diff --git a/src/App.jsx b/src/App.jsx
index ae41543..a4947b6 100644
--- a/src/App.jsx
+++ b/src/App.jsx
@@ -356,12 +356,13 @@ const AppInner = () => {
     setProject((current) => (current ? updater(current) : current));
   };
 
-  const updateChunk = (chunkId, patch) => {
+  // `touch: false` saves a change without counting it as an edit (so it doesn't reset "last edited" for recalls and summaries).
+  const updateChunk = (chunkId, patch, { touch = true } = {}) => {
     updateProject((current) => ({
       ...current,
       chapters: current.chapters.map((ch) => ({
         ...ch,
-        chunks: ch.chunks.map((c) => (c.id === chunkId ? { ...c, ...patch, editedAt: Date.now() } : c)),
+        chunks: ch.chunks.map((c) => (c.id === chunkId ? { ...c, ...patch, ...(touch ? { editedAt: Date.now() } : {}) } : c)),
       })),
     }));
   };
diff --git a/src/components/study/CompareSheet.jsx b/src/components/study/CompareSheet.jsx
index d02226e..47476fd 100644
--- a/src/components/study/CompareSheet.jsx
+++ b/src/components/study/CompareSheet.jsx
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ import { useApp } from '../../context/AppContext.js';
 import { loadProjectById } from '../../utils/projectStorage.js';
 import { formatChunkReference, getChunkVerseEntries } from '../../utils/bibleUtils.jsx';
 import { READER_TRANSLATIONS, fetchChapter, translationName } from '../../utils/bibleText.js';
-import { alignVerses, translationSpans } from '../../utils/compareTranslations.js';
-import { ownShare, pastedWords, withPaste } from '../../utils/ownWork.js';
+import { alignVerses, differencesFor, markRanges, translationSpans } from '../../utils/compareTranslations.js';
+import { ownShare, pastedWords } from '../../utils/ownWork.js';
+import { usePasteCheck } from './PastePrompt.jsx';
 
 const FIELDS = [['observation', 'Observe'], ['interpretation', 'Interpret'], ['application', 'Apply']];
 
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ const OIA = [
 // They are the same notes as on the Study page, and long pastes are tagged the same way.
 function OiaBoxes({ chunk, updateChunk }) {
   const share = ownShare(chunk);
+  const pasteCheck = usePasteCheck(chunk, updateChunk);
   return (
     <section aria-label="Your notes" className="border-t border-[var(--r-line)] px-4 pb-6 pt-4">
       <p className="mb-3 text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wide text-[var(--r-sub)]">Your notes{share !== null ? ` · ${share}% your own words` : ''}</p>
@@ -58,9 +60,10 @@ function OiaBoxes({ chunk, updateChunk }) {
             <label key={field} className="flex flex-col text-xs text-[var(--r-sub)]">
               <span className="mb-1 flex items-baseline justify-between"><span><span className="text-sm font-medium text-[var(--r-text)]">{label}</span> {hint}</span>{pasted > 0 && <span className="rounded-full bg-[var(--r-hl)] px-2 py-0.5 text-[var(--r-text)]">{pasted} pasted</span>}</span>
               <textarea aria-label={label} value={chunk[field] ?? ''} rows={9}
-                onPaste={(e) => { const next = withPaste(chunk, field, e.clipboardData?.getData('text')); if (next) updateChunk(chunk.id, { aiPastes: next }); }}
+                onPaste={pasteCheck.onPaste(field)}
                 onChange={(e) => updateChunk(chunk.id, { [field]: e.target.value })}
                 className="min-h-[10rem] w-full resize-y rounded-xl border border-[var(--r-line)] bg-[var(--r-bg)] px-3 py-2.5 font-serif text-[15px] leading-7 text-[var(--r-text)] focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-[var(--r-line)]" />
+              {pasteCheck.prompt(field)}
             </label>
           );
         })}
@@ -71,7 +74,9 @@ function OiaBoxes({ chunk, updateChunk }) {
 
 // One chunk's verses in several translations, a row per verse. Free translations load straight away; licensed ones
 // come through the server and may be unavailable (no key set), which shows as a note instead of text.
