After having children and raising them in the bible, I felt like passing scriptures down to them in a more personal form – something from me that they could read at 20, 50, or 90 years old, and a reminder to them of the guidance they grew up with. A decade or so ago, I compiled the verses I wanted in a very intentional order and printed a book on Shutterfly, a sort of CliffsNotes of the bible.
These days, my teenage kids and I work through our questions and doubts together.
I put the verses here on this blog for you, too, years ago, so I’ll leave them here if you want to peruse them…
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1
“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.”
John 3:16
“‘My kingdom is not of this world…my kingdom is from another place.'”
John 18:36
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9
“‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them…'”
John 14:23
“The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them.”
1 John 3:24
“‘If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.'”
John 15:5
“‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love… My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.'”
John 15:9-10, 12
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (and)… Love your neighbor as yourself… There is no commandment greater than these.'”
Mark 12:30-31
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
“‘I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.'” John 15:11
“‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.'”
John 15:7
“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.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
“A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?”
Proverbs 20:24
“The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.”
Proverbs 10:9
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”
Proverbs 3:7-8
“For whoever finds me (wisdom) finds life and receives favor from the Lord. But whoever fails to find me harms himself…”
Proverbs 8:35-36
“I love those who love me. Those who seek me find me.”
Proverbs 8:17
“…with humility comes wisdom.”
Proverbs 11:2
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt…”
James 1:5-6
“The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.”
Proverbs 3:33
“He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.”
Proverbs 14:26
“…blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.”
Proverbs 16:20
“When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.”
Proverbs 16:7
“A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”
Proverbs 19:11
“…(say) only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ephesians 4:29
“A wise man’s heart guides his mouth…”
Proverbs 16:23
“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8
“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”
James 1:26
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
James 1:27
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2
“‘…every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit…by their fruit you will recognize them.'”
Matthew 7:17-18, 20
“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when he is dragged away by his own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived… Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
James 1:13-17
“‘I know the plans I have for you,'” declares the Lord, “‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”
Jeremiah 29:11
“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23
“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.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
1 John 4:8
“‘…in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…'”
Matthew 7:12
“‘…love one another.'”
John 13:34
“…love covers over all wrongs.”
Proverbs 10:12
“To fear the Lord is to hate evil.”
Proverbs 8:13
“‘…Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…'”
Matthew 5:44
“‘…because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.'”
Hosea 4:6
“‘…everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down…and it fell with a great crash.'”
Matthew 7:26-27
“‘Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.'”
Matthew 10:32-33
“…the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.'”
Genesis 2:16-17
“…the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.'”
Genesis 3:22
“‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.'”
John 3:3
“‘…whoever comes to me I will never drive away…everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life…'”
John 6:37, 40
“…the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
James 3:17
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:3
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…”
James 1:19
“‘For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.'”
Matthew 12:34-35
“…the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh…’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
Genesis 2:22-24
“…each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
Ephesians 5:33
“The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.”
1 Corinthians 7:4
“Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
1 Corinthians 7:5
“‘For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.'”
Matthew 16:25
“‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.'”
Matthew 11:28-30
“…his commands are not burdensome…”
1 John 5:3
“‘…the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.'”
John 14:26
“‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.'”
Matthew 7:7-8
“If you make the Most High your dwelling…he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways…”
Psalm 91:9, 11
“…the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.”
Psalm 32:10
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
James 1:12
“…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…”
Ephesians 6:18
“‘…when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.'”
Matthew 6:7-13
“Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel… Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
Ephesians 6:19-20
“‘Lord, have mercy on my son…I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.’… Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we (heal the boy)?’ He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'”
Matthew 17:15-16, 19-21
“After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why couldn’t we drive (out the impure spirit)?’ He replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer.'”
Mark 9:28-29
“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands…his command is that you walk in love.”
2 John 1:6
“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
1 John 2:3-6
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
Galatians 5:13
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you… Many are the woes of the wicked but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.”
Psalm 32:8, 10
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”
Exodus 34:6-7
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him…the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children – with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”
Psalm 103:11-13, 17-18
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God
and he will come near to you.”
James 4:7-8
“…God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light…the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
1 John 1:5-6
“‘Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.'”
1 Samuel 2:30
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
James 3:16
“‘…I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'”
Jeremiah 29:13
“Hear my prayer, O Lord, listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name… For great is your love toward me…”
Psalm 86:6-7, 11, 13
“…in all things God works for the good of those who love him…”
Romans 8:28
“Now listen, you rich people… You have hoarded wealth in the last days… You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence.”
James 5:1, 3, 5
“You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
James 4:2-3
“‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'”
Matthew 6:19-21
“‘You cannot serve both God and Money.'”
Matthew 6:24
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…”
Psalm 24:1
“‘…do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow…'”
Matthew 6:25, 33-34
“Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.”
Acts 2:45
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.'”
Matthew 7:1-2
“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge… But you – who are you to judge your neighbor?”
James 4:12
“Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.”
James 5:9
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:31-32
“‘…if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.'”
Matthew 6:15
“‘…unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven… And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'”
Matthew 18:3, 5-6
“For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other… The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like…those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Galatians 5:17, 19-22
“‘If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.'”
Matthew 18:15
“‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Ephesians 4:26-27
“Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:1-4
“Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.”
Psalm 15
“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me… Where can I go from your Spirit?… If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast… For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made… All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139:1-5, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16
“He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.”
Proverbs 10:17
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see… By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
Hebrews 11:1, 3
“A faithful man will be richly blessed…”
Proverbs 28:20
“…’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things…'”
Matthew 25:21
“…I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him – for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.”
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
“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.”
Ephesians 6:10-11
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but 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…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.”
Ephesians 6:12-17
“‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.'”
Mark 16:15-16
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
“My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life…”
Proverbs 6:20-23
We are to pass down what we have learned to the generations that come after us. When we stay on God’s path, he promises to bring us into a new land within ourselves that leads to a bountiful life. The following was meant literally at the time, and I believe we, today, are meant to interpret it metaphorically…
It was not your children who saw what God did for you in the wilderness until you arrived at this place. But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done. Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are to possess, and so that you may live long in the land flowing with milk and honey. The land you are entering to take over is not like the land from which you have come. But the land you are to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end. So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today – to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul – then I will send rain on your land in its season. I will provide grass in the fields. You will eat and be satisfied. Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow – to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him – then every place where you set your foot will be yours. No one will be able to stand against you. See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God, the curse if you disobey the commands by following other gods. When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim the blessings, and the curses. You are about to enter and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Deuteronomy 11:5-31
I removed the literal details tied to the Israelites so you can see how this promise relates to you.
