Bible Verses for Kids: 40 Easy Verses by Age and Topic

Here are 40 easy Bible verses for kids, sorted by age and topic, so you can start with one this week. Parents and grandparents: jump to 7 verses to pray over your children and grandchildren at the bottom. Every verse is from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), a clear, modern translation.

• Toddlers and preschool
• Verses to pray over your children and grandchildren
• Early grade school
• Older kids
• Verses by topic
• Free handwriting worksheets
• Questions parents ask

Not sure where to start? Try “God is love” (1 John 4:8) for little ones and John 3:16 for older kids.

Easy Bible Verses for Toddlers and Preschoolers

These have the fewest words. A two- or three-year-old can say most of them with you after a few days. Start with “God is love” and add one more when it sticks. When you teach Psalm 23:1, explain that “I shall not want” means “I will have everything I need.”

• 1 John 4:8 (BSB) “God is love.”
• Genesis 1:1 (BSB) “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
• John 10:11 (BSB) “I am the good shepherd.”
• Psalm 23:1 (BSB) “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
• Psalm 56:3 (BSB) “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”
• 1 John 4:19 (BSB) “We love because He first loved us.”
• Psalm 136:1 (BSB) “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good.”
• Isaiah 43:5 (BSB) “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”

Little ones who like to color can try these Bible verse coloring pages. For a whole year of verses, see this memory verse plan for preschoolers.

Bible Verses for Early Grade School Kids

Children who are starting to read can handle a full sentence. These verses teach who God is and what He has done.

• John 3:16 (BSB) “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
• Psalm 119:105 (BSB) “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
• Psalm 19:1 (BSB) “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
• Psalm 46:10 (BSB) “Be still and know that I am God.”
• Hebrews 13:8 (BSB) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
• Philippians 4:13 (BSB) “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
  Paul wrote this about being content whether he had a lot or a little. Christ gives us strength to trust Him in both.
• Psalm 118:24 (BSB) “This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
• Psalm 139:14 (BSB) “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Bible Verses for Older Kids

Older kids can learn two verses together and talk about what they mean. Several of these tell the gospel in a few lines.

• Proverbs 3:5-6 (BSB) “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.”
• Romans 5:8 (BSB) “But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
• Ephesians 2:8-9 (BSB) “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.”
• Deuteronomy 6:5 (BSB) “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
• 1 Corinthians 10:31 (BSB) “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.”
• Proverbs 30:5 (BSB) “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”
• Micah 6:8 (BSB) “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
• 2 Timothy 3:16 (BSB) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

If your child asks what these mean, the answer is good news. We have all sinned against God, and we cannot save ourselves. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and God raised Him from the dead. God saves us by grace through faith in Jesus. It is a gift, not something we earn, and He gives eternal life to everyone who believes in Him.

Bible Verses for Kids by Topic

Sometimes you need a verse for a moment: a scary night, a hard day with a brother or sister, or a talk about obeying.

God’s Love

Every child needs to hear that God loves them. These say it plainly.

• 1 John 4:16 (BSB) “God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”
• Lamentations 3:22-23 (BSB) “Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!”
• Psalm 103:13 (BSB) “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.”
• Zephaniah 3:17 (BSB) “The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Being Brave

For the first day of school, a storm, or a doctor visit.

• Joshua 1:9 (BSB) “Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
• Isaiah 41:10 (BSB) “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
• Psalm 34:4 (BSB) “I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.”

Kindness

Jesus tells us how to treat other people. Ephesians 4:32 tells us why: we forgive others because God forgave us in Christ.

• Ephesians 4:32 (BSB) “Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.”
• Luke 6:31 (BSB) “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
• Matthew 22:39 (BSB) “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Obeying and Honoring Parents

Paul repeats the command from Exodus 20:12 and calls it the first commandment with a promise (Ephesians 6:2).

• Ephesians 6:1 (BSB) “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”
• Colossians 3:20 (BSB) “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.”
• Exodus 20:12 (BSB) “Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”

Bedtime and Peace

Good last words before lights out. David wrote Psalm 3 while running from his own son, and he still lay down and slept.

• Psalm 4:8 (BSB) “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
• Psalm 3:5 (BSB) “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.”
• John 14:27 (BSB) “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.”

Free Bible Verse Handwriting Worksheets

This printable sheet lets young writers trace easy Bible verses. Print it for home or for a Sunday School table.

Four Ways to Help a Child Learn a Verse

• Tie it to something you already do. Say the same verse at breakfast or in the car for a week.
• Give one word a motion. Arms wide for “love.” Hands over eyes for “afraid.” Children remember what their bodies do.
• Leave off the last word. Let your child fill it in. When that is easy, leave off two.
• Teaching a class? Say the verse, then have everyone repeat it with the same motion. Little ones copy the big kids.

Questions Parents Ask

What is a simple Bible verse?

A simple verse has few words and one clear idea. “God is love” is the classic. Those three words appear in 1 John 4:8 and again in 1 John 4:16. Genesis 1:1 and Psalm 56:3 are good next steps.

What is a good small Bible verse?

For a small child, try “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, BSB) Jesus says this about Himself, and the same verse tells why: “The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11, BSB) It pairs well with Psalm 23:1, so your child learns both sides: the Lord is my shepherd, and Jesus is the good shepherd.

Which Bible verse is best for children?

If you pick only one, pick John 3:16. It tells the heart of the gospel in one sentence: God loved the world, gave His one and only Son, and gives eternal life to everyone who believes in Him. For a toddler, start with “God is love” and work up to it.

Is there a psalm about children?

Yes. Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.” (Psalm 127:3, BSB) Psalm 103:13 compares the Lord’s compassion for those who fear Him to a father’s compassion for his children. For more, see our list of Bible verses about children.

7 Bible Verses to Pray Over Your Children

What are seven Bible verses you can pray over your children? Here are ours, with one line on how to pray each one. Praying Scripture keeps your prayers close to what God has said. Try one each day of the week. Grandparents, these work just as well: say the child’s name out loud as you pray, even when you’re miles apart.

• Numbers 6:24-26 (BSB) “May the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the LORD lift up His countenance toward you and give you peace.”
  God gave Aaron and his sons this blessing to speak over Israel. Say it over your child at bedtime.
• Luke 2:52 (BSB) “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”
  This is about Jesus as a boy. Ask God to help your child grow in wisdom, in height, and in favor with God and people.
• Philippians 1:9 (BSB) “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.”
  Paul prayed this for the church at Philippi. Pray that your child’s love keeps growing, with wisdom to match.
• Psalm 119:11 (BSB) “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”
  Pray that God’s Word takes root in your child’s heart and keeps them from sin.
• Psalm 121:7-8 (BSB) “The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.”
  Pray for God’s protection, and rest in knowing He watches over your child when you cannot.
• 2 Peter 3:18 (BSB) “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
  Pray that your child keeps growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, all their life.
• Psalm 90:14 (BSB) “Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”
  A morning prayer. Ask God to fill your child with joy in His love all their days.

Kids Bible Lessons is a free ministry of The Sunday School Store, led by Tony Kummer, a former children’s pastor who has written Sunday school lessons for more than 20 years. For more verses to learn, get our free list of 100 Bible memory verses for kids (printable PDF).