How is your scripture memorization?

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Marano

Senior Member
Dec 7, 2011
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#1
I'm trying to memorize the last chapters of the bible: revelation 21 and 22, I know verses from the bible here and there and can quote them, but it's the first time I've tried to memorize whole chapters of the bible.

Have you memorized chapters of the bible? I think it's useful for us as christians to know some parts of the bible by heart, like the last chapters of revelation so we know exactly the end of our road where we'll end up.

I heard of a man who memorize the whole book of hebrews and recited it for his congregation.

What do you think? What techniques do you use to memorize? Repetition is key right?
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
41,243
16,252
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Tennessee
#2
The only verse that I have memorized is "Jesus Wept".
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#5
I go with a external memory database, my internal memory database isn't quite large enough... :)
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#7
Which version of the Bible translation will you memorize?

I can paraphrase most of the Bible...does that count?
 

Desertsrose

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2016
2,824
207
63
#8
I'm trying to memorize the last chapters of the bible: revelation 21 and 22, I know verses from the bible here and there and can quote them, but it's the first time I've tried to memorize whole chapters of the bible.

Have you memorized chapters of the bible? I think it's useful for us as christians to know some parts of the bible by heart, like the last chapters of revelation so we know exactly the end of our road where we'll end up.

I heard of a man who memorize the whole book of hebrews and recited it for his congregation.

What do you think? What techniques do you use to memorize? Repetition is key right?
Hi Marano,
Yes, repetition is necessary unless you have a photogenic mind. :)
I usually write the verse down on paper or a 3x5 card. They even have them in colors. :)
I start copying down the first few words on paper until I think I've got them memorized.
And then I add on a few more words and write them down. Writing them really helps me.
I keep going until I have the whole verse(s) memorized. There's other ways of memorization. Some will listen to the audio bible and that helps them.

The one thing that helps me the most are those songs that are scripture. When we sing them, we remember them. Maybe that's why God's words has so many songs in there.

So maybe singing the scriptures to a tune that you like would work.

Find the song you think will work and print out the words. And then you can fill in your scripture verse to the tune. Keep singing it until you have it memorized.
 

ForthAngel

Senior Member
Aug 31, 2012
2,171
91
48
#9
I've memorized a lot but not verbatim. I can quote a lot from memory and say it in my own words (usually very close to the original), but I paraphrase like Ariel. I have the most trouble with the numbers, chapters and verses. I've never been good with numbers. They get all scrambled in my head.

I've heard before that Jewish children were to remember the first five books by the time they were 13. Heard this on several occasions but dunno if there is any truth in it. But considering that a lot was passed down by word of mouth in the old days, it wouldn't surprise me. They would definitely have more capacity than I have to memorize things. My memory in general is pretty bad though.
 

Marano

Senior Member
Dec 7, 2011
398
32
28
29
#10
Hi Marano,
Yes, repetition is necessary unless you have a photogenic mind. :)
I usually write the verse down on paper or a 3x5 card. They even have them in colors. :)
I start copying down the first few words on paper until I think I've got them memorized.
And then I add on a few more words and write them down. Writing them really helps me.
I keep going until I have the whole verse(s) memorized. There's other ways of memorization. Some will listen to the audio bible and that helps them.

The one thing that helps me the most are those songs that are scripture. When we sing them, we remember them. Maybe that's why God's words has so many songs in there.

So maybe singing the scriptures to a tune that you like would work.

Find the song you think will work and print out the words. And then you can fill in your scripture verse to the tune. Keep singing it until you have it memorized.
Funny that micah 6:8 is one of the verses I tried to memorize long ago...
 

Marano

Senior Member
Dec 7, 2011
398
32
28
29
#11
I've memorized a lot but not verbatim. I can quote a lot from memory and say it in my own words (usually very close to the original), but I paraphrase like Ariel. I have the most trouble with the numbers, chapters and verses. I've never been good with numbers. They get all scrambled in my head.

I've heard before that Jewish children were to remember the first five books by the time they were 13. Heard this on several occasions but dunno if there is any truth in it. But considering that a lot was passed down by word of mouth in the old days, it wouldn't surprise me. They would definitely have more capacity than I have to memorize things. My memory in general is pretty bad though.
I get the feeling, I wonder if there's ever been anyone who memorized the whole bible, that'd certainly be quite the feat.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#12
I get the feeling, I wonder if there's ever been anyone who memorized the whole bible, that'd certainly be quite the feat.
I heard in Hebrew it's more poetic and memorizing the Bible was like memorizing an epic poem. I think before we had the printing press and internet, it was more common to have lots of stories and poems memorized.
 

levi85

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2013
8,578
2,180
113
#13
i have memorized the first few Chapters of PSALM, and also few verses from here and there, as God said the word of God should be in our heart and mind
 

DustyRhodes

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2016
2,117
599
113
#14
The pharisees had scripture memorised inside out, backwards and forward,
yet Jesus called them hypocrites over and over again. Cuz the knew the
words but not the music...in other words they knew the laws but not the
intent of the law which is to love God with all our heart. So to answer the
thread, it is better to become one with God than it is to memorise words,
those 2 things are not the same.
 
