Memorizing Long Books & Memorizing Faster

After you’ve taken six months with Ephesians at the rate of one verse per day, you may feel that your ready to memorize a
longer book. If, for example, you memorized Romans, you would be looking at 432 verses. At the rate of one verse per day, that’s
close to a year and a half (with a 10% fudge factor in there). That may be too long for you… you’re ready to pick up the pace. When I
memorized the Gospel of Matthew, I did it at the rate of 36 verse per week… six per day, six days per week. It took me about 9
months, since I didn’t maintain that pace the whole time… but Matthew is 1068 verses long… a verse a day would have been way too
slow. Let’s look at how to do multiple verses in a single day:
1) Day one: Read Matthew 1:1 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes. Be sure to
include the verse number. Then cover the page and recite it ten times. Repeat for verses 2 through 6, being sure to
include the verse numbers. Then, recite the whole six verse section, Matthew 1:1-6, ten times. You’re done for the day.
2) Day two: Yesterday’s verses first!! Recite yesterday’s verses, Matthew 1:1-6, ten times, being sure to include the verse
numbers. Look in the Bible if you need to, just to refresh your memory. Now, do your new verses. Read Matthew 1:7 out
loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes. Be sure to include the verse number. Then
cover the page and recite it ten times. Repeat for Matthew 1:8-12. Then, recite the whole new six verse section, Matthew
1:7-12, ten times. You’re done for the day.
3) Day three: Yesterday’s verses first!! Recite yesterday’s verses, Matthew 1:7-12, ten times, being sure to include the verse
number. Again, you should look in the Bible if you need to, just to refresh your memory. Old verses next, altogether:
Recite Matthew 1:1-12 together once, being sure to include the verse numbers. Now, do your new verses. Read Matthew
1:13 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes. Be sure to include the verse number.
Then cover the page and recite it ten times. Repeat for Matthew 1:14-18. Then, recite the whole new six verse section,
Matthew 1:13-18, ten times. You’re done for the day.
4) Day four: Yesterday’s verses first!! Recite yesterday’s verses, Matthew 1:13-18, ten times, being sure to include the verse
number. Again, you should look in the Bible if you need to, just to refresh your memory. Old verses next, altogether:
Recite Matthew 1:1-18 together once, being sure to include the verse numbers. Now, do your new verses. Read Matthew
1:19 out loud ten times, looking at each word as if photographing it with your eyes. Be sure to include the verse number.
Then cover the page and recite it ten times. Repeat for Matthew 1:20-24. Then, recite the whole new six verse section,
Matthew 1:19-24, ten times. You’re done for the day.
The ongoing review (the “old verses altogether” stage) will get unwieldy once you’re at chapter 7 or 8. At that point, start leaving off
chapter 1, then chapter 2, then chapter 3 etc. as you continue to move through the book. Limit the amount of time you spend on the
“old verses altogether” stage to fifteen or twenty minutes. Review to chapters you leave off (chapter 1, then 2, then 3) once per week.
By the time you get to Matthew 28:20, you will have to divide your long-term review into reasonable portions. This is the “High School
Method” of long-term review:
The High School Method of Long-Term Review (using The Gospel of Matthew as an example):
1) Read Matthew with a stop watch, and time out ten minutes of verses, reading at a normal rate. This may be Matthew
1-5, depending on your normal reading rate. Let’s take that as an example. (I average about 125 verses for 10
minutes). NOTE: Stop at major chapter divisions… don’t do Matthew 1:1 thru 5:37 for example. Dig deep and get
to the end of the nearest chapter, even if it’s 11 minutes of reading for you.
2) Recite Matthew 1-5 every day for 25 days. After about 15 days, you should be able to do it without the Bible, if you
did your work well the first time you memorized these verses. Then just do it in the shower or while driving, etc. This
shouldn’t add anything extra to your day.
3) On the 26th day, add the next “ten minutes” of Matthew. Let’s say this is Matthew 6-8. Recite Matthew 6-8 every
day for 25 days, while continuing Matthew 1-5 for this time. At the end of this period, you will have done Matthew
1-5 for 50 straight days, and Matthew 6-8 for 25 straight days.
