Memorizing Bible verses is so important for kids and adults. The Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God. It speaks with authority concerning truth, morality, and godly living and is the definitive source of all that we believe. That means the Bible is not just a book. It is divinely inspired, and studying the Bible as a family will change our lives.
Yet, how exactly does one do that? What do we do so that the Bible changes us and changes our children? In the late Dr. Gary Smalley’s book, Change Your Heart, Change Your Life, Dr. Smalley encourages parents to help their families “hide God’s Word in their heart,” as mentioned in Psalm 119:11 (NIV). And like the title of his book suggests, if you change your heart by putting God’s Word in it, you can change your life. Another way to look at it is, how do we store up God’s Word, as the ESV version puts it? A good way to do this is by having kids and parents memorize Bible verses.
I admit I’ve struggled with Bible memory. It’s one thing I say I want to do but often put on the back-burner. So, I’ve looked for tips and tricks to help memorize and meditate on Scripture for both my children and me. First, I’ll share some tips on how to memorize Bible verses. Then we will look at some solid Bible verses for kids to memorize that will start your families’ faith journey.
Fun Ways to Memorize Bible Verses
For Baby and Toddler
- Break down the verse into more accessible concepts.
- Repeat the verse several times a day.
- Make the verse a song or add hand motions.
An example of this is to look at John 3:16-17. A parent could break it down to God loves us. Or simply, Jesus saves us. The point is to make it understandable. Make it a song. Add a simple melody such as “God loves us. God loves who? God loves you, and you, and you.” And as you are saying, “you, and you, and you” point to them (or better yet, tickle them) and point to yourself and point to anyone else in the vicinity. Repeat this often and in different locations.
For Primary Age Kids
- Use different learning styles by saying it, listening to it, singing it, acting it out, coloring it, or building it.
- Make memorial markers.
- Play Bible memory games found online.
- Make connections in daily events of how and when to apply verses.
When working through verses, see if your child has a preferred style of learning. Do they lean towards listening? Then check out Bible apps, audiobooks, and Adventures in Odyssey. Or, if they are kinesthetic learners, see if they want to act out the Scripture. For example, create a small play on what it means to be kind to each other, as shared in Ephesians 4:32. Each time they show an act of kindness, they and the audience will say the verse.
Or maybe they want to build a memorial to help them remember. Build a flashlight out of Legos, K’nex, or just add batteries to a regular flashlight when working on the verse Psalm 119:105. Have a treasure hunt with the flashlight and offer a sweet treat at the end after each kid has memorized the Bible verse. In other words, help make abstract concepts understandable and have fun doing it!
For Tweens and Teens
- Create gifts, artwork, or videos with Bible verses.
- Find apps for scripture memory help or creating verse images.
- Ask questions of each other. What does that verse mean? And is there any place where we can see that in the world?
- Look up memorization tips and hacks to learn more extensive passages of Scripture.
As children move into their tween and teen years, help them understand the verses they have learned. What does it mean, and why is it helpful? For example, ask about forgiveness (see Psalm 103:12). Why does God forgive us? And why does God ask us to forgive others? In Matthew 6:14-15, why is an offense called a trespass? And what does popular psychology have to say about the importance of forgiveness? What can that tell us? And please know, no parent has all the answers. You can look up the answers together, ask a pastor, do an Internet search, or find great books to assist. Looking for a solution is a helpful life skill to teach your tween and teen.
Also, another way to engage a teenager is by creating with Scripture. As they are working on a verse, what can they create? I know one teen who makes necklaces for all her friends with a verse she chooses. Or teens can put together a video that the whole family watches and then post it on their favorite social media. What about creating artwork? Drawing, painting, or coloring a verse may resonate with your artistic tween or teen.
Memorizing Bible Verses for a Purpose
In conclusion, there are a million ways to engage with memorizing Scripture. Whether you are memorizing Bible verses with your kids or learning how to read the Bible as a family, the most important thing to do is make God and His Word a part of your everyday life. As shared in Deuteronomy 6:7-9, we want to be teaching and talking and using Scripture all the time in our lives. Memorizing is only useful if we live out what we learned. By using Bible verses in our daily lives, we will demonstrate powerfully to our children that God’s Word is the source of truth. I like the slogan that Bring Your Bible to School shares regarding God’s Word: Learn it, Live it, Love it!
25 Bible Verses for Kids to Memorize
These verses are just a few of many great verses. Let them be an appetizer for your family. Later, dig deeper into the Word of God and go for the three-course meal of your choosing. This is only the beginning of storing God’s word in your heart.
Bible Verses That Talk About How God Saves Us
- John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
- Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
- Isaiah 40:11 “He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”
- Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord.”
- Romans 10:13 “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
- Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
- Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
- Colossians 2:13-14 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
Bible Verses to Know God Better
- Psalm 103:8, 10-12 “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”
- Psalm 33:4 “For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.”
- 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
- Revelation 21:3-4 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
- 1 John 4:8 “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
- Psalm 145:9 “The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.”
- 1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
- Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
Bible Verses That Help Us Live Well
- Matthew 22:37-39 “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
- Psalm 119:9 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.”
- Psalm 119:105 “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
- Matthew 6:14-15 “If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive.” you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
- Psalm 150:6 “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”
- Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
- Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
- Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
These 25 Bible verses for kids are a great start to helping your children hide God’s word in their hearts. I hope they are a blessing to your family as you learn it, live it, love it!