-function TranslationsView({ project, chunkEntry }) {
+function TranslationsView({ project, chunkEntry, updateChunk }) {
+  const [highlight, setHighlight] = useState(() => { try { return localStorage.getItem('compare-highlight') !== 'off'; } catch { return true; } });
+  const setHl = (on) => { setHighlight(on); try { localStorage.setItem('compare-highlight', on ? 'on' : 'off'); } catch { /* storage unavailable */ } };
   const spans = useMemo(() => (chunkEntry ? translationSpans(project, chunkEntry.chapterIndex, chunkEntry.chunk) : []), [project, chunkEntry]);
   const spanKey = spans.map((s) => `${s.book}${s.chapter}:${s.from}-${s.to}`).join(',');
   const [picked, setPicked] = useState(() => {
@@ -116,6 +121,9 @@ function TranslationsView({ project, chunkEntry }) {
           );
         })}
       </div>
+      {shown.length > 1 && (
+        <label className="flex items-center gap-2 text-xs text-[var(--r-sub)]"><input type="checkbox" checked={highlight} onChange={(e) => setHl(e.target.checked)} className="accent-[var(--r-accent)]" /> Highlight the words that differ from {shown[0]}</label>
+      )}
       {picked.map((id) => loaded[id]?.status === 'error' && (
         <p key={id} role="status" className="text-xs text-[var(--r-sub)]">{id} isn’t available right now: {loaded[id].error}</p>
       ))}
@@ -126,17 +134,27 @@ function TranslationsView({ project, chunkEntry }) {
           <div className="hidden gap-4 text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wide text-[var(--r-sub)] md:grid" style={cols}>
             {shown.map((id) => <span key={id}>{translationName(id)}</span>)}
           </div>
-          {rows.map((row) => (
-            <div key={row.key} className="grid gap-x-4 gap-y-1 border-t border-[var(--r-line)] pt-3 md:[grid-template-columns:var(--cols)]" style={{ '--cols': cols.gridTemplateColumns }}>
-              {shown.map((id) => (
-                <p key={id} className="font-serif text-[14px] leading-relaxed">
-                  <sup className="mr-1 font-sans text-[var(--r-accent)]">{row.label}</sup>
-                  <span className="mr-1 font-sans text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wide text-[var(--r-sub)] md:hidden">{id}</span>
-                  {row.texts[id] ?? <span className="text-[var(--r-sub)]">—</span>}
-                </p>
-              ))}
-            </div>
-          ))}
+          {rows.map((row) => {
+            const diffs = highlight && shown.length > 1 ? differencesFor(row.texts, shown) : {};
+            const note = chunkEntry.chunk.verseNotes?.[row.noteKey] ?? '';
+            return (
+              <div key={row.key} className="border-t border-[var(--r-line)] pt-3">
+                <div className="grid gap-x-4 gap-y-1 md:[grid-template-columns:var(--cols)]" style={{ '--cols': cols.gridTemplateColumns }}>
+                  {shown.map((id) => (
+                    <p key={id} className="font-serif text-[14px] leading-relaxed">
+                      <sup className="mr-1 font-sans text-[var(--r-accent)]">{row.label}</sup>
+                      <span className="mr-1 font-sans text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wide text-[var(--r-sub)] md:hidden">{id}</span>
+                      {row.texts[id] == null ? <span className="text-[var(--r-sub)]">—</span>
+                        : markRanges(row.texts[id], diffs[id]).map((part, i) => (part.mark ? <mark key={i} className="rounded bg-[var(--r-hl)] px-0.5 text-inherit">{part.text}</mark> : <span key={i}>{part.text}</span>))}
+                    </p>
+                  ))}
+                </div>
+                <input aria-label={`Note on verse ${row.label}`} value={note} placeholder={`Note on verse ${row.label}`}
+                  onChange={(e) => updateChunk(chunkEntry.chunk.id, { verseNotes: { ...(chunkEntry.chunk.verseNotes ?? {}), [row.noteKey]: e.target.value } })}
