Favorite Bible verses to memorize

Isaiah-55-11

Memorizing scripture can be hard, repetitive work.

But it can also be one of the most rewarding spiritual disciplines you ever undertake. Not only does God use his words to bless you as you’re learning them, he’ll return them to bless you later in unexpected ways.

So when you find a verse special to you, write it down. Then make intentional efforts to capture it in your soul through memorization.

Here are some favorite Bible verses and chapters to memorize.

MEMORY CLASSICS (print all on one page)

  • Psalm 23:1-6
  • Proverbs 3:5-6
  • Jeremiah 29:11
  • Matthew 6:9-13
  • John 3:16
  • Romans 8:28
  • 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
  • Ephesians 2:8-9
  • Philippians 4:13

10 OLD TESTAMENT FAVORITES – individual verses

  • Exodus 33:13-14
  • Deuteronomy 6:4-7
  • 1 Samuel 2:2
  • 2 Chronicles 15:7
  • Psalm 4:8
  • Psalm 73:28
  • Proverbs 31:30
  • Isaiah 26:3-4
  • Daniel 9:18
  • Zephaniah 3:17

10 NEW TESTAMENT FAVORITES – individual verses

  • Luke 16:10-11
  • John 5:24
  • John 6:28-29
  • Acts 17:27-28
  • Romans 4:20-21
  • Ephesians 3:17-21
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
  • 1 Timothy 6:6-8
  • 2 Timothy 2:13
  • Hebrews 4:16

10 OLD TESTAMENT CHAPTERS

  • Psalm 1
  • Psalm 27
  • Psalm 34
  • Psalm 71
  • Psalm 91
  • Psalm 139
  • Psalm 145
  • Isaiah 12
  • Isaiah 43
  • Isaiah 55

10 NEW TESTAMENT CHAPTERS

  • Matthew 6
  • John 14
  • Romans 8
  • 1 Corinthians 13
  • Ephesians 1
  • Philippians 3
  • Colossians 3
  • Hebrews 12
  • James 1
  • 2 Peter 1

MEMORY VERSES FOR TRIPS

PRINTABLE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THESE

* * *

Do you have a favorite memory verse? A favorite chapter? Any tips you can share on memorizing? Please share in the comments.

More on scripture memorization here and here

33 thoughts on “Favorite Bible verses to memorize

  1. Sheila at Longings End

    Practice, practice, practice. With index cards in various places — like the bathroom mirror and in your pocket. And trying to relate the verse to something personal helps it stick. Thanks, Lisa, for the Isaiah 55 challenge. Blessings and love…

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Excellent advice, Sheila. I especially like “relate the verse to something personal” – that definitely helps me too. With Isaiah 55 it’s been easy to keep it personal as I think about what I really thirst for and what I spend my resources on.

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I hear you; it does make it harder when we use different translations. I had a tough time this summer when we did Memory Classics because I knew them from different translations from my past. These days I mainly stick with ESV just to make it easier.

  2. Beth

    Thanks for serving up so many options for us to get started with, Lisa! I do love Zephaniah 3:17 but have never committed it to “memory.” So I’m going to take your challenge and your tips and get going on that one! Have a great week, sweet friend!

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Zeph 3:17 is a great one to memorize, Beth. It’s a verse I didn’t really pay attention to until the past several years but now it means so much to me to think about God singing over me. Powerful!

  3. Dianna

    Lisa, thank you so much for taking the time to share all of these verses! What a treasure trove of His special promises and blessings! Right now…my favorite is Isaiah 55. It is really speaking to my heart about some things that are very personal and leading me in the path in which I need to walk!

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I’m glad Isaiah 55 is speaking to you, too, Dianna. I am loving it more every day, especially these first three verses that I don’t hear as often as the verses at the end of the chapter.

  4. Joe Pote

    Yes, God is so good to recall scriptures to mind at the right times…and to reveal new insight through old familiar passages.

    I love your lists, and share many of your favorites.

    Although I do still memorize scripture, I’ve found the passages I memorized as a child stick with me the best. Passages memorized as an adult are not recalled as precisely word-for-word as those learned as a child.

    I’ve also found, when doing a study or preparing a lesson that I need to keep a KJV concordance handy, even though I generally use NASB. Why the KJV? Because that’s the translation I learned as a child and can most readily recall passages.

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Exactly, Joe–I remember the ones from my youth so much better than anything I’ve learned as an adult. And in the KJV, too, even though I haven’t used that translation for years. It’s still our native Bible tongue I suppose. 🙂

  5. Janis@Heart-Filled Moments

    Hi Lisa, thank you for the list of Bible verse to memorize. What a great gift!
    I find the only way I can memorize a Bible verse is to put it on an index card and repeat it day after day until it becomes part of life. Having personal meaning does make it easier to memorize certain Scriptures.