4) On the 51st day, add the next “ten minutes” (i.e. 125 verse or so) of Matthew. Let’s say this is Matthew 9-12. Do
these chapters for 25 days, while continuing Matthew 1-5 and 6-8. At the end of this period, you will have done
Matthew 1-5 for 75 days, Matthew 6-8 for 50 days, and Matthew 9-12 for 25 days.
5) On the 76th day, add the next section… perhaps Matthew 13-15. Do these chapters for 25 days, while continuing
Matthew 1-5, 6-8, and 9-12. At the end of this period, you will have done Matthew 1-5 for 100 days, Matthew
6-8 for 75 days, and Matthew 9-12 for 50 days, and Matthew 13-15 for 25 days. As in a high school, Matthew
1-5 is your “senior class”, Matthew 6-8 your “junior class,” Matthew 9-12 your “sophomore class,” and Matthew
13-15 your “freshman class.” The entire reciting process should take no more than 45 minutes, if you’ve done
your timing right. ALSO NOTE… by this time, you should be able to recite Matthew 1-12 at least with no Bible at
all… thus, it can be done while you do other things… thus, you will be sitting and doing nothing but memorization
for no more than 15-20 minutes at most.
6) On the 101st day, you can “graduate” Matthew 1-5, and stick it into a “Monday slot” to do it for the rest of your
life… you have done it so many times at this point, you could recite it in your sleep! (Perhaps you do!) Simply
recite it every Monday, in addition to the ongoing work you’re doing… or, of that’s too much, just review it once a
month to keep it fresh.
Now, add the next “ten minutes” of Matthew, to replace the “senior class” that just graduated… perhaps its
Matthew 16-19. Keep on going with Matthew 6-8 (your new “senior class”), Matthew 9-12 (“junior class”), and
Matthew 13-15 (“sophomore class”). At the end of this next period, you will have done Matthew 6-8 for 100
days, Matthew 9-12 for 75 days, Matthew 13-15 for 50 days, and Matthew 16-19 for 25 days.
7) On the 126th day, “graduate” Matthew 6-8, add Matthew 20-22, and continue. At the end of this next period,
you will have done Matthew 9-12 for 100 days, Matthew 13-15 for 75 days, Matthew 16-19 for 50 days, and
Matthew 20-22 for 25 days.
8) On the 151st day, “graduate” Matthew 9-12, add Matthew 23-25, and continue. At the end of this next period,
you will have done Matthew 13-15 for 100 days, Matthew 16-19 for 75 days, Matthew 20-22 for 50 days, and
Matthew 23-25 for 25 days.
9) On the 176th day, “graduate” Matthew 13-15, add Matthew 26-27, and continue. At the end of this next period, you
will have done Matthew 16-19 for 100 days, Matthew 20-22 for 75 days, Matthew 23-25 for 50 days, and Matthew
26-27 for 25 days.
10) On the 201st day, you can “graduate” Matthew 16-19, and finally add Matthew 28 to your review cycle. Continue on,
but add no new verses. Go until you have finished your 100 days on Matthew 28 (the 300th day!!). After about 25 days
of doing Matthew 28, you should be able to recite the entire Gospel of Matthew at a good rate of accuracy, totally from
memory. At that point, you can fall on your knees and give thanks to God for His goodness to you. But keep doing
your work until you’ve finished your 100 days for all verses.
11) Review each section one a week or once a month as you feel the need, in order to keep it fresh.
