Memorizing Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 13:3-4 (ESV-English Standard Version) (I include two words from verse 5 because the sentence ends there.)

An important part of keeping God’s word in your heart and having it available for when you need to quote it to fight against the devil’s temptations is to memorize scripture. There are many ways to do this including singing verses, using pneumonic devices, and old-fashioned look and don’t look as you try to say the verse. Here is a technique that I learned from memverse.com. Try it out and see if it works for you. I recommend that you focus on these two verses every day for a week before going on to the next two. My goal is that you will memorize all of 1 Corinthians 13. This chapter is known as the love chapter and has some of the most profound ideas in the whole world. There are 13 verses, which would take you about a month and a half at the rate that I am suggesting. Some people can memorize more rapidly, and that is great, but as I have grown older, I have difficulties with memorization, so I have set a slower pace so that those of you who have memory issues like I do will not feel discouraged.

Step 1: First read or sing or chant the verses several times.

(Verse 3) If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
(Verse 4)  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.

Step 2: Now try saying the verses with words missing.

(Verse 3)  If I ___________ away all I ___________, and if I ___________ up my body to be ___________, but have not ___________, I gain ___________.
(Verse 4)  Love is ___________ and kind; love does not___________ or boast; it is not ___________ or rude.

Step 3: Try saying the verses with more words missing.

(Verse 3)  ___________ I ___________ away all I ___________, and ___________ I ___________ up my ___________ to be ___________, but ___________ not ___________, I gain ___________.
(Verse 4)  ___________ is ___________ and kind; ___________ does not___________ or boast; ___________ is not ___________ or ___________.

Step 4: Try saying the verses with even more words missing.

(Verse 3)  ___________ I ___________ ___________ all I ___________, ___________ ___________ I ___________ up my ___________ to ___________ ___________, but ___________ ___________ ___________, I ___________ ___________.
(Verse 4)  ___________ is ___________ and ___________; ___________ does ___________ ___________ or ___________; ___________ is ___________ ___________ or ___________.

Step 5: Try saying the verses with only blanks.
(Verse 3)  ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________, ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________, ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________, ___________ ___________ ___________.
(Verse 4)  ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________; ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________; ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________.

Final Step: Try saying the verses without blanks: 1 Corinthians 13:3-4.