Modern English Translations by Word Count

Visualizing the New Testament

Some helpful graphics when studying or memorizing from the New Testament as a whole.  The second breaks down each book by word count.  The third by verse.  The fourth by recitation or reading time [very approximate] from Andy Naselli's very fine DG article here.  The last a chapter/verse/word chart [for the Greek NT].  I especially like the third.  If you look at it sideways, each book appears like a mountain peak in comparison of height. Which will you attempt to scale next?

Memorizing the 7 Deadly Sins - A Lenten Preparation

The 7 deadly sins historically listed can be memorized using the acrostic WASP LEG -

wrath
avarice
sloth
pride
lust
envy
gluttony

Lists of "deadly" sins appear at several points in the New Testament [Mk 7; Rom 1; 1 Cor 6; Gal 5; Eph 5; Col 3; 1 Tim 1; Rev 21 & 22] but the primary Scriptural list of 7 is found in Proverbs [6]:

A Glimpse Under the Hood

Last year Crossway changed [updated/revised/corrected] about 500 words in its uber-popular ESV translation.  I was unaware of this until quite recently when, while teaching a class on Ephesians, I was blindsided by one of them that was not insignificant.  I docked my students points on a memory quiz for "misquoting" Ephesians 1.17 - that God may give you 'a spirit of wisdom' vs 'the Spirit of wisdom'.  After several vociferous protests, and actually being shown several ESV's with the first wording I discovered that the original edition said 'a spirit', while both of my updated 2011's say 'the Spirit'.
I have been slow to jump on the ESV bandwagon because of an innate cynicism toward heavily-marketed products, [which this translation is] and an uncertainty of the philosophy behind the textual selections differing with the KJV/NKJV at many points.  But as time goes by, I have grown fond of the ESV, despite these reservations.  It is almost always the version I use for family reading [had a great time last night talking with my boys after reading Is 36.12 ... only rivaled in shocking verbiage by the original KJV's rendering] and more and more for pulpit use.

Here is a great clip of the revision committee debating about one of my favorite Greek words: doulos.

Memory Project #2: Ephesians

Since moving 1000 miles, I have temporarily set aside the memorization of Romans [but only temporarily] and have substituted a more manageable and timely goal: Ephesians.

It is more manageable because, unlike the mammoth 433 verses/9,495 words of Romans, Paul's letter to the Saints at Ephesus is a trim 155;  3,012 words in NKJV, or 3,014 in the ESV [~2,422 in Greek].  It can be read aloud or recited in under twenty minutes.

It is more timely because I have returned to teaching and am heading up a Sr Elective Bible class on Ephesians and Ethics at Rocky Bayou Christian School here in Niceville, FL.  The whole class [16 students + me] are going to be memorizing it this year.  The sooner I get to it the better.  I'll try to provide updates as I go.

Book List [what I've been reading/listening to lately ...]

you are what your mind eats ...

Extended Scripture Memorization by Andrew Davis

An Approach to Extended Memorization of Scripture
Dr. Andrew Davis [abridged]

The Value of Scripture Memorization

“make every effort to add to our faith goodness, and to goodness knowledge…” (2 Peter 1:5).

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom…” (Colossians 3:16)

How better can you obey Colossians 3:16 than by Scripture memorization?

Memorizing Books Is Better Than Memorizing Individual Verses

Most of Scripture is written to make a case… there is a flow of argumentation that is missed if individual verses are memorized.  [to read more click below ...]

Book List [what i've been reading and listening to lately ...]

You are what your mind eats ...

2012 Resolutions

They say it's not really a resolution until you've written it down, so here goes:

1. No library late fees all year.
2. One date activity with my wife per week.
3. Help w/ at least one load of laundry per week.
4. Memorize the book of Romans.
5. Memorize all of the words/definitions in Zondervan's New Testament Greek Vocab Guide
6. Finish digitizing old sermon tapes of my former professor and mentor, Colin Smith.
7. Read at least 2 books in each of the following areas:
        A. Heaven/Eschatology/Culture
        B. St Paul
        C. Leadership/Administration

Book List [What I've been reading/listening to lately]...

