Short Bible Verses

The Shortest Verses in the Bible

The verse system was added to the Bible in the 16th century by the French printer Robert Estienne (Stephanus), who divided the text into numbered sentences for a 1551 edition of the Greek New Testament. Verse length was not part of the original text — some of the shortest "verses" are artifacts of that division system. Others are genuinely brief sentences in Hebrew or Greek.

The shortest verse in the KJV is famously John 11:35 — "Jesus wept." Two words in English. The Greek is also two words: edakrusen ho Iēsous (ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς) — with edakrusen from dakruō, "to shed tears" (distinct from klaiō, "to wail aloud").

Short Verses Worth Memorizing

Brevity has always been a memorization aid. The following KJV verses are short enough to memorize in a single reading:

• John 11:35 — "Jesus wept."
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16 — "Rejoice evermore."
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 — "Pray without ceasing."
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 — "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
• Exodus 14:14 — "The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."
• Psalm 46:10 — "Be still, and know that I [am] God."
• Psalm 118:24 — "This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
• Proverbs 3:5 — "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
• Proverbs 17:22 — "A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine."
• Isaiah 41:10 — "Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee."
• Matthew 5:8 — "Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
• Matthew 11:28 — "Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
• John 8:12 — "I am the light of the world."
• John 14:6 — "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
• Romans 8:31 — "If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?"
• Romans 12:12 — "Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer."
• 1 Corinthians 16:14 — "Let all your things be done with charity."
• Philippians 4:4 — "Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice."
• Philippians 4:13 — "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
• 1 John 4:8 — "God is love."
• 1 John 4:19 — "We love him, because he first loved us."

Why Short Verses Stick

Short verses have been the backbone of Scripture memory for centuries. The Hebrew Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4–5 — the foundational Jewish creed — was designed for recitation twice daily. Jesus quotes short verses when tested (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10) and when summarizing the Law (Matthew 22:37–39). The early church apparently circulated one-line confessions: "Jesus is Lord" (1 Corinthians 12:3). Brevity is not a lesser form of Scripture — it is how Scripture traveled in oral cultures.

A Note on "Verse Hunting"

Short verses pulled from their context can change meaning. Philippians 4:13 ("I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me") follows verses about contentment in poverty, not athletic or career success. Jeremiah 29:11 ("For I know the thoughts that I think toward you") was written to Jewish exiles in Babylon about their specific 70-year captivity. Memorize short verses — but read them in their chapters.