+                  className="mt-1.5 w-full rounded-lg border border-transparent bg-transparent px-2 py-1 text-xs text-[var(--r-text)] placeholder:text-[var(--r-sub)] placeholder:opacity-60 hover:border-[var(--r-line)] focus:border-[var(--r-line)] focus:bg-[var(--r-bg)] focus:outline-none" />
+              </div>
+            );
+          })}
           <div className="space-y-1 border-t border-[var(--r-line)] pt-3 text-[11px] leading-snug text-[var(--r-sub)]">
             {shown.map((id) => {
               const t = READER_TRANSLATIONS.find((x) => x.id === id);
@@ -187,7 +205,7 @@ export default function CompareSheet({ currentChunkId, onClose }) {
       ) : (
         <div className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto">
           <h3 className="px-4 pt-4 font-medium">{mine?.label}</h3>
-          <TranslationsView project={project} chunkEntry={mine} />
+          <TranslationsView project={project} chunkEntry={mine} updateChunk={updateChunk} />
           {mine && <OiaBoxes chunk={mine.chunk} updateChunk={updateChunk} />}
         </div>
       )}
diff --git a/src/components/study/FirstDraft.jsx b/src/components/study/FirstDraft.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b8e373b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/study/FirstDraft.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// "What changed since my first draft": your Observe / Interpret / Apply notes now, with the words added or
+// reworded since the copy kept when you first opened commentary. It shows whether commentary changed your thinking.
+import { diffVerses } from '../../utils/textDiff.js';
+import { markRanges } from '../../utils/compareTranslations.js';
+
+const FIELDS = [['observation', 'Observe'], ['interpretation', 'Interpret'], ['application', 'Apply']];
+const count = (s) => (s ?? '').trim().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean).length;
+
+export default function FirstDraft({ chunk }) {
+  const draft = chunk.firstDraft;
+  if (!draft) return null;
+  const rows = FIELDS.map(([f, label]) => {
+    const then = draft[f] ?? '';
+    const now = chunk[f] ?? '';
+    return { f, label, then, now, same: then.trim() === now.trim(), parts: markRanges(now, diffVerses(then, now).b) };
+  }).filter((r) => r.then.trim() || r.now.trim());
+  const changed = rows.filter((r) => !r.same).length;
+  return (
+    <details className="rounded-xl border border-[var(--r-line)] p-3 text-xs text-[var(--r-sub)]">
+      <summary className="cursor-pointer">First draft, before commentary <span className="opacity-70">· {new Date(draft.at).toLocaleDateString()} · {changed === 0 ? 'nothing changed since' : `${changed} of ${rows.length} notes changed since`}</span></summary>
+      <div className="mt-3 space-y-3">
+        {rows.length === 0 && <p>You opened commentary before writing anything.</p>}
+        {rows.map((r) => (
+          <div key={r.f}>
+            <p className="font-medium text-[var(--r-text)]">{r.label} <span className="font-normal text-[var(--r-sub)]">· {count(r.then)} words then, {count(r.now)} now</span></p>
+            {r.same
+              ? <p className="mt-0.5">Unchanged.</p>
+              : <p className="mt-0.5 whitespace-pre-line font-serif text-[13px] leading-relaxed text-[var(--r-text)]">{r.parts.map((p, i) => (p.mark ? <mark key={i} className="rounded bg-[var(--r-hl)] px-0.5 text-inherit">{p.text}</mark> : <span key={i}>{p.text}</span>))}</p>}
+            {!r.same && r.then.trim() && <details className="mt-1"><summary className="cursor-pointer">Show the first draft</summary><p className="mt-1 whitespace-pre-line font-serif text-[13px] leading-relaxed">{r.then}</p></details>}
+          </div>
+        ))}
+        <p className="opacity-70">Highlighted words are new or reworded since the draft.</p>
+      </div>
+    </details>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/study/NotesPane.jsx b/src/components/study/NotesPane.jsx
index 576e85a..46bba1e 100644
--- a/src/components/study/NotesPane.jsx
+++ b/src/components/study/NotesPane.jsx
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
 // area for background notes and tags so the page stays quiet.
