Famous Bible Verses

Here is a collection of some of the most famous Bible verses. I have added a few comments for some of them. Learn and treasure these well-known verses.

Famous Bible Verses in the Old Testament

Genesis 1:1

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

This verse is included because, of course, it is the first verse in the Bible and because it declares God as the Creator which makes Him distinct from anything else that might be regarded as a God but that does not have creative power.

1. "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.
2. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
3. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
4. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

If we would remember these "famous Bible verses" the world would be a much better place.

The account of giving the Ten Commandments starts with: "And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." (verses 1-2) After briefly reminding them of what He had done for them it goes on to list the Ten Commandments. These can be viewed either as commands/restrictions/prohibitions or as promises. As promises they could mean more like: if you allow me to be your God, I will give you freedom from the bondage of sin and you will no longer do these things which hurt others, make you feel guilty and enslaved.

"Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, 'I gave birth to him in pain.' Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request."

These are listed among the famous Bible verses because so many people are familiar with what is known as "The Prayer of Jabez." It has been much preached about with the emphasis being largely on the fact that God knows what is best for us so just ask. However, others regard the popular use of it as possibly having somewhat of a selfish nature to it. After all it is asking for a blessing for self not for others. But, again, God does invite us to ask for our needs. (Matt 7:7)

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

Think of Psalm 23 as being written from the perspective of a sheep. These animals are very dependent upon their shepard to care for them. These are definitely among the best known and most famous Bible verses.

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

This verse is some times used inappropriately for Sunday when there is actually no connection in the context to attach it to any day of the week. Of course, we can rejoice any day and are even told in 1 Thess 5:16 to "Rejoice evermore."

Incidentally, Psalm 118 is the middle chapter of the whole Bible and is between the shortest chapter (Psalm 117) and the longest chapter (Psalm 119).

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

"A merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries the bones."

This one ranks among famous Bible verses and is also good advice for good health.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to reap that which is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.
A time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Famous bible verses reminding us that there is an appropriate time for everything in life.

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Famous Bible Verses in the New Testament

"You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also;"

"Our Father in heaven
Hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come.
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one."

Certainly among famous Bible verses and a good example of how to pray but not meant to be a rote prayer as pointed out in this page about prayer.

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

"But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

For an explanation of the real meaning of the "three days and three nights," the "heart of the earth" and the true significance of "the sign of the prophet Jonah" go to the study about Jesus' Resurrection.

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

For more about the law of God and how it has been expanded as needed to meet man's needs see this study on How God's law shows that God is love.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

This is perhaps about best best-loved and most famous of Bible verses because of its emphasis on the love of God and its declaration of the high cost of the salvation offered to us. Of course, if God gave His Son, He had to have a Son to give. This is worth contemplating to rightly understand the nature of God.

Among famous Bible verses, this one contains the good news of the gospel in more ways than one:

                  "For God so loved the world,
that he gave his Only begotten
                          Son, that whosoever believeth in him
         should not Perish,
            but have Everlasting
                           Life."

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus is the only mediator between God and man.

"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Famous Bible verses that link our condition before and after true conversion.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Famous Bible verses describing what we should be like.

"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."

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

These are among famous Bible verses because they tell us of the means we can use to overcome the enemy and become more Christ-like.

I hope you have enjoyed this selection of famous Bible verses. Of course, there are many more. Read the Bible yourself and find your own. Use something like a colored pencil crayon to highlight your own choices of famous Bible verses.