Feb 5, 2017
1,118
36
0
#15
Oh there's a few of those here.

The pharisees had scripture memorised inside out, backwards and forward,
yet Jesus called them hypocrites over and over again. Cuz the knew the
words but not the music...in other words they knew the laws but not the
intent of the law which is to love God with all our heart. So to answer the
thread, it is better to become one with God than it is to memorise words,
those 2 things are not the same.
 

ForthAngel

Senior Member
Aug 31, 2012
2,171
91
48
#16
The pharisees had scripture memorised inside out, backwards and forward,
yet Jesus called them hypocrites over and over again. Cuz the knew the
words but not the music...in other words they knew the laws but not the
intent of the law which is to love God with all our heart. So to answer the
thread, it is better to become one with God than it is to memorise words,
those 2 things are not the same.
Obviously a born again believer is going to rightly divide... No harm in memorization. In fact, memorizing something you read over and over is natural isn't it? To compare people who memorize scripture to Pharisees is in error.. But then again, I already know from other threads that you reject any and all biblical instruction so..

We learn this truth in regards to the God-breathed word:

2 Timothy 3
10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Not a bad thing to acquaint ourselves with the word of God. Memorization is part of that.

Also, what do you mean by becoming one with God? Is this something we do on our own? Sounds very mystical. The indwelling Spirit of God will lead all born again believers into truths revealed in scripture. Is that the "becoming one with God" you are talking about?
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#17
I'm trying to memorize the last chapters of the bible: revelation 21 and 22, I know verses from the bible here and there and can quote them, but it's the first time I've tried to memorize whole chapters of the bible.

Have you memorized chapters of the bible? I think it's useful for us as christians to know some parts of the bible by heart, like the last chapters of revelation so we know exactly the end of our road where we'll end up.

I heard of a man who memorize the whole book of hebrews and recited it for his congregation.

What do you think? What techniques do you use to memorize? Repetition is key right?
I've got Psalm 23 down pretty well.
 

Angela53510

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
11,780
2,940
113
#18
I started memorizing Bible verses in Baptist Sunday School, ages 5-8. And every week a different verse, and Psalm 23, and the Beautitudes. So a great start, especially since it is so much easier to memorize when we are young. (As an aside, I sure wish I had been taught Greek and Hebrew when I was younger. Even high school age. I learned French when I was that age, and it is just there, in my memory!)

Of course, the sad parts of my Bible memory journey, was going to an apostate church from age 9-11 never even needing a Bible, and then dropping out of church completely. But, God was good, and brought me back!

I used to memorize a verse every time God shone the spotlight on it. So, I have loads of verses, and their address (book, chapter and number!) in my brain from that. But, the older I got, the more God wanted me to learn. I finally got prodded to learn Romans 5. I was almost there, but stopped because of my med failure. RA attacks my brain, when it is out of control, and I can't remember my own name. But, now it is under control, so perhaps this will be a goal.

Besides Romans 5, and have made headway on Romans 8. I would also like to learn Psalm 42. Of course, many of these chapters have life verses of mine in them. So putting those verses in context, only makes sense.

I'm curious why you memorize Rev. 21-22, Marano? Just because it is the part where we win?

As for Dusty Rhodes, just no! It shows you have not worked on memorizing the bible, because you do not know that the Bible itself tells us to memorize the Word of God? In fact, the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119 is about memorizing the Bible. There are actually 7 different Hebrew words involved in this chapter, describing how important it is to memorize the Word of God.

"11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#19
Ps 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Now if I could just remember more of it.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#20
I get the feeling, I wonder if there's ever been anyone who memorized the whole bible, that'd certainly be quite the feat.
In Mark Twain's book Tom Sawyer if the Sunday school kids memorized X number of verses (I can't even remember that much lol) they got ribbons. 10 ribbons got them a brand new Bible. (I won't tell how Tom Sawyer got his Bible without remembering any verses.) It was quite common a century or so ago to memorize large portions of the bible as kids. A century before that kids were taught how to read by the Bible.

Yes, there were people who memorized the whole thing. If that was the only book in your house, and there was no radio, TV, computers, or Internet, what else were you going to do but read it until you memorized it? (Sure, make babies, but not everyone was married. lol)