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import SessionNotes from './SessionNotes.jsx';
+import FirstDraft from './FirstDraft.jsx';
+import { usePasteCheck } from './PastePrompt.jsx';
 import DictateButton, { appendSpoken } from '../DictateButton.jsx';
-import { ownShare, ownWords, pastedWords, withPaste, clearPastes } from '../../utils/ownWork.js';
+import { ownShare, ownWords, pastedWords, clearPastes } from '../../utils/ownWork.js';
 import { templateFromChunk, templatePrompt } from '../../utils/studyTemplates.js';
 
 const SECTIONS = [
@@ -39,10 +41,7 @@ export default function NotesPane({ chunk, updateChunk, allTags, templateId, sav
   const suggestions = allTags.filter((t) => !tags.some((x) => x.toLowerCase() === t.toLowerCase()));
 
   const share = ownShare(chunk);
-  const keepPaste = (field) => (e) => {
-    const next = withPaste(chunk, field, e.clipboardData?.getData('text'));
-    if (next) updateChunk(chunk.id, { aiPastes: next });
-  };
+  const pasteCheck = usePasteCheck(chunk, updateChunk);
 
   return (
     <section aria-label="Study notes" className="space-y-2">
@@ -74,7 +73,8 @@ export default function NotesPane({ chunk, updateChunk, allTags, templateId, sav
             {isOpen && (
               <div className="px-4 pb-4">
                 <textarea aria-label={label} value={chunk[field] ?? ''} rows={7} placeholder={templatePrompt(templateId, field) ?? placeholder}
-                  onPaste={keepPaste(field)} onChange={(e) => updateChunk(chunk.id, { [field]: e.target.value })} className={areaCls} />
+                  onPaste={pasteCheck.onPaste(field)} onChange={(e) => updateChunk(chunk.id, { [field]: e.target.value })} className={areaCls} />
+                {pasteCheck.prompt(field)}
                 {pasted > 0 && (
                   <p className="mt-1.5 text-xs text-[var(--r-sub)]">
                     {pasted} word{pasted === 1 ? '' : 's'} here were pasted, so they don't count as your own work.{' '}
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ export default function NotesPane({ chunk, updateChunk, allTags, templateId, sav
               <textarea value={chunk.discussionQuestions ?? ''} rows={4} onChange={(e) => updateChunk(chunk.id, { discussionQuestions: e.target.value })}
                 placeholder={'What does this passage say about God?\nWhere do you see this in your own life?'} className={`mt-1 ${areaCls}`} />
             </label>
+            <FirstDraft chunk={chunk} />
             <SessionNotes chunk={chunk} updateChunk={updateChunk} />
             {saveTemplate && (
               <div className="rounded-xl border border-dashed border-[var(--r-line)] p-3">
diff --git a/src/components/study/PastePrompt.jsx b/src/components/study/PastePrompt.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db085b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/study/PastePrompt.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+// When a long block of text is pasted into a note, ask where it came from. Pastes are remembered as "not typed by
+// me" straight away (so forgetting to answer never counts as your own work); saying you wrote it takes that back.
