10 Most Popular Chapters In The Bible

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When you commit to reading the Bible on a regular basis, no doubt you will come across stories and accounts that you have heard before. These are those things that people talk about and teach about and so they become very popular. When I sat down to think about it, these are the ten most popular chapters in the Bible that come to my mind. I have listed them in book order and therefore they are not necessarily in chronological order. See how they line up with what you have read or been taught yourself.

John 8:31-32 ” Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Genesis 1 – The Creation Account

Genesis 1 is the first chapter in the Bible and it tells of how God created the heavens and earth. As you read this chapter you are introduced to the historical record of an Almighty Creator. The very words “In the beginning” sets the stage of how God created something from nothing and as you read on you begin to understand that there is One who is in control and who set all things in motion.

“God” is mention 32 times in these 31 verses and it is in Genesis 1 that we first read about the Holy Spirit and His power (Gen 1:2). We also see, for the first time:

• Light and darkness
• Day and night
• Water and land (Earth and Seas)
• The firmament (Heaven)
• Grass, herbs and fruit trees
• The stars that light up the skies, used for seasons, days and years
• The fowls of the air and other living creatures

And Genesis chapter 1 is where the creation of man is first mentioned and the order of living things; that God gave man dominion over all of the other living creatures.

It is the first time that we are introduced to the doctrine of the Trinity when we read:

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26)

Genesis 37 – Joseph and the Coat of Many Colours

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. (Genesis 37:3)

In Genesis 37 we read the account of a man named Jacob (also known as Israel) who had more than 13 children (Genesis29; 30; 35:16-25). His favorite son was the one who was born later in his life. Because he was favored, Jacob made Joseph a “coat of many colours”.

It is recorded that because Jacob loved Joseph more than his brothers that they became jealous and sought to kill him. As the brothers conspired to kill Joseph they had second thoughts and instead threw him into a pit and left him there but before they did, they took his coat of many colours. Later one brother returned to the pit to find it empty. What they did not know is that some merchantmen had found him and sold him to some Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they took Joseph to Egypt.

To hide their dirty dead from their father the brothers took animal blood and put it on the coat of many colours and returned to Jacob with it. Jacob was very distressed over the incident and mourned for Joseph many days.

Exodus 20 – The Ten Commandments

I think this is the second most popular chapter in the Bible. It tells of how Moses stood before the Lord on the mountain and received the 10 most important commands from God. He then took it to the people that he was leading to the Promised Land.

When the people heard the thunder, lightning, smoke and noise they were afraid. Then Moses said to them:

“…Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” (Exodus 20:20)

Daniel 3 – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego

This is an incredible story of faith and survival. The account of these three young men is one that is told over and over again, mostly to children. Children love to act out this story and retell it to others.

Daniel 3 starts out by sharing that the evil king “Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.”

Now that is a huge statue! Then the king made a declaration that all of the land should bow down to this statue when they heard the “sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick”. The penalty for not worshipping the statue was death in the fiery furnace.

Now there were certain young Jewish men named Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused to bow to the golden image because they worshipped only the One True God and no other gods. When the king heard of this, the Bible says:

… he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. (Daniel 3:20)

When the king looked into the furnace that held these three men he saw four men and was astonished. He called for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to come out of the furnace and when the king saw that God protected them he too believed on God and sent out this decree:

Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. (Daniel 3:29-30)

Daniel 6 – Daniel & the Lion’s Den

Another amazing story of faith and trust can be found in Daniel 6. We have previously written articles on this account, take a look at:

Daniel in the Den of Lions Bible Story and Summary

These popular chapters in the Bible are great stories to teach to your children.

Matthew 28 – The Resurrection of Jesus the Christ

During Jesus’ life on earth He often told His disciples that “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). It is only by belief in what Jesus did for every one that we can “live” (John 3:16-17). Jesus He proved victory over death when He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures. I include my favorite account of the resurrection here for you:

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (Matthew 28:1-6)

Luke 2 – The Nativity

In my opinion this is the most popular chapter in the Bible. It tells of the birth of Jesus the Christ. Key verses include:

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:1-19)

John 1 – The Word

As a new Christian this is the best book to start at when you want to read the Bible. It is written by the Apostle John and it speaks of the person of Jesus and how you can know Him. The very first chapter begins with the exact same words as Genesis 1 “In the beginning”. We are told that Jesus (the Word) was present in the beginning  just as was the “Spirit” that moved upon the face of the waters. We see here that Jesus is God and left his throne in heaven to live as a man on earth. Here are the most popular verses:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Hebrews 11 – The Hall of Faith

The opening verse in Hebrews 11 gives the very definition of faith as: “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This chapter is often referred to as the “Hall of Faith” because the writer reminds the reader of all those who have gone on before and are with God now because of faith. He mentions Cain and Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham & Sara, Isaac, Jacob, Esau, Joseph, Moses and Rahab.

I like to meditate on this verse:

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

Acts 9 – The Conversion of Saul

Of all the chapters and verses in this Bible, this is the one that builds my faith every time I read it. It is the account of one of the cruelest and most ruthless men of all time. His name was Saul of Tarsus and he was a ring leader in the cause to imprison and kill Christians. He hated those that loved Jesus.

Saul was on his way to Damascus to capture Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem when he and the men that were with him witnessed a great light from heaven and heard a voice. This was the voice of Jesus that said”

Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? (Acts 9:4)

When Saul asked who the voice was, He identified Himself as “Jesus whom thou persecutes”. Saul was very frightened and during his conversation with the Lord he was “trembling and astonished”. From then Saul was struck blind and he fasted for three days until Ananias (who was sent by the Lord) went to Saul to announce the Lord’s plan for him.

My favorite verse is what the Bible says was Saul’s response to this life changing event, take a look:

And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. (Acts 9:20)

Of course Saul is also known as Paul (Acts 13:9) and is attributed with writing (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) about 1/3 of the New Testament. God changed him and used him to take the Gospel to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected the truth that Jesus is the promised Messiah (Romans 1).

When we read the Bible we should come across stories and accounts that stick in our memory as these do in mine. Remembering these incredible events should also cause us to have more faith. They should create a sense of urgency in us and prompt us to share the good news that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-6). If you have not already professed Jesus as your Saviour, I hope today that you will come to Jesus.

Here is another article that might interest you:

10 Amazing Bible Facts

Resource – The Holy Bible, King James Version

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