Principles for Memorizing Scripture

Principles for Memorizing Scripture

 

You’ll want to refer to these principles often in the coming weeks:

 

As You Start to Memorize a Verse

1.      Be sure to read and follow each week the plans given in your book for memorizing the verses.  Following this plan will help you gain more than a shallow understanding of the verses as you learn them.

2.      Read in your Bible the context of each verse you memorize.  I suggest the New King James Version but you may memorize in the other versions provided. 

3.      Try to gain a clear understanding of what each verse actually means.  (You may want to read the verse in other Bible translations or paraphrases to get a better grasp of the meaning.)

4.      Read the verse through several times thoughtfully, aloud or in a whisper.  This will help you grasp the verse as a whole.  Each time you read it, say the topic, reference, verse, and then the reference again.

5.      Discuss the verse with God in prayer, and continue to seek His help for success in Scripture memory.

 

While You Are Memorizing the Verse

6.      Work on saying the verse aloud as much as possible.

7.      Learn the topic and reference first.

8.      After learning the topic and reference, learn the first phrase of the verse.  Once you have learned the topic, reference, and first phrase and have repeated them several times, continue adding more phrases after you can quote correctly what you have already learned word for word.

9.      Think about how the verse applies to you and your daily circumstances.

10.  Always include the topic and reference as part of the verse as you learn and review it.

 

After You Can Quote Correctly the Topic, Reference, Verse, and Reference Again

11.  It is helpful to write the verse out.  This deepens the impression in your mind.

12.  Review the verse immediately after learning it, and repeat it frequently in the next few days.  This is crucial for getting the verse firmly fixed in mind because of how quickly we tend to forget something recently learned.

13.  REVIEW!  REVIEW!  REVIEW!  Repetition is the best way to engrave the verses on your memory.