How to Memorise Greek and Hebrew Bible Verses

Whether you’re a seminary student, pastor, or devoted Scripture enthusiast, memorising Bible verses in their original Greek and Hebrew opens a deeper connection to the text. In this guide, I’ll show you how to use spaced repetition and study games to commit original language verses to long-term memory.

Remember Me is a Bible memorisation app that fully supports original language memorisation with keyboard input, text-to-speech pronunciation, and interactive study games. Everything in this guide works on iOS, Android, and web.

Why Memorise in Original Languages?

Memorising Bible verses in Greek and Hebrew offers unique benefits:

• Direct access to the original inspired text without translation interpretation
• Deeper understanding of nuanced meanings, word plays, and literary structures
• Enhanced language learning that reinforces vocabulary and grammar
• Richer meditation on familiar passages in their original form
• Better sermon preparation with instant recall of key texts

Available Bible Text Editions

Remember Me includes several scholarly editions for both Greek and Hebrew study.

Greek New Testament

• SBL Greek New Testament — Free scholarly text from the Society of Biblical Literature. Excellent for general study.
• Nestle-Aland 28th Edition (NA28) — The standard critical text used in academic settings worldwide.
• Tyndale House Greek NT (THGNT) — A newer critical edition with fresh manuscript analysis.

Hebrew Old Testament

• Westminster Leningrad Codex (WLC) — Digital version of the Leningrad Codex, the oldest complete Hebrew Bible manuscript.
• Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS) — The standard scholarly Hebrew text, based on the Leningrad Codex with critical apparatus.

Getting Started

Step 1: Create a Dedicated Account

I recommend creating a separate verse account for original language study. This keeps your Greek or Hebrew verses on their own review schedule, separate from any English memorisation.

When creating your account, configure these key settings:

• Language of the references: Set to English (or your native language). This lets you type familiar references like “John 3:16” rather than “Ἰωάννης 3:16”, and TTS will announce verse locations in English.
• Language of the verses: Set to Hebrew or Greek, matching the passages you’ll memorise.

This combination means you get English book names for easy navigation, while the actual verse text comes from your chosen Greek or Hebrew source.

Step 2: Enable Your Keyboard

Before adding Greek or Hebrew verses, enable the appropriate keyboard on your device:

iOS:

1. Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards
2. Tap “Add New Keyboard”
3. Select “Greek” or “Hebrew”

Android:

1. Go to Settings → System → Languages & Input → Virtual Keyboard
2. Select your keyboard app (Gboard, Samsung Keyboard, etc.)
3. Add Greek or Hebrew language

Desktop:

• macOS: System Preferences → Keyboard → Input Sources → Add Greek/Hebrew
• Windows: Settings → Time & Language → Language → Add a language

Step 3: Add Verses from Original Language Sources

1. Open Remember Me and tap Add Verse
2. In the Reference field, type the verse location (e.g., “Genesis 1:1”). Because you set your reference language to English in Step 1, autocomplete will suggest familiar book names.
3. Tap the Source dropdown and select your Greek or Hebrew text edition:
   • For Hebrew OT: WLC (Westminster Leningrad Codex) or BHS
   • For Greek NT: SBL, NA28, or THGNT

4. Once both Reference and Source are filled, a floating action button (book icon) appears in the bottom corner.
5. Tap it to open the online Bible. The app displays the verse from the source you selected.
6. Verify the correct passage is shown, then tap the paste button to insert the text into your verse.
7. Tap Save.

The app handles right-to-left Hebrew text automatically.

Step 4: Practice with Study Games

All of Remember Me’s study games work with Greek and Hebrew text:

• Flashcards: Review verses with spaced repetition scheduling
• Typing: Practice writing verses using your Greek or Hebrew keyboard
• Puzzle: Arrange word tiles in correct order (great for learning word order)
• Obfuscate: Reveal hidden letters progressively
• Line-Up: Put verses in sequence

Step 5: Use Text-to-Speech for Pronunciation

Remember Me’s text-to-speech feature works with Greek and Hebrew, helping you:

• Learn correct pronunciation as you memorise
• Practice listening comprehension
• Reinforce auditory memory alongside visual

Enable TTS in Settings and tap the speaker icon while reviewing verses.

Study Tips for Original Languages

Start with Familiar Passages

Begin with verses you already know well in English. Your familiarity with the meaning lets you focus on the original words:

Greek starters:

• John 1:1 — Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος
• John 3:16 — Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον
• Romans 8:28 — Οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν τὸν θεὸν πάντα συνεργεῖ

Hebrew starters:

• Genesis 1:1 — בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים
• Psalm 23:1 — יְהוָה רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר
• Isaiah 40:31 — וְקוֹיֵ יְהוָה יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ

Focus on Small Portions

Original language memorisation takes more effort than English. Start with:

• Single verses rather than paragraphs
• Key phrases within longer verses
• Building up gradually as fluency increases

Remember Me’s spaced repetition algorithm handles scheduling automatically. Trust the system—review when prompted, and the verses will move into long-term memory.

Use Typing Games Strategically

The typing game reinforces letter recognition and keyboard fluency. Even if typing feels slow at first, the muscle memory you build accelerates future memorisation.

Create Dedicated Study Sessions

Consider setting specific times for original language review, separate from your English memorisation. This focused approach prevents mental fatigue from constant script-switching.

Pair with Grammar Study

Memorisation reinforces language learning. As you memorise, note:

• Verb forms and conjugations
• Case endings in Greek nouns
• Hebrew verb stems (binyanim)
• Vocabulary in context

Troubleshooting

Text displays incorrectly: Ensure your device has fonts installed for Greek/Hebrew. Most modern devices include these by default.

Keyboard won’t switch: Check that you’ve added the language keyboard in system settings, not just the app.

TTS sounds robotic: See configuring voice settings for tips on selecting better Greek or Hebrew voices.

Beyond Bible Verses: Greek and Hebrew Vocabulary

Remember Me isn’t limited to Bible verses—you can use it to memorise Greek and Hebrew vocabulary too.

For vocabulary study, create a dedicated account with these settings:

• Language of the references: Greek or Hebrew (the original word)
• Language of the verses: English (the definition)

This is the reverse of Bible verse accounts, because now the Reference field holds the Greek/Hebrew word and the Passage field holds the English meaning.

Adding Vocabulary Manually

Create vocabulary cards by entering words directly:

• Reference: The Greek or Hebrew word (e.g., “ἀγάπη” or “אָהַב”)
• Passage: The definition or translation
• Source: Your textbook name or “Vocabulary”

Importing Vocabulary Lists

For larger vocabulary sets, prepare a CSV file and import it:

1. Create a CSV with columns: Reference, Passage, Source, Topic
2. Use Reference for the word, Passage for the definition
3. Go to Labels → tap the file icon (top-right) → Import
4. Select your CSV file

Sharing Your Collections with Fellow Students

If you’re a teacher or study group leader, you can publish your Greek or Hebrew vocabulary collections on Remember Me for others to use. This is a great way to share curated word lists with your class or study group.

To share a collection:

• Organize your verses or vocabulary into a labeled collection
• Publish the collection through your Remember Me account
• Share the collection link with your students or fellow learners

Students who subscribe to your collection will automatically receive updates when you add new words or verses—perfect for building a shared vocabulary list throughout a semester.

Browse and share collections at web.remem.me/collections.

Memorising Scripture in the original languages is a rewarding discipline that deepens both your biblical knowledge and language skills. With Remember Me’s full support for Greek and Hebrew, you have all the tools you need to hide God’s Word in your heart—in the very words it was first written.