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { withPaste, withoutPaste, PASTE_MIN_WORDS } from '../../utils/ownWork.js';
+
+const LABELS = { observation: 'Observe', interpretation: 'Interpret', application: 'Apply' };
+const wordsIn = (s) => s.trim().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean).length;
+
+export function usePasteCheck(chunk, updateChunk) {
+  const [pending, setPending] = useState(null); // { field, text }
+  useEffect(() => { setPending(null); }, [chunk.id]);
+
+  const onPaste = (field) => (e) => {
+    const text = e.clipboardData?.getData('text') ?? '';
+    const next = withPaste(chunk, field, text);
+    if (!next) return;
+    updateChunk(chunk.id, { aiPastes: next });
+    setPending({ field, text: text.trim() });
+  };
+  const wroteIt = () => {
+    if (pending) updateChunk(chunk.id, { aiPastes: withoutPaste(chunk, pending.field, pending.text) });
+    setPending(null);
+  };
+  const prompt = (field) => (pending && pending.field === field ? <PastePrompt field={field} words={wordsIn(pending.text)} onKeep={() => setPending(null)} onWroteIt={wroteIt} /> : null);
+  return { onPaste, prompt };
+}
+
+function PastePrompt({ field, words, onKeep, onWroteIt }) {
+  const btn = 'rounded-full border border-[var(--r-text)] px-3 py-1 text-xs hover:bg-black/5';
+  return (
+    <div role="group" aria-label="Where did this paste come from?" className="mt-1.5 rounded-xl border border-[var(--r-accent)] bg-[var(--r-hl)] p-3 text-xs">
+      <p className="font-medium text-[var(--r-text)]">You pasted {words} words into {LABELS[field] ?? 'this note'}. Is this from AI?</p>
+      <p className="mt-0.5 text-[var(--r-sub)]">Pasted text isn’t counted as your own work. Choose “I wrote it” if it came from you.</p>
+      <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap gap-2">
+        <button type="button" onClick={onKeep} className={`${btn} bg-[var(--r-text)] text-[var(--r-bg)]`}>Yes, from AI</button>
+        <button type="button" onClick={onKeep} className={btn}>No, a book or website</button>
+        <button type="button" onClick={onWroteIt} className={btn}>No, I wrote it</button>
+      </div>
+      <p className="mt-1.5 text-[11px] text-[var(--r-sub)]">Pastes under {PASTE_MIN_WORDS} words aren’t asked about.</p>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/study/ResourcePane.jsx b/src/components/study/ResourcePane.jsx
index 5e11a9b..77a5766 100644
--- a/src/components/study/ResourcePane.jsx
+++ b/src/components/study/ResourcePane.jsx
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@ export default function ResourcePane({ tab, setTab, chunk, chapter, chapterIndex
   const [unlocked, setUnlocked] = useState(() => new Set());
   useEffect(() => { setUnlocked(new Set()); }, [chunk.id]);
   const held = (tab === 'commentary' || tab === 'aids') && !observeFirstDone(chunk) && !unlocked.has(chunk.id);
+  // The first time commentary or study aids are on screen for a chunk, keep a copy of your notes as they were,
+  // so you can later see what changed after reading others (shown under "More" in the notes).
+  const seeing = (tab === 'commentary' || tab === 'aids') && !held;
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!seeing || chunk.firstDraft) return;
+    updateChunk(chunk.id, { firstDraft: { at: Date.now(), observation: chunk.observation ?? '', interpretation: chunk.interpretation ?? '', application: chunk.application ?? '' } }, { touch: false });
+  }, [seeing, chunk.id, chunk.firstDraft]); // eslint-disable-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   const counts = { words: chunk.greekWords.length, refs: (chunk.crossReferences ?? []).length };
   return (
     <div className="flex min-h-0 flex-1 flex-col">
diff --git a/src/components/study/ScripturePane.jsx b/src/components/study/ScripturePane.jsx
index 3294667..a5af161 100644
--- a/src/components/study/ScripturePane.jsx
+++ b/src/components/study/ScripturePane.jsx
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 import { useState } from 'react';
 import { NT_BOOK_NUMBER } from '../../utils/bibleUtils.jsx';
 
-export default function ScripturePane({ verses, chapter, interlinear, interlinearLoading, addedStrongs, onPickWord }) {
+export default function ScripturePane({ verses, chapter, interlinear, interlinearLoading, addedStrongs, onPickWord, verseNotes = {}, onVerseNote }) {
   const [openVerse, setOpenVerse] = useState(null);
+  const [editingNote, setEditingNote] = useState(null);
   const isHebrew = chapter && !NT_BOOK_NUMBER[chapter.bookAbbrev];
   return (
     <section aria-label="Scripture" className="rounded-2xl border border-[var(--r-line)] bg-[var(--r-bar)] px-5 py-4">
@@ -20,6 +21,17 @@ export default function ScripturePane({ verses, chapter, interlinear, interlinea
