Short Bible Verses: 20 Brief Scriptures to Memorize and Share
Sometimes a whole chapter is too much, and a single line is exactly enough. Short Bible verses are easy to memorize, easy to pray in one breath, and small enough for a card, a text message, a lock screen, or a note in a lunchbox. Many people find that the verses that stay with them for life are the shortest ones.
Below are twenty short Bible verses, most of them a dozen words or fewer, grouped by theme. Each has a short note on where it comes from and what it means, so the verse carries its full weight even when it is only a few words long. You will also find the shortest verses in the whole Bible, and the stories behind them.
A Note on Verse Numbers
The writers of the Bible did not number their verses. Chapters were added around the year 1200, and the verse numbers we use today were added by a printer named Robert Estienne in the 1550s. The Geneva Bible of 1560 was the first English Bible to number every verse.
That means a verse's length is partly an accident of where a printer drew a line. Some short verses are complete thoughts, and others are one half of a longer sentence. That is why each verse below comes with a note on its setting: a short verse is a doorway into a bigger story, and it is worth stepping through.
The Shortest Verses in the Bible
"Jesus wept." — John 11:35 (KJV)
The shortest verse in most English Bibles. Jesus stood at the tomb of His friend Lazarus and cried with the grieving family, even though He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. These two words show that God does not stand at a distance from our sorrow.
"Rejoice evermore." — 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (KJV)
In the original Greek, this is the shortest verse in the Bible by number of letters. Paul wrote it to a young church that was facing persecution, which makes "evermore" all the more striking.
"Pray without ceasing." — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)
The very next verse. Paul does not mean being on your knees all day. He means living in an open, ongoing conversation with God, turning your thoughts toward Him again and again.
"Remember Lot's wife." — Luke 17:32 (KJV)
Three words from Jesus that point back to an entire story. As Lot's family fled the city of Sodom, his wife looked back longingly and was lost (Genesis 19:26). Jesus uses her as a warning against clinging to what God is calling you to leave behind.
Short Verses for Strength and Courage
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." — Exodus 14:14 (BSB)
Moses said this to the Israelites when they were trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea. Sometimes the bravest thing to do is to stop panicking and let God act.
"Do not be afraid; just believe." — Mark 5:36 (BSB)
Jesus said this to Jairus, a father who had just been told his little daughter had died. Jesus went to the house and raised her up. Five words for the moment the news is worst.
"I will love thee, O LORD, my strength." — Psalm 18:1 (KJV)
David sang this song after God rescued him from his enemies. Before he lists all that God did, he simply says "I love You." Strength begins in a relationship, not a technique.
Short Verses About Love
"We love him, because he first loved us." — 1 John 4:19 (KJV)
Our love for God is always a response, never the first move. The same is true of the best human love: we learn to love by being loved.
"…God is love." — 1 John 4:8 (KJV)
Perhaps the three most important words ever written about God. John does not say only that God loves. He says love is who God is.
"Do everything in love." — 1 Corinthians 16:14 (BSB)
Paul tucked this into the final instructions of a letter to a church torn by arguments. It is four words long and covers every part of life.
"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine" — Song of Solomon 6:3 (KJV)
From the Bible's great love poem. It is a favorite for wedding rings, invitations, and anniversary cards, a promise of love that belongs to both people.
Short Verses of Faith and Hope
"For we walk by faith, not by sight." — 2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)
Paul wrote this while thinking about the hope of heaven. Faith is not blind; it simply sees farther than our eyes can.
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." — Hebrews 13:8 (BSB)
The writer had just reminded readers of leaders who had died. People change and leave; Christ does not. It is a steadying verse for seasons of change.
"And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age." — Matthew 28:20 (BSB)
The last words of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel, spoken as He sent His followers out into the world. The final promise is the presence of Jesus Himself.
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." — Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
An ancient oil lamp lit only a few steps ahead. God's word may not show the whole road, but it shows enough for the next step.
Short Verses of Joy and Comfort
"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." — Psalm 118:24 (KJV)
Psalm 118 is one of the psalms sung at Passover. It is a wonderful first thought of the morning: today is a gift, whatever it holds.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" — Philippians 4:4 (BSB)
Paul wrote this from prison. Joy "in the Lord" does not depend on circumstances, which is why he can say it twice.
"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." — Psalm 34:8 (BSB)
An invitation to experience God for yourself, not just hear about Him. The apostle Peter echoes it centuries later in 1 Peter 2:3.
"Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." — 1 Peter 5:7 (BSB)
The Greek word for "cast" is the same one Luke uses for the disciples throwing their cloaks onto a donkey for Jesus to ride. It is a picture of tossing a heavy load off your shoulders and onto His.
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." — Psalm 23:1 (KJV)
The opening line of the best-loved psalm, and a complete prayer on its own. If you memorize only one verse, many would say it should be this one.
How to Use These Verses
Short verses are made for memorizing: pick one a week and say it each morning until it sticks. Write one on a sticky note, set one as your lock screen, or tuck one into a card, a text, or a lunchbox. Pair Exodus 14:14 with a short prayer for panic moments, or Psalm 118:24 with a short morning prayer. For more, see our famous Bible verses, inspirational Bible verses, and Bible verses about love.
The verses on this page are from the King James Version (KJV) and the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), both in the public domain, so you may reprint and share them freely.