When it comes to memorizing verses, the psalmist put it best:
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:11 NIV
That’s just one of hundreds of Bible verses that many children memorize in Sunday school. This one has stuck with me throughout the years along with many others.
Take a Bible Quiz!
In my high school years, I gave up sports for a different activity – Bible Quiz. For those who have never heard of Bible Quiz, it’s an activity in the AG churches that brings together youth to quiz them on different books of the Bible each year.
Yes, it sounds dorky, but we ended up memorizing over 2,000 verses that sharpened our minds and strengthened our faith!
You heard right, over 2,000 verses. My first year was the book of Luke (1151 verses), next was I & II Corinthians (693 verses), Gospel of John (879 verses), Hebrews and I&II Peter (469 verses).
It was quite a challenge to not only memorize bible verses, but entire chapters of the Bible, and it would take quite a while. But when you could simply quote entire passages of the Bible, it was an awesome feeling!
Every day after school from 4:00-6:00 I would sit down and try to memorize a few new verses. My method took a while, but the verses stuck. I’d spend about 20 minutes per verse and move onto the next one, adding about 6 new verses a day. The next day, I’d review what I did the day or two before and I’d always try to quote through everything on the weekend to make sure I was ready for the quiz matches.
How I Memorize Bible Verses:
Realize that I would spend 1-2 hours a day – it was what I did instead of playing sports, so it took a lot of dedication, just like any sport’s practice would.
Pre-Game Memorization
1. Highlight Names and Underline Places
Before I’d even start studying a block of scripture, I would read through it and highlight names in yellow and underline places in orange. This technique will help you to visually remember passages better and will act like a ‘roadmap’ when you think back to the page of scripture.
2. Highlight Old Testament Quotes in Green
Did you realize that the New Testament is full of quotes from the Old Testament? Authors like Paul were extremely well-versed in the Old Testament and would use these verses to emphasize the Gospel of Christ. It’s worth highlighting these as additional points of reference.
Memorization is very visual! If you spend time memorizing a passage of scripture, you’ll literally close your eyes and envision the page in your mind. So highlighting can really help you to memorize more effectively!
3. Read the Entire Passage of Scripture
Read through the chapter and get an understanding of what’s going on.
My Memorization Process
Not everyone memorizes things the same, but if you’re curious to know how I was able to memorize 500 verses a year, this is it:
- Work on one verse at a time – not multiple verses.
- Read the verse aloud 20 times – don’t rush through this part.
- Read the verse aloud once, then speak the verse once from memory (10 times).
- Quote the verse without mistakes 5 times in a row. Once you can do this, move to the next verse.
Sometimes going through the process would take 15 minutes per verse, other times it would be about 20 minutes per verse. It’s not about spending a certain number of minutes – it’s about repetition and using your eyes, ears, and voice to get each verse down.
Are You Up for the Challenge?
Even if you could only spend 1 hour a day memorizing scripture, you could easily memorize 3-4 verses a day. That’s over 20 verses in one week – about an entire chapter in many books of the Bible. Imagine being able to quote an entire chapter after just one week of studying.
Trust me, it’s possible!
When was the last time you memorized a verse in the Bible? Here are a couple chapters to consider for your challenge: Hebrews 1, Luke 6, and 1 Corinthians 13.
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This is great – thanks for sharing! Folks who shrink from sitting for an hour at a time, memorizing, could write their verses out on flash cards and keep them close at hand. You can post them on your computer at home, at work, read before bed, and when you get up. Like you, I memorize one verse at a time and then build on it for 10 or so in a row. It’s important to know those “power verses” like John 3:16 and Romans 1:20, but when you learn the verses around them, you can put them into context better and they pack a greater punch. I’m so glad you posted this!
Always make sure you understand what the Holy Spirit is saying to you in the verses strengthens you. It is amazing that when we learn Bible verses, in every situation that comes in our lives the Holy Spirit brings them back to our memory when we need them.
It is like war in the old times. When you need something to fight the enemy, you just draw the sword to fight with. :). As Ephesians 6 says.
