As a Christian, how do you memorize passages of Scripture?

[Stanley Yang]

Hi everyone,

How does everyone memorize Bible verses? I'm curious how you pick which verses to remember, and your process is to commit it to memory.

I've always struggled with memorizing verses, so any tips here are appreciated!

 

[Albion]

I can appreciate the problem some people have with memorizing, but is memorizing the Bible necessary?

It's great if you want to do a lot of that, and you are able; but so long as you have a Bible and use it, and are familiar with the contents, you have what matters.

 

[Job3315]

Hi everyone,

How does everyone memorize Bible verses? I'm curious how you pick which verses to remember, and your process is to commit it to memory.

I've always struggled with memorizing verses, so any tips here are appreciated!

I need to "feel" the scripture to memorize it. when I read it, I meditate and try to "feel" what the Lord is trying to tell me about it. I also keep in mind the context of the scripture; when was it said, why, for whom, etc. That helps me remember a scripture when a situation arises. Like, if I worry, I remember what Jesus told His disciples not to worry about tomorrow. I might not remember it verse by verse, but I do remember the context/scene in which He said it and that He indeed said it, so that brings me peace.

Another way I find very helpful to memorize scripture is by listening and memorizing songs. For example, there are many psalms that have music. The Psalms Project is one of my favorite bands to listen to. Shane and Shane also have some psalms.

 

[Sketcher]

I read and re-read the passages. Some people also post the verses in places around their houses where they always look anyway - the bathroom mirror, on the microwave, etc.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I have only memorized a couple of passages . I memorize the same way of it is for a Bible passage or for something else. Repetition and content. If I know what the passage is about that is a good start . Then I repeats it over and again until it is retained in memory and can be recalled at will. There are always certain words or phrases that will be sticking points and others that will be guideposts.

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Stanley Yang, I was taught using the Navigator's Topical Memory System, and I still use that system to memorize Scriptures today, and to review them (the Navigators have used the TMS to train all of their missionaries for nearly 100 years now, so it is a proven system of topical verses and passages that are meant to go together to help you (and others through you) live the Christian life.

What I didn't have when I first started using their system was the TMS app (it's available now in either Android or Apple), which I 'highly' recommend. The business card-sized flashcards worked well, but the app makes it easier still (not that the word "easy" is a word that is commonly associated with Scripture memory work ).

Memory work feels pretty legalistic at first, because it's just that, "work", but it gets better .. FAR better in fact, as you continue (because of what you are memorizing and how the Lord will end up using it in your life). I also believe that the time and effort that you'll need to put in will pale in comparison to the ongoing/lifetime of blessings that you will receive because of it

I've gotta run, but I'll try to return and tell you what things helped/worked best for me as I used the TMS. The three most important words in real estate are, Location, Location, Location. Can you guess what the three most important words are for Scripture memorization?

God bless you!

--David
p.s. - Here is one of the TMS passages (two verses, actually).

Psalm 119:9,11 (NASB 77')
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. Thy word I have 'treasured' in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee.
.​

 

[tturt]

A pastor was on a ministry trip in another country when he had a medical emergency. No Bibles, no phones. But he had memorized Scripture. As he recalled them, it really encouraged him.

What version were you thinking of using?

 

[St_Worm2]

Some people post the verses in places around their houses where they always look anyway - the bathroom mirror, on the microwave, etc.

The Jews were commanded to do so in the time of Moses (literally on their doorposts, and elsewhere), and they still do so today (the Orthodox do anyway, on their doorposts, in particular .. they call it a Mezuzah).

Moses discusses it here in one of my favorite OT passages (which, as you will see, is a command with a promise attached to it).

Deuteronomy 11
18 You shall impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
19 You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.
20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,
21 so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.
​

--David

​

 

[public hermit]

I have a good bit of scripture memorized, but can rarely tell you the specific chapter and verse. Usually I know the book, and perhaps the chapter, but rarely the verse. I didn't set out to memorize certain passages, which is why I usually can't give the specific location. It's just after years of reading and re-reading the same scriptures the words stick.