                 {v.chapter !== chapter?.chapter ? `${v.chapter}:` : ''}{v.number}
               </button>
               <span>{v.text}</span>
+              {onVerseNote && (
+                <button type="button" onClick={() => setEditingNote(editingNote === `${v.chapter}:${v.number}` ? null : `${v.chapter}:${v.number}`)}
+                  aria-label={`Note on verse ${v.number}`} title="Note on this verse"
+                  className={`ml-1.5 align-baseline font-sans text-[0.7em] ${verseNotes[`${v.chapter}:${v.number}`] ? 'text-[var(--r-accent)]' : 'text-[var(--r-sub)] opacity-40 hover:opacity-100'}`}>✎</button>
+              )}
+              {(verseNotes[`${v.chapter}:${v.number}`] || editingNote === `${v.chapter}:${v.number}`) && (
+                <textarea aria-label={`Verse ${v.number} note`} value={verseNotes[`${v.chapter}:${v.number}`] ?? ''} rows={2} autoFocus={editingNote === `${v.chapter}:${v.number}`}
+                  onChange={(e) => onVerseNote?.(`${v.chapter}:${v.number}`, e.target.value)}
+                  placeholder="Your note on this verse"
+                  className="mt-1 block w-full resize-y rounded-lg border border-[var(--r-line)] bg-[var(--r-bg)] px-2.5 py-1.5 font-sans text-[13px] leading-snug text-[var(--r-text)] focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-[var(--r-line)]" />
+              )}
               {open && words && (
                 <div dir={isHebrew ? 'rtl' : 'ltr'} className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap gap-2 rounded-xl bg-[var(--r-bg)] p-2.5 font-sans">
                   {words.map((w, i) => {
diff --git a/src/pages/StudyPage.jsx b/src/pages/StudyPage.jsx
index 4a4a1ca..1bd5897 100644
--- a/src/pages/StudyPage.jsx
+++ b/src/pages/StudyPage.jsx
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ export default function StudyPage() {
                 verses={verses} chapter={chapter}
                 interlinear={resources.interlinearData} interlinearLoading={resources.interlinearLoading}
                 addedStrongs={addedStrongs} onPickWord={pickWord}
+                verseNotes={selectedChunk.verseNotes ?? {}}
+                onVerseNote={(key, text) => updateChunk(selectedChunk.id, { verseNotes: { ...(selectedChunk.verseNotes ?? {}), [key]: text } })}
               />
             </div>
           ) : (
diff --git a/src/test/App.home.test.jsx b/src/test/App.home.test.jsx
index 8576268..b6a62ac 100644
--- a/src/test/App.home.test.jsx
+++ b/src/test/App.home.test.jsx
@@ -448,6 +448,26 @@ describe('Study workspace', () => {
     expect(notes).toHaveAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');
   });
 
+  test('a long paste asks if it is from AI; "I wrote it" takes the tag back', async () => {
+    const user = await studyOneChunk();
+    const observe = screen.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Observe' });
+    const pasted = Array.from({ length: 20 }, (_, i) => `pasted${i}`).join(' ');
+    fireEvent.paste(observe, { clipboardData: { getData: () => pasted } });
+    fireEvent.change(observe, { target: { value: pasted } });
+    expect(await screen.findByText(/is this from ai\?/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText(/20 words here were pasted/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /i wrote it/i }));
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/is this from ai\?/i)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/were pasted/i)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  test('a short paste is not asked about', async () => {
+    await studyOneChunk();
+    const observe = screen.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Observe' });
+    fireEvent.paste(observe, { clipboardData: { getData: () => 'just a few words' } });
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/is this from ai\?/i)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   test('compare translations: the Observe / Interpret / Apply boxes edit the same notes', async () => {
     const user = await studyOneChunk();
     await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /compare…/i }));
@@ -549,4 +569,3 @@ describe('Reading plan with more days than chapters', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByText(/back to today.s reading/i)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 });
-
diff --git a/src/utils/compareTranslations.js b/src/utils/compareTranslations.js
index 0bc4e4b..b421e86 100644
--- a/src/utils/compareTranslations.js
+++ b/src/utils/compareTranslations.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 // Comparing translations of one chunk: which chapter(s) and verses to fetch, and the verses lined up by number.