You are what your mind eats ...

Book List [what I've been reading/listening to lately] ...

you are what your mind eats ...

On the Memorization of Texts ...

Here is a wordcount list of some worthwhile speeches/sermons I've compiled for comparison:  See any glaring omissions? Please let me know.

41 - Theoden's "Ride to Gondor" Speech
78 – Luther’s “Here I Stand” speech
92 - Aragorn's speech before the Black Gates [film version]
111 – Apostles’ Creed
225 – Nicene Creed
267 – Paul at Mars Hill [before being stopped short by the crowd – Acts 17]
271 – Mark Antony’s [Shakespeare’s] ‘Friends, Romans, countrymen’ speech
278 – Lincoln’s Gettysburg address
407 – Shakespeare’s Saint Crispin’s Day speech
478 – Benjamin Franklin’s Call to Prayer at the Constitutional Convention
523 – Peter’s Pentecost sermon [Acts 2]
648 – Paul’s sermon to Agrippa [Acts 26]
657 – Athanasian Creed
896 – Paul’s Epistle to Titus
1,028 – Patrick Henry’s “Give me Liberty” Speech
1,236 – Stephen’s sermon to the Sanhedrin before his martyrdom
1,320 – The Declaration of Independence
1,382 – JFK’s – “Ask not” Inaugural Address
1,666 – MLK’s “I have a dream” speech
1,666- Paul’s Last Epistle [2nd Timothy]
1,928 – Olivet Discourse [Matthew 24-5]
2,304 – James’ Epistle
2,412 – Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount [Matthew 5-7]
2,423 – Psalm 119
2,743 – Luther’s 95 Theses
2,854 – The Didache [R-D Trans]
4,144 – Westminster Shorter Catechism [w/o proofs]
4,246 – Gallic [French] Confession
5,330 – C.S. Lewis’s “The Weight of Glory” sermon
5,933 – Sozhenitsyn’s “A World Split Apart” Harvard Address
6,069 – Washington’s farewell address
6,696 – Spurgeon’s “Hairs of Your Head” Providence Sermon
6,897 – The letter to the Hebrews
7,184 – Jonathan Edwards’ Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
8,180 – 12 Commandments from Shepherd of Hermas [R-D Trans]
8,375 – Heidelberg Catechism [w/o footnotes or proofs]
9,078 – Belgic Confession
12,123 – 1646 Westminster Confession of Faith w/ Footnotes/Proofs
13,143 – Clement’s Epistle to the Corinthian Church
15,406 – Westminster Larger Catechism
23,918 – Athanasius’ On the Incarnation
33,760 – 2nd Helvetic Confession [w/ headings and proofs]
~80,000 – Torah [5 books of Moses]
169,751 – English New Testament


In the NKJV Romans has 9495 words [7111 in the Greek]; 16 chapters; 433 verses. It takes roughly 60 minutes to read/recite them all.

Tips for memorization:

Our Little Church Project

A few weeks ago, in the first sermon of a series on the book, our pastor threw out a challenge to the congregation of Christ Reformed: memorize the entire book of Romans. This really struck me.  Most similar memorization efforts I've seen have been insultingly simple or individualistic.  So I've decided to spend [probably the next year] working on this challenge.  My strategy/tool list at this point is:

Get the book on audio from 2 sources.
Print two copies and have them laminated.
Tailor my Greek studies to the book of Romans.
Read the book regularly.
Write the book regularly.
Study through the book using Haldane's commentary as a guide [and possibly others].
Outline the book.
Chart the book based on a network of ideas and already-familiar verses.
Lastly, I plan to exercise twice a week through the winter.
[The best thing you can buy for longterm memory aid is running shoes, or so they say.]

I'm also reading a book on memorization training entitled Moonwalking with Einstein.  It was recommended to me by my friend and fellow-CREC pastoral trainee, Tony Aguilar.  Hopefully I'll be able to pick up a few tips/tricks from that resource as well.