature held back behind a license.

Which Bible translation is used?

The King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain. Translations into other languages are derived from the KJV English text rather than from a modern translation, which is why the phrasing reads more formally than most daily verse services.

Can I display the verse of the day in Spanish, French, or another language?

Yes, over 100 languages are supported. Select your language on the plugin settings page and the daily verse is translated for you. The translation is fetched once per language per day and cached on your site until midnight.

Does the plugin send any visitor data anywhere?

No. No visitor data, personal data, or site data is collected, stored, or transmitted. When the language is set to English, the plugin makes no external requests for verse content at all, because the verses ship inside the plugin. See the Third-Party Service section below for the full data flow when a non-English language is selected.

Will this slow down my site?

It should not. The verse text is bundled locally rather than fetched over the network, backgrounds are served as WebP, translated verses are cached locally until midnight, and fonts can be self-hosted in one click so no external font request is made.

Can Google see and index the verse?

Yes. WordPress prints the full verse and its reference directly into the page’s HTML before the page is sent, whether you use the block, the classic widget, or a shortcode. Search engines read it from the page source on the first fetch, without having to run any JavaScript, and nothing is hidden behind a “Loading…” placeholder. Long verses are shortened on screen with CSS, but the complete verse is still in the HTML. Translated verses are indexed in their own language, marked with a lang attribute.

You can check this yourself: open a page that shows the widget, choose “View Page Source” in your browser, and search for today’s verse. In Google Search Console, the URL Inspection tool’s “View crawled page” shows the same HTML Googlebot sees.

Does the plugin add structured data (schema.org)?

Yes, optionally. On pages that show the widget, the plugin adds one small schema.org “Quotation” block (JSON-LD) describing the day’s verse, its reference, and its King James Version source; translated verses are described as translations of the KJV verse. It helps search engines understand what the text on your page is. Google does not currently show a special search result for quotations, so treat it as clean, accurate markup rather than a ranking trick. It is on by default and can be turned off under Settings > Verse of the Day > Search Engines & Verse Rotation, for example if your SEO plugin already marks up quotations. Developers can change or remove it with the votd_structured_data filter.

Will the verse of the day help my Bible site rank in search?

It gives search engines real, indexable scripture on every page that shows it, with a fresh verse each day, rather than an empty box filled in later by JavaScript. Like any content, though, a quoted verse is one signal among many: what earns rankings is the content you write around it, such as devotionals, studies, and commentary. No plugin can promise a ranking.

Does every site show the same verse on the same day?

Yes, and that is deliberate. The selection is derived from the date rather than picked at random, so every site running the plugin displays the same verse on a given day. Your visitors see a genuine verse of the day rather than a random verse.

When does the verse change?

At midnight in your site’s own timezone, taken from Settings > General, not from whatever timezone your web host happens to run on.

Can I use this on a ministry website?

Yes, and that is the most common use. The King James text is public domain, the plugin is GPL, nothing is tracked, and no external account is required, so there is nothing to clear with anyone before putting a daily scripture verse on a church homepage, sidebar, or footer.

Is the plugin compatible with all themes?

It is designed to work with most WordPress themes, both classic and block themes. Because the shortcodes work anywhere shortcodes run, it also drops into page builders such as Elementor, Divi, and Beaver Builder through their shortcode or text modules. If you run into a conflict, please open a topic on the support forum so the team and community can help: Official Plugin Support Page

Which background themes are included?

Six animated nature themes ship with the plugin: Autumn, Caribbean, Dolphins, Orcas, Swans, and Wolves. Each is a set of 10-second looping videos shown behind the verse. You choose one theme in Settings, and the widget shows its videos one per day, in order. Static image backgrounds are also included for sites that prefer no motion, among them still scenes from every animated theme.

Can I change the background images?

You can choose whether the widget uses static backgrounds, animated backgrounds, or a mix of the two, from the plugin settings page. The background library itself ships with the plugin and grows with each release.

Where are the fonts loaded from?

Until you self-host them, the fonts you select are loaded from Google Fonts. Going to Settings and choosing “Download & Self-Host All Fonts” copies the font files into the plugin’s own /fonts/ directory, after which no font request leaves your server. See Third-Party Fonts & Licenses below.

