Scripture Memorization: Luke 2—Good News of Great Joy

Luke 2 Scripture Passage Memorization

Do you want to make scripture memorization a regular and ongoing part of your life? This article is part of a series going through 12 portions of scripture, one for each month of the year. The goal is to memorize more than individual Bible verses, but a chunk of scripture to help place verses in context with those around it.

I’ve assigned Luke 2:8-20 for the month of December. Follow along with my monthly plan, or feel free to pick and choose specific passages as you wish.

For each passage, I am including a free download containing the full Bible passage, a fill-in-the-blank page, and a page with the first letter of each word. All these pages are useful in helping to memorize the verses.

Why You Should Memorize Scripture

There is simply no better way to be able to meditate on God’s word day and night than to commit it to memory. In Colossians we are told to “let the word of God dwell in you richly” (Col.3:16). The Israelites were told, “These commandments I give you today are to be on your hearts” (Deut. 6:6).

Knowing the word of God means we can obey it more readily. It renews our minds when we encounter difficulty or uncertainty, providing hope, peace, and surety in a chaotic world. Knowing God’s word means that we know Him better, as we spend time meditating on His character. It also allows us to share more easily with others the answer for the hope that we have within us.

Bible memorization can be considered a spiritual discipline. It is an activity undertaken for the purpose of knowing God more deeply and seeking to allow His word to transform us more and more into the image of Christ.

Scripture Memorization Tips and Tools

There are a number of methods and tools you can use to help you memorize scripture. Determining the best tools for you will be a process of trying things to see what is most helpful. You will probably find that there are a few methods that work best for you, and you’ll return to those tools again and again.

choose one translation
read repetitively
read it out loud
write it out
listen to it
eliminate words (cover some up, use fill-in-the blank)
use first letter of word as cue
put to music
use motion or hand gestures
use an app (VerseLocker, Bible Memory App)
memorize with another person or a group
keep printed copy with you in your purse or car
post where you will see it frequently (kitchen sink, bathroom, desk)
create a routine of short practice multiple times per day

My personal preference is to post a passage of scripture in my bathroom and in my planner. I see the passage multiple times per day and each time, I recite, review and add to my knowledge of the passage.

When I print the passage, I format it to group phrases together with intentional line breaks. The visual of some lines being short and others longer can sometimes help me remember the phrase as I visualize the way it looks on my paper.

Finally, my daughter and I often memorize the same passages and recite them aloud to one another, offering hints and help as we are learning together.

I also keep previously learned passages in those same places and regularly cycle through some of them to recite aloud and refresh my memory.

Luke 2:8-20

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were filled with great fear.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day
in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby
wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
“Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has made known to us.”
And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph,
and the baby lying in a manger.

And when they saw it, they made known the saying
that had been told them concerning this child.
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Read: 30 Days of Praying Scripture

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Memorizing Luke 2:8-20

You can start memorizing scripture at any time. No need to wait for the beginning of the month or a new year. Jump in and start memorizing today! My free download includes the scripture labeled with the month of December to correspond with my plan, along with an unlabeled version to use any time.

Visit the resource library and grab your free printable copy of Luke 2:8-20 and start hiding His word in your heart. You won’t regret it.