 import { getChunkVerseEntries } from './bibleUtils.jsx';
+import { diffVerses } from './textDiff.js';
 
 // -> [{ bookAbbrev, book, chapter, from, to }]: one entry per chapter the chunk covers (two when it spills over).
 export function translationSpans(project, chapterIndex, chunk) {
@@ -23,8 +24,33 @@ export function alignVerses(spans, byTranslation) {
       for (const [id, chapters] of Object.entries(byTranslation)) {
         texts[id] = chapters?.[`${span.book}|${span.chapter}`]?.find((v) => v.number === n)?.text ?? null;
       }
-      rows.push({ key: `${span.book}${span.chapter}:${n}`, label: spans.length > 1 ? `${span.chapter}:${n}` : String(n), texts });
+      rows.push({ key: `${span.book}${span.chapter}:${n}`, noteKey: `${span.chapter}:${n}`, label: spans.length > 1 ? `${span.chapter}:${n}` : String(n), texts });
     }
   }
   return rows;
 }
+
+// For one verse in several translations: which words in each text the others lack, measured against the first
+// translation (and the first against the second). -> { BSB: [{ start, end }], NET: [...] }
+export function differencesFor(texts, ids) {
+  const out = Object.fromEntries(ids.map((id) => [id, []]));
+  const present = ids.filter((id) => texts[id]);
+  if (present.length < 2) return out;
+  const [base, ...rest] = present;
+  out[base] = diffVerses(texts[base], texts[rest[0]]).a;
+  for (const id of rest) out[id] = diffVerses(texts[base], texts[id]).b;
+  return out;
+}
+
+// Cuts a text at the ranges -> [{ text, mark }] so a view can wrap the marked parts.
+export function markRanges(text, ranges) {
+  const parts = [];
+  let at = 0;
+  for (const r of [...(ranges ?? [])].sort((a, b) => a.start - b.start)) {
+    if (r.start > at) parts.push({ text: text.slice(at, r.start), mark: false });
+    parts.push({ text: text.slice(r.start, r.end), mark: true });
+    at = r.end;
+  }
+  if (at < text.length) parts.push({ text: text.slice(at), mark: false });
+  return parts;
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/compareTranslations.test.js b/src/utils/compareTranslations.test.js
index 2eb2be6..3101693 100644
--- a/src/utils/compareTranslations.test.js
+++ b/src/utils/compareTranslations.test.js
@@ -27,3 +27,19 @@ test('verses are lined up by number, with null where a translation lacks one', (
   expect(rows[0].texts).toEqual({ BSB: 'a', NET: 'c' });
   expect(rows[1].texts).toEqual({ BSB: 'b', NET: null });
 });
+
+import { differencesFor, markRanges } from './compareTranslations.js';
+
+test('differences are the words a translation has that the first one lacks', () => {
+  const d = differencesFor({ BSB: 'For God so loved the world', NET: 'For this is the way God loved the world', ESV: 'For God so loved the world' }, ['BSB', 'NET', 'ESV']);
+  expect(d.ESV).toEqual([]); // same words as the first
+  const text = 'For this is the way God loved the world';
+  expect(markRanges(text, d.NET).filter((p) => p.mark).map((p) => p.text.trim()).join(' ')).toContain('this is the way');
+  expect(differencesFor({ BSB: 'a b', NET: null }, ['BSB', 'NET']).BSB).toEqual([]); // nothing to compare against
+});
+
+test('markRanges splits a text into plain and marked pieces that rejoin to the original', () => {
+  const parts = markRanges('one two three four', [{ start: 4, end: 7 }, { start: 14, end: 18 }]);
+  expect(parts.map((p) => p.text).join('')).toBe('one two three four');
+  expect(parts.filter((p) => p.mark).map((p) => p.text)).toEqual(['two', 'four']);
+});
diff --git a/src/utils/mergeStudies.js b/src/utils/mergeStudies.js
index d8389d3..4bc6a49 100644
--- a/src/utils/mergeStudies.js
+++ b/src/utils/mergeStudies.js
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ export function mergeChunk(mine, theirs) {
   LIST_FIELDS.forEach((f) => { out[f] = union(newer[f], older[f]); });
   // Pastes follow their text: keep the union per field so merged notes still show what was pasted.
