@@ -8,6 +8,36 @@ [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [1.5.0] - 2026-04-17
+
+### Added
+
+- **XDG data directory support**: Automatic Bible file discovery in
+`$XDG_DATA_HOME/bibel`
+  - When `bible_path` is empty in configuration, program searches
+  `$XDG_DATA_HOME/bibel` for JSON files
+  - Uses first `.json` file found in the directory. Provides helpful error
+  messages when directory or Bible files are missing.
+- **Cross-platform Bible data management**: Leverages `xdg` library for
+consistent data directory paths across platforms
+
+### Changed
+
+- **Default configuration**: `bible_path` now defaults to empty string (uses
+XDG-stadnard data directory)
+- **Example configuration**: Updated `config.example.toml` with documentation
+about XDG data directory usage
+- **Error handling**: Improved error messages for missing Bible data files
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Configuration generation**: `--generate-config` flag creates config with
+empty `bible_path` for XDG compatibility
+- **Edge case handling**: Prevent crashes when Bible file doesn't contain books
+for selected reading mode
+- **Date progression robustness**: Added check for zero total verses to prevent
+divide-by-zero panics
+
 ## [1.4.0] - 2026-04-17
 
 ### Added

@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ .
 ├── cmd/bibel.go             # Main CLI entry point
 ├── configs/                 # Default configuration files
 │   └── config.example.toml  # The default configuration file
-├── internal/  
+├── internal/
 │   ├── config.go            # Reading and writing to config
 │   ├── dateprogression.go   # Date-based position calculation
 │   ├── verse.go             # Data structures

@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ # Output mode: "tui" (interactive terminal UI), "formatted" (ANSI-coloured text),
 # or "plain" (plain text without formatting)
 output_mode = "tui"
 
-# Path to Bible data file (relative to executable or absolute path)
-bible_path = "books/pol_nbg.json"
+# Path to Bible data file (relative to executable or absolute path). If empty,
+# automatically uses first JSON file found in $XDG_DATA_HOME/bibel
+bible_path = ""
 
 # Reading mode: "evangelion" (four Gospels), "new_testament", "old_testament", "bible"
 reading_mode = "evangelion"
@@ -39,4 +40,4 @@ verses_per_day = 12
   
   # Start date for yearly progression (format: "1 January")
   # Empty means 1 January of current year
-  start_date = ""+  start_date = ""

@@ -9,6 +9,32 @@ "github.com/adrg/xdg"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
+// findBibleFileInDataDir looks for Bible JSON files in the XDG data directory
+// It returns the path to the first JSON file found, or an error if none found
+func findBibleFileInDataDir() (string, error) {
+	dataDir := filepath.Join(xdg.DataHome, "bibel")
+	
+	// Check if the directory exists
+	if _, err := os.Stat(dataDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("Bible data directory not found: %s\nPlease create this directory and add Bible JSON files to it", dataDir)
+	}
+
+	// Read the directory
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(dataDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("error reading Bible data directory %s: %w", dataDir, err)
+	}
+
+	// Look for JSON files
+	for _, entry := range entries {
+		if !entry.IsDir() && filepath.Ext(entry.Name()) == ".json" {
+			return filepath.Join(dataDir, entry.Name()), nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return "", fmt.Errorf("no JSON Bible files found in %s\nPlease add Bible JSON files to this directory", dataDir)
+}
+
 // Config represents the application configuration
 type Config struct {
 	// Reading mode: "evangelion", "new_testament", "old_testament", "bible"
@@ -64,7 +90,7 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 	cfg := &Config{
 		ReadingMode: "evangelion",
 		OutputMode: "tui",
-		BiblePath:  "books/pol_nbg.json",
+		BiblePath:  "", // Empty means use XDG data directory
 	}
 
 	cfg.TUI.ShowQuitMessage = true
@@ -146,6 +172,16 @@ cfg.TUI.BorderStyle = defaultCfg.TUI.BorderStyle
 	}
 	if cfg.DateProgression.VersesPerDay == 0 {
 		cfg.DateProgression.VersesPerDay = defaultCfg.DateProgression.VersesPerDay
+	}
+
+	// If BiblePath is still empty (default or from config), try to find a Bible file in XDG data directory
+	if cfg.BiblePath == "" {
+		biblePath, err := findBibleFileInDataDir()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to find Bible data file: %w", err)
+		}
+		cfg.BiblePath = biblePath
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Using Bible file from XDG data directory: %s\n", cfg.BiblePath)
 	}
 
 	// Validate configuration

@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@
 	// If we've gone through all books and offset is still positive, wrap
 	// around to beginning (start over) Calculate modulo offset within total verses
 	totalVerses := dp.GetTotalVersesForMode()
+	if totalVerses == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no verses found for reading mode %s. The Bible data file may not contain books for this reading mode", dp.readingMode)
+	}
 	if offset >= 0 {
 		adjustedOffset := offset % totalVerses
 		// Recursively find position for adjusted offset