Guide
Which Bible verses should children memorize at each age?
Children about 2 to 4 can learn single short verses, about 5 to 7 can learn verses of one or two sentences, about 8 to 10 can learn short passages such as the Lord's Prayer, and from about 11 they can learn whole paragraphs. Learn one verse a week, review often, and pair verses with the catechism questions they support.
How to use these lists
Each list below gives Bible references, a plain note on what each passage is about, and the catechism question it goes with. Look up each verse in your family’s own Bible and memorize it in that one translation. The ages are suggestions, so move a child up or down a list as needed.
In the “Goes with” column, a link to the Westminster Shorter Catechism (WSC) marks a direct pairing: the verse is among the proof references given for that question, which appear on the question’s page. A link to the Catechism for Young Children (CYC) marks a question on the same theme.
Which verses can children about 2 to 4 learn?
Children about 2 to 4 can learn single short verses, especially ones a parent says often in ordinary moments. Teach the reference along with the words by saying it before and after the verse. Expect them to say the last few words first, then the whole verse after many repetitions.
| Reference | What it is about | Goes with |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 1:1 | God is the maker of everything. | CYC 2; WSC 9 (proof: Genesis 1) |
| 1 Corinthians 10:31 | Whatever we do, even eating and drinking, is for God’s glory. | CYC 3; WSC 1 |
| John 4:24 | What God is like, and how he is to be worshiped. | CYC 9; WSC 4 |
| Psalm 147:5 | God’s greatness and his perfect knowledge. | CYC 12; WSC 4 |
| Psalm 56:3 | Trusting God when you feel afraid. | |
| Ephesians 6:1 | God’s command to children about their parents. | CYC 92 |
| 1 John 4:19 | Where our love for God comes from. |
Which verses can children about 5 to 7 learn?
Children about 5 to 7 can learn verses of one or two sentences and keep a growing collection in review. The site suggests the Catechism for Young Children for about ages 3 to 8, so verses that sit beside its answers are especially useful. Aim for one new verse a week.
| Reference | What it is about | Goes with |
|---|---|---|
| Deuteronomy 6:4 | Israel’s confession that the Lord alone is God. | CYC 6; WSC 5 |
| Matthew 28:19 | Jesus’ command to make disciples, naming the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. | CYC 8; WSC 6 |
| 1 John 3:4 | What sin is: breaking God’s law. | CYC 28; WSC 14 |
| Romans 6:23 | The result of sin, and God’s gift of life in Christ. | WSC 19 |
| Exodus 20:12 | The fifth commandment, about honoring parents. | CYC 91; WSC 63 |
| Matthew 22:37-39 | Jesus sums up the law: love for God and love for neighbor. | CYC 76; WSC 42 |
| Psalm 119:11 | Why we memorize Scripture: to guard against sin. | WSC 90 |
| John 3:16 | God’s love in sending his Son, and his promise to those who believe. | |
| Psalm 23 | The Lord is a shepherd who cares for his people all their lives. |
Which verses can children about 8 to 10 learn?
Children about 8 to 10 can learn short passages of several verses, learned a verse or two at a time across a few weeks. The site suggests starting the Westminster Shorter Catechism from about age 8, and most verses here are proof references for its questions. Keep reviewing the earlier lists.
| Reference | What it is about | Goes with |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew 6:9-13 | The Lord’s Prayer, the pattern Jesus gave for prayer. | CYC 107; WSC 99 |
| 2 Timothy 3:16 | Where Scripture comes from, and what it is for. | CYC 15; WSC 2, WSC 3 |
| Matthew 10:29-31 | God’s fatherly care over the smallest things in our lives. | WSC 11 |
| 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 | The heart of the gospel: Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. | CYC 137; WSC 27 |
| 2 Corinthians 5:21 | The sinless Christ bore our sin, and believers are counted righteous in him. | CYC 50; WSC 33 |
| John 1:12 | How people become God’s children: by receiving Christ. | WSC 34 |
| Micah 6:8 | A summary of what God asks of his people. | WSC 39 |
| Philippians 4:6 | Praying about worries instead of carrying them alone. | CYC 105; WSC 98 |
| Exodus 20:1-17 | The Ten Commandments, learned one commandment at a time. | CYC 72; WSC 43 (the preface) and each “Which is the … commandment?” question from WSC 45 on |
Which passages can children 11 and up learn?