Weeks New Verses Old Verses
Week 1 Ephesians 1:1-1:6
Week 2 Ephesians 1:7-1:12 Ephesians 1:1-1:6
Week 3 Ephesians 1:13-1:18 Ephesians 1:1-1:12
Week 4 Ephesians 1:19-2:1 Ephesians 1:1-1:18
Week 5 Ephesians 2:2-2:7 Ephesians 1:1-2:1
Week 6 Ephesians 2:8-2:13 Ephesians 1:1-2:7
Week 7 Ephesians 2:14-2:19 Ephesians 1:1-2:13
Week 8 Ephesians 2:20-3:3 Ephesians 1:1-2:19
Week 9 Ephesians 3:4-3:9 Ephesians 1:1-3:3
Week 10 Ephesians 3:10-3:15 Ephesians 1:1-3:9
Week 11 Ephesians 3:16-3:21 Ephesians 1:1-3:15
Week 12 Ephesians 4:1-4:6 Ephesians 1:1-3:21
Week 13 Ephesians 4:7-4:12 Ephesians 1:1-4:6
Week 14 Ephesians 4:13-4:18 Ephesians 1:1-4:12
Week 15 Ephesians 4:19-4:24 Ephesians 1:1-4:18
Week 16 Ephesians 4:25-4:30 Ephesians 1:1-4:24
Week 17 Ephesians 4:31-5:4 Ephesians 1:1-4:30
Week 18 Ephesians 5:5-5:10 Ephesians 1:1-5:4
Week 19 Ephesians 5:11-5:16 Ephesians 1:1-5:10
Week 20 Ephesians 5:17-5:22 Ephesians 1:1-5:16
Week 21 Ephesians 5:23-5:28 Ephesians 1:1-5:22
Week 22 Ephesians 5:29-6:1 Ephesians 1:1-5:28
Week 23 Ephesians 6:2-6:7 Ephesians 1:1-6:1
Week 24 Ephesians 6:8-6:13 Ephesians 1:1-6:7
Week 25 Ephesians 6:14-6:19 Ephesians 1:1-6:13
Week 26 Ephesians 6:20-6:24 Ephesians 1:1-6:19
Appendix 1
Ephesians Weekly Schedule
WEEK 1
Ephesians 1:1-6
Yesterday’s Verse Old Verses
Together
New Verse
Day 1 Ephesians 1:1
Day 2 Ephesians 1:1 Ephesians 1:1 Ephesians 1:2
Day 3 Ephesians 1:2 Ephesians 1:1-2 Ephesians 1:3
Day 4 Ephesians 1:3 Ephesians 1:1-3 Ephesians 1:4
Day 5 Ephesians 1:4 Ephesians 1:1-4 Ephesians 1:5
Day 6 Ephesians 1:5 Ephesians 1:1-5 Ephesians 1:6
Appendix 2
Sample Weekly Schedule
WEEK 24
Ephesians 6:8-13
Yesterday’s Verse Old Verses
Together
New Verse
Day 1 Ephesians 6:7 Ephesians 1:1-6:7 Ephesians 6:8
Day 2 Ephesians 6:8 Ephesians 1:1-6:8 Ephesians 6:9
Day 3 Ephesians 6:9 Ephesians 1:1-6:9 Ephesians 6:10
Day 4 Ephesians 6:10 Ephesians 1:1-6:10 Ephesians 6:11
Day 5 Ephesians 6:11 Ephesians 1:1-6:11 Ephesians 6:12
Day 6 Ephesians 6:12 Ephesians 1:1-6:12 Ephesians 6:13
. . .
Old Testament Number
of Books Verses
Genesis 1533
Exodus 1213
Leviticus 859
Numbers 1288
Deuteronomy 959
Joshua 658
Judges 618
Ruth 85
1 Samuel 810
2 Samuel 695
1 Kings 816
2 Kings 719
1 Chronicles 942
2 Chronicles 822
Ezra 280
Nehemiah 406
Esther 467
Job 1070
Psalm 2461
Proverbs 915
Ecclesiastes 222
Song of Solomon 117
Isaiah 1292
Jeremiah 1364
Lamentations 154
Ezekiel 1273
Daniel 357
Hosea 197
Joel 73
Amos 146
Obadiah 21
Jonah 48
Micah 105
Nahum 47
Habakkuk 56
Zephaniah 53
Haggai 38
Zechariah 211
Malachi 55
Appendix 3
Verses per book
New Testament Number of
Books Verses
Matthew 1071
Mark 678
Luke 1151
John 879
Acts 1007
Romans 433
1 Corinthians 437
2 Corinthians 257
Galatians 149
Ephesians 155
Philippians 104
Colossians 95
1 Thessalonians 89
2 Thessalonians 47
1 Timothy 113
2 Timothy 83
Titus 46
Philemon 25
Hebrews 303
James 108
1 Peter 105
2 Peter 61
1 John 105
2 John 13
3 John 14
Jude 25
Revelation 404