How Can I Remember the Books of the Bible?
Many people are interested in finding out, how can I remember the books of the Bible? The truth is, it might take some effort to memorize the books of the Bible: after all, there are 66 of them! Fortunately, your memorization can be aided by some of the tried-and-true techniques that have been passed down through the years and through some creativity on your part. Think about it: some of your favorite songs have more than 66 words in them, and you can sing along to them just fine. The rewards are great: not only will you have a huge sense of self-accomplishment, you will be able to find a verse in the Bible much faster, and you will be able to understand the structure of the Bible much better. Get started on your memorization today – all you need to get started is your Bible!
Many Christians know of the basic two parts of the Bible, the two segments known as the Old Testament and the New Testament. Write these two headings on a piece of paper, and then begin writing the minor segments of each Testament underneath. These smaller segments are really just descriptors that will help you categorize the books in your mind by topic. Your list so far should read as follows:
Old Testament:
- Letters of Moses
- History of Israel
- Wisdom Books
- Major Prophets
- Minor Prophets
New Testament:
- Life of Jesus and the Early Church
- Paul’s Letters
- Apostle Letters
- Revelation
Before you memorize more, be sure to memorize these smaller segments in order as written.
Down to the Specifics: Memorizing the Books in Each Segment
Think about it like memorizing the words to a verse: now that you know these segments in order, you want to memorize the contents of each segment, one at a time. Each day, practice saying the segments aloud without looking at the list, and then memorize the books that are in a segment, one each day. Then, and only once you can say the original list out loud AND the contents of each segment out loud, without looking at a piece of paper, you can begin to memorize the way it feels to say all sixty six books in order. Check your work by flipping through the Bible as you say your list out loud.
Memorization Techniques to Use
You might be asking, sure, this seems simple, but how can I remember the books of the Bible if looking at these lists is not working? The truth is, you will memorize something very well if you use a combination of memorization techniques and you think about the subject very often.
Try to establish a regimen of practicing for ten minutes each morning while you drink your morning coffee, for example, or right before you turn out the light to go to sleep. During this time, read the list out loud. Try making up a melody to go along with the “words,” the books of the Bible in order. You can even try setting the words to your favorite song on the radio, so that whenever it comes on, you can sing through it again.
Also try using visualization techniques. When you go through the Old Testament, visualize the passages from the Bible you remember: for example, visualize Adam and Eve for Genesis, the walls of water for Exodus, and so on. And, try making flash cards: number the flashcards and go through them in order so that your memory has the books engrained in them.
Once you Have Memorized the Books: Remember Forever!
The most important thing to do is to keep up your memorization skills so that you have this technique forever. You want to make sure that the effort you have put into this difficult task will last you a lifetime. How can I remember the books of the Bible is a common question, but with a little effort, anyone can do it and remember them for years.