diff --git a/app/db/src/app/common/bible-reference.ts b/app/db/src/app/common/bible-reference.ts
index 74406c6a..5851602b 100644
--- a/app/db/src/app/common/bible-reference.ts
+++ b/app/db/src/app/common/bible-reference.ts
@@ -1912,11 +1912,11 @@ export class BibleReference {
     chapter: number | string,
     vs: number | string
   ) {
-    return `${book};${chapter};${vs}`;
+    return `${book}:${chapter}:${vs}`;
   }
 
   public static makePassageFromReferenceKey(referenceKey: string) {
-    const keyArray = referenceKey.split(';');
+    const keyArray = referenceKey.split(':');
     const book = BibleReference.bookName(parseInt(keyArray[0], 10)).name;
     return new BibleReference(`${book} ${keyArray[1]}:${keyArray[2]}`);
   }
diff --git a/app/db/src/app/models/app-state.ts b/app/db/src/app/models/app-state.ts
index 27f223ca..ca47e325 100644
--- a/app/db/src/app/models/app-state.ts
+++ b/app/db/src/app/models/app-state.ts
@@ -128,13 +128,13 @@ export interface StrongsDefinitionPart {
 export interface StrongsCrossReference {
   readonly id: string; // strongs id H1|G1
   readonly t: string; // strongs testament grk|heb
-  readonly d: string; // strongs word/data Aaron {ah-ar-ohn'}
+  readonly d: string; // strongs word/data definition Aaron {ah-ar-ohn'}
   readonly ss: readonly [
     {
-      readonly w: string;
+      readonly w: string; // translated word
       readonly rs: readonly [
         {
-          readonly r: string;
+          readonly r: string; // reference
         }
       ];
     }
diff --git a/app/db/src/app/services/app.service.ts b/app/db/src/app/services/app.service.ts
index 9867e6c7..ddcb6569 100644
--- a/app/db/src/app/services/app.service.ts
+++ b/app/db/src/app/services/app.service.ts
@@ -296,7 +296,22 @@ export class AppService extends createStateService(reducer, initialState) {
         .toPromise();
       for (const cr of d) {
         if (cr.id.toUpperCase() === result.prefix + result.sn) {
-          result.crossrefs = cr;
+          result.crossrefs = {
+            id: cr.id, // strongs id H1|G1
+            t: cr.t, // strongs testament grk|heb
+            d: cr.d, // strongs word/data definition Aaron {ah-ar-ohn'}
+            ss: cr.ss.map((ss) => {
+              return {
+                w: ss.w, // translated word
+                rs: ss.rs.map((rs) => {
+                  return {
+                    r: rs.r.split(';').join(':'), // fix the reference...
+                  };
+                }),
+              };
+            }),
+          };
+
           break;
         }
       }
@@ -724,16 +739,7 @@ export class AppService extends createStateService(reducer, initialState) {
       return;
     }
     // find the right word
-    const refs = r
-      .filter((o) => o.w === query)
-      // you used the wrong delimiter here... *sigh*  its ;'s in all the other things.
-      .map((o) => {
-        return {
-          ...o,
-          r: o.r.map((ref) => ref.replace(':', ';')),
-        };
-      });
-
+    const refs = r.filter((o) => o.w === query);
     if (refs.length > 0) {
       return refs[0].r;
     } else {