From about 11, children can learn whole paragraphs of Scripture and understand how a passage’s argument fits together. Choose passages that carry big doctrines, learn them over a month or more, and talk through what each part means. Several pair with Shorter Catechism questions a child this age may already know.
| Reference | What it is about | Goes with |
|---|---|---|
| Psalm 73:25-26 | Wanting God above everything else, even when strength fails. | WSC 1 |
| Romans 11:33-36 | Praise for God’s wisdom, and everything existing for his glory. | WSC 1 (proof: verse 36) |
| Deuteronomy 6:4-9 | Loving the one Lord wholeheartedly and teaching his words at home. | WSC 5 (proof: verse 4) |
| Ephesians 2:1-10 | Salvation by grace, from death in sin to new life and good works. | WSC 18 (verses 1-3), WSC 30 (verse 8) |
| Isaiah 53:1-6 | The suffering servant who bears the sins of others. | WSC 27 (verses 2-3) |
| Philippians 2:5-11 | Christ’s humility, his death on the cross, and his exaltation. | WSC 27 (verse 8) |
| Romans 5:1-5 | Peace with God through faith, and the hope that grows through suffering. | WSC 36 (verses 1-2, 5) |
| Romans 8:28-30 | God’s purpose for his people, from his calling to their final glory. | WSC 32 (verse 30) |
| Psalm 51:1-12 | A prayer of confession, asking for mercy and a renewed heart. | WSC 105 (verses 1-2, 7, 9) |
| 2 Timothy 3:14-17 | Why Scripture matters: it leads to salvation in Christ and trains us to live well. | WSC 89 (verses 15-17) |
How do children memorize Bible verses?
Children memorize Bible verses by hearing them, saying them aloud and reviewing them often. Learn one new verse a week. Say the reference before and after the words every time. Review this week’s verse daily, recent verses weekly, and every learned verse at least once a month, so nothing slips away.
The easiest way to keep a pace is to fold the verse into the site’s weekly catechism schedule, using the same steps it uses for a catechism question:
- Monday, Hear it: read the verse aloud twice and talk about one word in it.
- Tuesday, Say it: say it together, parent first and children echoing, phrase by phrase.
- Wednesday, Write it: copy it out. See what copywork is.
- Thursday, Review it: say it from memory with the previous four weeks’ verses.
- Friday, Show it: each child recites it alone.
On the Lord’s Day, ask for the week’s verse at the table. Every tenth week, add no new verse and review the last ten.
Write each verse on an index card with the reference on the front. Keep the cards in a box, with this week’s card at the front, then recent ones, then the rest, and pull a few from the back each day. Memorize from one translation only; the guide to choosing a Bible translation explains why.
How do memory verses pair with the catechism?
Memory verses pair with the catechism when the verse is one of the proof references for the question being learned. The weekly catechism schedule already asks you to look up one proof reference on Monday. When that verse is short enough, make it the week’s memory verse too.
For example, in the week you learn WSC 1, its proof references include 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Psalm 73:25-28. A younger child can learn 1 Corinthians 10:31, and an older one Psalm 73:25-26. The answer then has Scripture under it in the child’s own memory, which is the purpose of proof references.
Where to go next
- How to memorize the catechism with children: drills that work for verses too.
- Westminster Shorter Catechism printables: memory cards and copywork in sets of ten.
- The weekly catechism schedule: one question a week, about ten minutes a day.
Sources
- NET Bible online (Bible references in this guide link here), Biblical Studies Press
Related guides
How do you help children memorize the catechism?
Practical ways to help children memorize the catechism: call and response, short phrases, review loops, memory cards, copywork, singing and patience.
Which Bible translation should a family use for reading aloud?
Choosing a Bible translation for family reading: formal and functional approaches, reading level, reading aloud, your church's pew Bible and memory work.
What does a weekly catechism schedule look like?
A weekly catechism schedule: one question a week, ten minutes a day, with a script for each day, help for several ages and what to do after a missed week.