How does everyone memorize Bible verses

I have been using the same devotional guide for years, which cycles through the lectionary. After years of reading the same passages I am able to recall many of them. That has been my method, albeit unintentional in terms of memorization.

 

[Jeshu]

i found two ways to memorise Scripture easily.

Number one is use Scripture in your daily life to protect you against the arrows of the wicked. The truths of Scripture are always true so use The Word to stay in the truth of God.

i found that the more i use Scripture, specially in my writings, the better i memorise it.

Secondly i listen to Scripture music, that really helps getting the verses into you.

Sherri Youngward, and the Sons of Korah sing out of Scripture. i love their songs and know them by heart.

i'll share you some examples.

 

[UnpopularOpinion]

Hi everyone,

How does everyone memorize Bible verses? I'm curious how you pick which verses to remember, and your process is to commit it to memory.

I've always struggled with memorizing verses, so any tips here are appreciated!

you don't
Holy Spirit ought to put things in your mind so you can remember them when u need them

 

[Tolworth John]

Hi everyone,

How does everyone memorize Bible verses? I'm curious how you pick which verses to remember, and your process is to commit it to memory.

I've always struggled with memorizing verses, so any tips here are appreciated!

The navigator method works.
Write out your chosen verse on a small credit card sized card and then it is repetition, repetition, repetition.
Stick copies around your bathroom mirror and read then recite the verse, check and repeat untill it is correct, ditto in your car, when at traffic lights go through the verses you are learning, while waiting in a supermarket queue go through them quietly, at home or at work find moments to read and recite the verse always checking and repeating untill word perfect.

You will have seen Sunday school or holidayvbiblecclub children doing memory verse the repetition is just as they do it.
Say the book, chapter and verse then the verse repeating book chapter and verse number..

How ever you do it it is only by constantly repeating it that it is committed to memory.

 

[JohnDB]

Write offs work well...
You know like when you were a child and your teacher or parent had you write a hundred times
"I will not put my dirty underwear on my sister's head"

So...
Now use it to help with scripture memorization. The double use of your brain of hand writing it and drawing on your memory to do so really makes it stick well.

Along various topics like Scripture, Prayers, Grace, and etc.

Also inductive bible studies help...
This is where you remove all chapter and verse markers and read and reread...
Then break it down yourself.
Diagramming sentences so that every last little nugget of meaningful knowledge is pulled from it.

Then the wrongness of some scriptures smack you in the face.
John 1:12 certainly is wrong as written in English. But the perfect aortist tense in Greek means past, present, and future all at the same time. We don't have such a tense in English so they just picked a tense. (I think he coulda used present myself but whatever)

But it is nice to pull scriptures out of your head as you need them.

 

[longwait]

Hi everyone,

How does everyone memorize Bible verses? I'm curious how you pick which verses to remember, and your process is to commit it to memory.

I've always struggled with memorizing verses, so any tips here are appreciated!

Write them down and read them over and over again as often as possible. In this way its easy to remember and memorize it. That's how I do it. Also another thing to keep in mind is that it is not enough that we know most of the Bible but we need to obey its rules. God is getting ready to judge the earth and His Word will be the standard He will use to judge us. We need to keep our hearts as pure as possible. The motive of our hearts is what counts. Confess your sins daily to the Lord and ask Him to cleanse your heart of all impurities. God Bless You.

 

[seeking.IAM]

Our brains are interesting organs. They tend to remember the things that are meaningful to us and discard the rest to clear room for more meaningful things later. I haven't intentionally tried to memorize Bible verses since I was child who had to learn my "piece" for church programs in front of the congregation. Still, I have many verses planted in my head either because they've been meaningful to me throughout my life, because I keep going back to them in my Bible reading, or because I hear them repeatedly in liturgy. I see no need to make memorization trials a chore.

 

[Eilat]

Hi everyone,

How does everyone memorize Bible verses? I'm curious how you pick which verses to remember, and your process is to commit it to memory.

I've always struggled with memorizing verses, so any tips here are appreciated!

God will commit verses to your heart if you study to show yourself approved.

If you want one to study, then study this one and live in it for the rest of your life.

Hebrews 13:9