    Thank you for following me on Blogger. Hope you’ll stop by and visit my new WordPress site, heartfilledmoments.com and look me up on Facebook at “Heart-Filled Moments” as well. Thanks, Lisa.
    Blessings,
    Janis

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I admit I wish there was another way besides this: “repeat it day after day until it becomes part of life” but that’s the key for me too. Over and over. But at least it’s good things I’m repeating over and over when it’s scripture. 🙂

  6. Betty Draper

    It interesting how much of the Bible has stuck in my head through the years. Not because I set out to memorize it exactly but because I used certain scripture verses, chapters and even books as life brought new reason to lite on truth for what ever was going on. I admire those of you who on purpose memorize whole books, never done that but I admire it. My thinking has always been, learn a little use a lot so certain things are deeply embedded in my memory. Maybe I am little lazy when it comes to memorizing as I have gotten older.

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      That’s a most beneficial way to memorize scripture, Betty–use it over and over. How wonderful that you have lots of Bible embedded in your heart through heavy use!

  7. bluecottonmemory

    I never realized I had ever memorized scripture until I realized all the scripture from attending mass and its repetition – and I was so relieved that I wasn’t scriptureless – I was in my 20s at that time. It wasn’t until the scriptures became alive to me – that I picked them up, carried them like a shield or sang them in a song I’d made up that they became “memorized.” Wonderful! Wonderful! List!

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Isn’t it evidence of the Lord’s grace when scripture sticks with us without our even trying when we’re young? You were blessed to have that experience; I’m grateful I did too, especially when I realize not everyone has been equally exposed to it.

      But then when we discover as we get older that the Word is really living in us? Yes, it is wonderful!

  8. Dolly@Soulstops

    Thank you, Lisa, for the list…You inspire me…I have certain verses I go to all the time, such as Isa. 41:10…this year, we are trying to memorize John 1 together…we are up to v. 1 and 2 and sort of 3 at this point 🙂

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      That “sort of” learning sounds like me when I’m first starting a chapter too. 🙂 It will come. John 1 is still one of my very favorite chapters. I know your family is being blessed and will be blessed because you are doing this together.

  9. Laura

    Thank you for these, Lisa. I need a new memory project and I haven’t settled on one yet. I wonder if memorizing some faves might be in order. I’ll have to think about that.

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Hope this list will help you decide, Laura. I’m trying to get back into review mode for things I once memorized but have let gone stale. Continuing to review is the hardest part for me.

  10. Holly Barrett

    I’m working on memorizing scripture too, Lisa. The best thing that works for me is repetition. I go over all my memory verses every day. It helps me memorize the new one and keeps the old ones fresh in my mind. Sometimes I recite them out loud, sometimes I write them out, sometimes I write out the first letter of each word while I’m saying the verse. I’ve even been known to type them out or to tweet them out too! Reviewing and practicing them every day really makes a big difference!

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      You’re exactly right, Holly. Repetition is key. I also like that you use a variety of sensory methods–writing, hearing, typing,… The more ways we can get it in and keep it in, the better.

  11. cookingupfaith

    I would love to memorize more scripture. I have found when I work hard at it, it doesn’t stick, but when I just mediate on favorite scriptures and think about them, it sticks.

    My favorite go to verse when I worry is “there is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out all fear.” 1 John 4:18

  12. Pingback: Tips and resources for memorizing Bible verses

  13. Sheila at Longings End

    Lisa, my friend, I just want to stop in and say THANKS for leading us all in deeper Bible study through memorization. I so enjoy being part of your group! And my gratitude to God for your dear heart. And thanks be to God who knows us better than we know ourselves and unveils ways that make walking the Way such a delight. I share in my linked post today how God has transformed my memory verse time into something that is filled with more joy than before, such a sweet gift from such a good God. Thanks…

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Your words come as such a blessing to me, Shelia. I’m glad you’re benefiting by being in the group; we’re definitely benefiting by having you in it! Your post today was lovely and inspiring.

  14. Brooke Espinoza

    Lisa, this is super! I love your idea of memorizing favorite Bible verses, because I really believe part of a successful Scripture memory program is to memorize what most inspires you. For me, when I pick a passage I feel strongly about, I am all the more motivated to get memorizing and stick with it to the end, than if I pick a passage that doesn’t grab me as strongly. Depending on the season of life I’m in, different passages will minister to me more times than others. I memorize what ministers to me most, for the season I’m in and later on when I’m in a new season, God will be faithful to continue to use those verses I’ve hidden in my heart, and at the same time, give me another passage that ministers to my new season of life. It’s a win-win situation. 🙂

    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I’ve also found that those “pesonal” verses seem to stick more in my memory, too. It proves that the ones we need are the ones we’ll use. Yes, definitely a win-win!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *