diff --git a/esv.el b/esv.el
index cc13932..ebd157f 100644
--- a/esv.el
+++ b/esv.el
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@
   :type 'string
   :group 'esv)
 
+(defvar esv-arguments '()
+  "List of additional arguments passed to `esv-program'.")
+
 (define-derived-mode esv-mode text-mode "ESV-Bible"
   "Major mode used for reading the Bible with `esv'."
   :group 'esv
@@ -69,13 +72,16 @@ The result will be redirected to a buffer specified by `esv-buffer'.
 Requires the esv command line tool to be in the system's PATH.
 esv can be acquired at <https://sr.ht/~jeremy/esv>."
   (interactive "MBook: \nMVerses: ")
-  (let ((buffer (concat book " " verses)))
+  (let
+      ((buffer (concat book " " verses))
+       (arg-list (append esv-arguments
+                         (list (format "-l%d" esv-columns)))))
     (catch 'buffer-exists
       (when (get-buffer buffer)
         (message "Buffer `%s' already exists" buffer)
         (throw 'buffer-exists nil))
-      (call-process esv-program nil buffer t
-        (format "-l%d" esv-columns) book verses)
+      (apply #'call-process esv-program nil buffer t
+        (append arg-list (list book) (list verses)))
       (display-buffer buffer)
       (with-current-buffer buffer
         (esv-mode)