I am truly impressed. Thanks for sharing your information. It’s very encouraging.
Thank you sooo much for the info. I just got really serious about memorizing scripture a few days ago. The first thing I have conquered which I have always struggled with was the book chapter and verse reference (ie 1 Cor 2:14). Upon my older son’s suggestion, I put the reference at the beginning so I always memorize and quote that first. One of the reasons I am memorizing scripture is because I am trying to reach out to some JW’s and I want to be able to quote directly from their Bible. As I prepare my defense, I look up the verse in my Bible and then I look it up in theirs. If it isn’t twisted to badly in their translation, I write it down on an index card and have the cards in my purse so I can memorize in spare moments of time. I know your technique will really help!
BTW I memorize it in my translation not theirs. But if I memorize it, I can easily look it up in their Bible (which they brought me) and read it to them from their translation. Then I don’t have to have a “cheat sheet” of verses and it just seems much more effective.
I am currently with some now. How has this been working for you? Maybe I can get some tips from you and we could help strengthen one another? -Lauren
I just got serious about memorizing scripture last year. I use the website memverse.com to help me. I like to do it while I’m on the computer. It has definitely strengthened my faith. Congratulations on all those memory verses that you have memorized. I at my 56th memory verse. However I do have trouble memorizing what book and verse they’re from.
After I read your comment, I went to memverse.com and have been using it since. It is awesome (and free!) memory verse software. It was initially a little hard to navigate, but I did get the hang of it. It has helped me so much and I am on my way to memorizing many verses because of it. I will be using it conjunction with flashcards. An idea I got from memverse that I will use on my flashcards is that on the back of each card, I am going to write the reference along with the first letter of each word to help jog my memory. Thanks for sharing the info!!!
i had a question when you said highlight the old testment scriptures in green i am assuming you meant from in the new testament am i correct?
I’m only a few days into working this into my study program and am truly thankful and impressed by how well this works! I was wondering if I could see an example (preferably from Hebrews 1) of how you did your highlighting. If there is any way that you can do that I would be truly grateful!
Sincerely,
Jamie B
I am also memorizing whole chapters at a time right now! I am reading through Janet Pope’s book “His Word in My Heart.” It’s excellent and I highly recommend it!!
Thanks! I just bought the book!
One suggestion I have is to use the first letter of each word of a bible verse for your passwords. That way, you have to recite a verse to log in and the verse address covers the number criteria.
That’s great, thanks Trudi!
This is really great. I have been teaching students to memory peg each of the books of the Bible so it becomes easy for them to know that the 56th book is Titus and the 20th is Proverbs and it has been exciting for the students too. Thank you for sharing your memory strategy. Blessings 100x
Thanks, David!
Can you explain how to do this?
Will someone explain thw difference between speaking the verse outloud, and quoting it? Thanks.
I loved this! Mike and I are into memorizing scripture. After reading your post, I have just one addition to make. I came up with an idea the last two weeks which has really helped.
Some folks, like myself, will find it helpful to actually write the verses out several times.
I’m working on Ps. 119 right now, and used this approach to learn two sections. I really works.
speaking aloud is reading from the scripture directly. Quoting is saying it without looking at the scripture you are trying to memorize
I HAVE FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE ELSE WHO QUIZZES (or has quizzed)!!!!!!!!!! YAY
Thank you !
Thanks so much for your various contributions and strategies you are bringing up to help memorize scriptures. For me my main problem is how to recollect the scripture and the verse back after l learn it. Sometimes I will remember the words and what it is taking about but I can’t remember the particular scripture and verse it belongs to. Can someone give me tips how to go about this…….
THANKS SO MUCH. I’m having to memorize 60 verses so i can get 200 $$$ off summer camp… there r 20 weeks and 3 verses per week and so far im on week 8 and struggling. Once again thanks for the tips!!!!!!
Please can you send me some Bible portion that can help build my faith thank you… I hope I’m not asking too. Much
Quite inspiring, thanks so much for your good work