Bible memory verses · 46 verses
Bible Memory Verses for Kids by age, 3 to 12
These Bible memory verses for kids are grouped by age, from three-year-olds learning their first short verse to preteens ready for John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9. Each age adds a little length: the youngest verses are ten words or fewer, the oldest up to forty. Every verse is word for word from the Berean Standard Bible, with a line about what it means.
Pick one verse a week. Read it together at breakfast or bedtime, then press Practice: the words disappear a few at a time until your child can say it alone, and it becomes a game. Tick it off when it is learned, and print the flashcards for the fridge, the car or a Sunday school class.
Memory verses for 3 and 4 year olds
Ten words or fewer, about who God is. Say each one with a simple hand motion and let your child finish the last word.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1 · 10 words
The very first verse of the Bible: God made everything.
We love because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19 · 7 words
Why we love: God loved us first.
God is love.
1 John 4:16 · 3 words
Three words that say who God is.
When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
Psalm 56:3 · 10 words
A verse for the dark, a storm, or the first day of school.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good.
Psalm 136:1 · 9 words
A good verse to say before meals.
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another.
Ephesians 4:32 · 7 words
For sharing toys and making up after a quarrel.
I am the good shepherd.
John 10:11 · 5 words
Jesus says He takes care of us like a shepherd with his sheep.
I am with you always.
Matthew 28:20 · 5 words
Jesus’ promise: He is with us everywhere we go.
Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 · 3 words
We can talk to God anytime, anywhere.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Psalm 150:6 · 8 words
The last verse of the Psalms: everyone who breathes can praise God.
Memory verses for 5 and 6 year olds
Fifteen words or fewer, good for kindergarten and first grade: Jesus, obeying, friends, and not being afraid.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1 · 9 words
The first line of the best-known psalm: with God caring for us, we have what we need.
A friend loves at all times.
Proverbs 17:17 · 6 words
A good friend keeps loving, on good days and hard ones.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Ephesians 6:1 · 11 words
God asks children to obey their parents, and says it is right.
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13 · 11 words
Paul wrote this from prison: Jesus gives us strength for whatever comes.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 · 10 words
Jesus never changes. He is the same today as in the Bible stories.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 14:15 · 9 words
Loving Jesus shows in how we live.
Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you.
Luke 2:11 · 13 words
What the angel told the shepherds on the night Jesus was born.
He is not here; He has risen, just as He said!
Matthew 28:6 · 11 words
The angel’s words at the empty tomb on Easter morning.
Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Psalm 34:8 · 8 words
Try trusting God and see for yourself how good He is.
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 · 11 words
We can hand every worry to God, because He cares.
Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.
Acts 16:31 · 10 words
Paul’s answer to the jailer who asked how to be saved.
Memory verses for 7 and 8 year olds
Up to about twenty words: the gospel, God’s Word, and how to treat other people.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105 · 14 words
The Bible shows us the next step, like a flashlight on a dark path.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 · 15 words
Trusting God more than our own ideas.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 · 12 words
Everyone has done wrong. That is why we all need Jesus.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 · 20 words
Sin earns death, but God gives eternal life as a free gift.
This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 · 17 words
A morning verse: today is a gift from God.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:12 · 14 words
Jesus’ command: love others the way He loves us.
I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well.
Psalm 139:14 · 20 words
God made you, and He made you wonderfully.
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6 · 19 words
Jesus is the way to God the Father.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7 · 16 words
God gives courage, love and self-control instead of fear.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1 · 13 words
A refuge is a safe place. God is always there to help.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Colossians 3:20 · 13 words
Obeying parents pleases the Lord.
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8 · 18 words
A bedtime verse: God keeps us safe while we sleep.
Memory verses for 9 to 12 year olds
Longer verses for older kids and preteens: the heart of the gospel, courage, and growing in faith.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 · 27 words
The whole gospel in one verse: God’s love, His Son, and eternal life for everyone who believes.
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 · 18 words
God did not wait for us to be good. Jesus died for us while we were still sinners.
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 · 31 words
We are saved by grace through faith, as a gift, not by being good enough.
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 · 29 words
God’s words to Joshua before he led Israel into a new land.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 · 35 words
Five promises in one verse for when you are scared.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 · 24 words
The nine kinds of fruit the Holy Spirit grows in someone who follows Jesus.
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 · 23 words
When we do good, people can see God’s goodness.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 · 18 words
Even eating, playing and homework can be done for God.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 · 37 words
Instead of worrying, pray about everything, and God gives His peace.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 · 22 words
When we tell God what we did wrong, He forgives us.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 · 35 words
Don’t just copy what everyone around you does. Let God change how you think.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
2 Timothy 3:16 · 18 words
The whole Bible comes from God and teaches us how to live.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33 · 19 words
Put God first, and trust Him with everything else.
How to help kids memorize Bible verses
- Same time, every day. Say the verse at breakfast, in the car or at bedtime. Five days of a few minutes works better than one long try.
- Say the reference too. Say it before and after the verse. It becomes the verse’s name, and later your child can find it in a Bible.
- Make it a game. Press Practice and let your child beat the disappearing words. Take turns: you say a phrase, they say the next one.
- Add motions or a tune. Young children remember what they do with their hands and what they sing. Make up a motion for each phrase.
- Talk about what it means. Ask, What does this verse tell us about God? When could you use it? A verse that is understood stays longer.
- Review old verses. On Sunday, say all the verses learned so far. Tick each one off on this page and celebrate the list growing.
More Bible memory verses
- Bible Memory Verses for Preschoolers · 33 verses
- Bible Verses to Memorize as a Family · 26 verses
- Bible Memory Verses for Teens · 34 verses
- 52-Week Scripture Memory Plan · 52 verses
- Bible reading plan for kids: the great stories, one a day
- Bible trivia questions for kids
- A bedtime prayer for kids
- Prayer points for children
Questions
What Bible verse should a child memorize first?
A short verse about who God is: Genesis 1:1, 1 John 4:19 or Psalm 56:3. Once those are easy, John 3:16 is the verse many families teach next, because it holds the whole gospel.
What are good Bible memory verses for 5 year olds?
Verses of about fifteen words or fewer: Psalm 23:1, Philippians 4:13, Ephesians 6:1, 1 Peter 5:7 and Psalm 34:8 all work well. The 5 and 6 year olds section above has eleven, each with a line about what it means.
How many verses can a child memorize?
One verse a week is a good pace for most children, which is fifty-two a year. Reviewing the old verses matters more than adding new ones quickly.
Can I print these memory verses?
Yes. Print flashcards makes eight cards a page to cut out, and the PDF has the same cards. The verses are from the Berean Standard Bible, which is in the public domain, so you may copy them for your family, class or church.