   out.aiPastes = Object.fromEntries(['observation', 'interpretation', 'application'].map((f) => [f, union(newer.aiPastes?.[f], older.aiPastes?.[f])]));
+  // Verse notes are kept per verse (the newer wording wins, an older different one is appended); the earliest first draft is kept.
+  const noteKeys = new Set([...Object.keys(newer.verseNotes ?? {}), ...Object.keys(older.verseNotes ?? {})]);
+  out.verseNotes = Object.fromEntries([...noteKeys].map((k) => [k, mergeText(newer.verseNotes?.[k], older.verseNotes?.[k])]));
+  out.firstDraft = [newer.firstDraft, older.firstDraft].filter(Boolean).sort((a, b) => a.at - b.at)[0];
   out.followUps = mergeById(newer.followUps, older.followUps);
   out.recalls = union(newer.recalls, older.recalls);
   out.editedAt = Math.max(mine.editedAt ?? 0, theirs.editedAt ?? 0) || undefined;
diff --git a/src/utils/ownWork.js b/src/utils/ownWork.js
index a3f3f47..ac65f3c 100644
--- a/src/utils/ownWork.js
+++ b/src/utils/ownWork.js
@@ -51,3 +51,13 @@ export function chunksNeedingWork(chunks) {
 // Commentary and study aids stay folded away until you've written this much of your own Observe notes.
 export const OBSERVE_FIRST_MIN = 15;
 export const observeFirstDone = (chunk) => ownWords(chunk, 'observation') >= OBSERVE_FIRST_MIN;
+
+// "No, I wrote it": take one remembered paste back out, so those words count as your own again.
+export function withoutPaste(chunk, field, pasted) {
+  const text = (pasted ?? '').trim();
+  const all = chunk?.aiPastes ?? {};
+  const list = [...(all[field] ?? [])];
+  const at = list.lastIndexOf(text);
+  if (at >= 0) list.splice(at, 1);
+  return { ...all, [field]: list };
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/ownWork.test.js b/src/utils/ownWork.test.js
index 26f578a..0e67431 100644
--- a/src/utils/ownWork.test.js
+++ b/src/utils/ownWork.test.js
@@ -56,3 +56,14 @@ test('merging two copies keeps the pastes from both', () => {
   const b = { id: 'x', observation: 'b', editedAt: 1, aiPastes: { observation: ['p2'] } };
   expect(mergeChunk(a, b).chunk.aiPastes.observation).toEqual(['p1', 'p2']);
 });
+
+import { withoutPaste } from './ownWork.js';
+
+test('"No, I wrote it" takes one paste back out so the words count as yours again', () => {
+  const pasted = text(30);
+  const chunk = { observation: pasted, aiPastes: { observation: [pasted, 'other'] } };
+  const after = { ...chunk, aiPastes: withoutPaste(chunk, 'observation', `  ${pasted} `) };
+  expect(after.aiPastes.observation).toEqual(['other']);
+  expect(ownWords(after, 'observation')).toBe(30);
+  expect(withoutPaste({}, 'observation', 'x')).toEqual({ observation: [] });
+});