I enjoy reading the Bible with my kids. As they get older (my oldest is 12) I’m trying to teach the importance of personal daily reading and it’s been a bit of a challenge to find ways to keep them engaged on their own. A themed month is exactly what we need so I created this list of inspirational kids’ Bible verses.

With the world fighting for your child’s attention at every turn, teaching daily Bible reading is important.

I chose the theme of God’s love because it’s almost February and it is working so well that I’m trying to come up with more themed month ideas.

Inspirational Kids’ Bible Verses

When reading inspirational Bible verses with your kids, it is important to point out how we can apply them to our lives.

One of the complaints I’ve heard over and over is that the Bible doesn’t make sense. Let’s be honest, a lot of it is very hard to understand! Examining how we can apply it to our lives gives us a reason to sit up and pay attention.

For this list of inspirational Bible verses, I tried to pick out “easier” verses, but when you are young, it is often difficult to understand the wording or how to apply it. You might enjoy using this Bible reading plan with your child.

How Do You Teach Children Bible Verses?

“Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11)

So how do you teach children Bible verses? These ideas may help!

• Read the Bible to your children.
• Help them memorize key scriptures by repetition or games.
• Read devotionals or share with them what God is teaching you.
• Be an example.
• Race to find the verse. (I say a Bible reference and they race to see who can find it first and then read the verse.)
• Write inspirational Bible verses on cards and hang them in high traffic areas.
• Provide a Bible reading plan for kids for personal study or as family devotions.
• Teach them the books of the Bible. This makes it easier for them to search the scriptures themselves. No one wants to follow a Bible reading plan if it is a trial to find the reference.
• Listen to children’s Bible songs. Many of them are based on specific verses and your child will be memorizing without knowing it! I grew up with Psalty and memorized 1 John 4:7-8 from one of his songs.
• Create crafts that include writing a Bible verse.

Check out this fun way to teach kids about God’s love! Bingo based on 1 Corinthians 13. Click image to see more 🙂

Bible Reading Plan for Kids

It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children about God.  God commands us in Deuteronomy 6:7 to talk about Him when we are going about our day. We are instructed to teach God’s commandments to our children and show them how to serve Him faithfully.

Children’s verses about love will help them understand the very foundation of our faith.  God loves us and sent His son to die for us that we might live with Him for all eternity.  These scriptures also teach us what true love is and how we show it to others.  These Bible verses for kids provide a good picture of what accepting and applying that love can do for us.

Let’s raise a godly generation, friends!

Here is a list of 30 scriptures that I’ve compiled into a Bible reading plan for kids based on the theme of God’s love. I divided them into two categories. These verses are in the New King James Version. If you scroll down a bit, I’ve also included a printable with just the references as well as a journaling activity.

Sometimes we want children’s verses to be short and easy to understand, but I like the idea of exploring an entire topic.  These include difficult verses as well as simple ones.  You can explain their meanings however your child will understand them.  Exposure to Scripture is never a bad thing.  God will bring His words back to their minds when they need them most.  

Also, if you have a range of ages like I do (9 years between the oldest and youngest) it is good to go through all of the verses.  That way new concepts are being taught to the older kids and they are getting the benefit of reviewing as you explain simpler verses to the younger kids.

Your kids will also love these posts!

12 Scripture Songs for Kids to Write God’s Word on Their Hearts

20 Most Loved Children’s Bible Songs

20 Best Worship Songs for Kids

Kids’ Bible Verses Should Begin with God’s Love for Them

Inspirational Bible verses for kids should start with God’s love for them. I well remember being 4 years old and singing “Jesus Loves Me”. I believed with all of my young heart the words of that song. The same faith has helped me through many storms of life.

Zephaniah 3:17

“The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Jeremiah 31:3

“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

Psalm 63:3

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.”

Psalm 36:7

“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.”

Psalm 86:5

“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. ”

Isaiah 54:10

“For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.”

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 15:9-10

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

1 John 3:1

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!”

1 John 4:16-19

“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”

Romans 5:6-8

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ”

Romans 8:38-39

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ephesians 3:14-19

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

For more devotions for kids, be sure to check out my new series! Hands-on Devotions for kids. Helping our youth learn God’s word and important character-building lessons in a hands-on way! I am so excited about this series!

Bible Verses for Kids: How to Love Others

God’s love for us does not end with simple faith. We must put that faith into action! Let’s teach our children to serve God in their youth.

Many of these inspirational Bible verses about love for kids will need some explaining, especially for younger children. The worksheet below may encourage older children to explore the verses more and how they can apply them to their lives.

Leviticus 19:18

“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

Proverbs 17:17

“A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.”

Matthew 22:37-39

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

1 Peter 3:8-9

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; ⁹ not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”

1 Peter 4:8-9

“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.”

John 15:12-13

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

1 John 3:16-17

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷ But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

1 John 3:18

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 

Matthew 5:43-48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Galatians 5:13-14

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Ephesians 5:1-2

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

Galatians 6:2

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Romans 12:9-13

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;  not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; ¹³ distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”

Romans 12:14-16

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.”

Hebrews 13:1-2

“Let brotherly love continue.  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

Inspirational Kids’ Bible Verses

I hope your family enjoys this list of inspirational kids’ Bible verses based on the theme of love! I pray that it speaks to your heart as well as those of your children.

I would love to hear what you think about these verses in the comments below!

You might also enjoy these scripture posts!

38 Short Bible Verses for Kids

Forgiveness for Kids: Why it is Important and How to Teach It