Reviews

Best of Best

By newtonad on August 13, 2026

WordPress is always helpful and easy to manage always best of the best!

Support for CSS Issue

By Ken (Shofar) on April 3, 2026

I had an issue with the plugin which made the site menu have a grey background, using the Divi 5.0 theme. Allen identified the problem and issued an update which fixed it. Great support, and also an excellent plugin!

Changelog

For the complete version history (all releases), see the readme.txt revision log: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/verse-of-the-day-widget-for-wp/trunk/readme.txt

8.13.0 – (2026-10-25)

Improved (SEO): The widget now prints the whole verse into the page, not just the first 80 characters. Long verses are still shortened on screen, but now with CSS, so search engines see the full verse as visible text. The “Read full verse” button only appears when the verse is actually cut short, which depends on the width of the space the widget is in.
Improved (SEO, Accessibility): The verse reference is now marked up as a <cite> inside the quote and shown on its own line under the verse, so it stays visible even when a long verse is shortened. The verse also carries a lang attribute for the language it is shown in.
New (SEO): Pages that show the widget now include schema.org “Quotation” structured data (JSON-LD) for the day’s verse and its King James Version source. Translated verses are described as translations of the KJV verse. It can be turned off under Settings Verse of the Day Search Engines & Verse Rotation, for example if your SEO plugin already marks up quotations. Developers can change or remove it with the new votd_structured_data filter.
New (Settings): A “Verse rotation” option. By default every site still shows the same verse on the same day. Choose “Unique to this site” and your site keeps one verse a day in the same order, but starting from a different point, so it usually shows a different verse from other sites that day.
Changed (Translation): Verses translated earlier today are fetched again once after updating.
Removed: An unused leftover file (local-verses-patch.php) and unused “loading” styles from the days when the verse was fetched in the browser.

8.12.4 – (2026-10-18)

New (Animated Backgrounds): Added a new animated theme: Dolphins, with dolphins swimming through open sea. Choose it from the “Animated Theme” drop-down in Settings. The plugin now ships with six themes: Autumn, Caribbean, Dolphins, Orcas, Swans and Wolves.
New (Static Backgrounds): Added 30 new still images, five from each animated theme, taken from the same scenes as the theme’s videos. Sites set to “Static Images” now see the same wildlife and scenery as the animated themes, without the motion. With “Both Static and Animated”, these stills also join the rotation on still-image days.
Improved (Reliability): Static background images are now found automatically in the plugin’s images folder, the same way animated themes are found in the animations folder. Previously every image had to be listed by hand in js/votdGlobals.js, so a mistyped or forgotten file name could leave a background out of the rotation or point to a file that did not exist. Adding or retiring a background is now just a matter of adding or deleting its file.
Changed (Backgrounds): Every .webp, .jpg, .jpeg, .png or .avif image directly inside the images folder is now part of the daily rotation, in natural filename order (for example “river2” before “river10”), so every site builds the same list. Images kept in subfolders, such as the admin icons, are not shown as backgrounds. Because the list is now built from the folder, the background shown on a given day may change once after updating; the daily rotation then continues as before.
New (Developers): Added the votd_background_images filter, which receives the list of static background image paths (relative to the plugin folder) and can add, remove or reorder them. It works like the existing votd_animation_themes filter.

8.12.3 – (2026-10-15)

Improved (Translation): Revised the OpenAI translation system prompt to emphasize faithful preservation of the King James Version’s theological meaning, emphasis, and traditional, dignified tone across supported languages.
Improved (Translation): Clarified guidance to balance formal biblical language with natural, grammatically correct phrasing in the target language, avoiding unnecessarily casual wording and forced archaic expressions.
Improved (Translation): Added explicit instructions for preserving scripture references, using conventional biblical book names in the target language, and returning only the translated text without additional commentary.

8.12.2 – (2026-10-11)

Fixed (Translation): Translated verses sometimes ended with the name of a different Bible, such as “RVR” (Reina-Valera) for Spanish, even though every verse comes from the King James Version. Translated verses now end with “KJV ” and the language, for example “1 Corintios 16:14 KJV Spanish”, to show they are translated from the KJV. English verses still end in “KJV”.
Changed (Translation): Verses translated earlier today are fetched again once after updating, so the corrected ending shows right away instead of after midnight.

For older releases, see changelog.txt.