1:1

There are 66 verses today - so there are many to choose from!  They all have something to do with whomever wrote the books and how they received the message from God.  The background is important for the foundation of the rest of the information in the books.


All verses are out of the New Living Translation unless otherwise stated.


Genesis 1:1
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Exodus 1:1
"These are the names of the sons of Israel (that is, Jacob) who moved to Egypt with their father, each with his family:"

Leviticus 1:1
"The Lord called to Moses from the Tabernacle and said to him,"

Numbers 1:1
"A year after Israel's departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai.  On the first day of the second month of that year he said,"

Deuteronomy 1:1
"These are the words that Moses spoke to al the people of Israel while they were in the wilderness east of the Jordan River.  They were camped in the Jordan Valley near Suph, between Paran on one side and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab on the other."

Joshua 1:1
"After the death of Moses the Lord's servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant.  He said,"

Judges 1:1
"After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, "Which tribe should go first to attach the Canaanites?"

Ruth 1:1
"In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land.  So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him."

1 Samuel 1:1
"There was a man names Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim.  He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim."

2 Samuel 1:1
"After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag."

1 Kings 1:1
"King David was now very old and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm."

2 Kings 1:1
"After King Ahab's death, the land of Moab rebelled against Israel."

1 Chronicles 1:1
"The descendants of Adam were Seth, Enosh,"

2 Chronicles 1:1
"Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the Lord his god was with him and made him very powerful."

Ezra 1:1
"In the first ear of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah.  He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:"

Nehemiah 1:1
"In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was at the fortress of Susa."

Esther 1:1
"These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia"."


Job 1:1
"There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz.  He was blameless - a man of complete integrity.  He feared God and stayed away from evil."

Psalm 1:1
"Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with the mockers."

Proverbs 1:1
"These are the proverbs of Solomon, David's son, king of Israel."

Ecclesiastes 1:1
"These are the words of the Teacher, King David's son, who ruled in Jerusalem."

Song of Songs 1:1
"This is Solomon's song of songs, more wonderful than any other."

Isaiah 1:1
"These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.  He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah."

Jeremiah 1:1
"These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilikiah, one of the priests from the town of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin."

Lamentations 1:1
"Jerusalem, once so full of people, is now deserted.  She who was once great among the nations now sits alone like a widow.  Once the queen of all the earth, she is now a slave."

Ezekiel 1:1
"On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God."

Daniel 1:1
"During the third year of King Jehoiahim's reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it."

Hosea 1:1
"The Lord gave this message to Hosea son of Beeri during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah, and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel."

Joel 1:1
"The Lord gave this message to Joel son of Pethuel."

Amos 1:1
"This message was give to Amos, a shepherd from the town of Tekoa in Judah.  He received this message in visions two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam II, the son of Jehoash, was king of Israel."

Obadiah 1:1
"This is the vision that the Sovereign Lord revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom.  We have heard a message from the Lord that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say, "Get ready, everyone! Let's assemble our armies and attack Edom!"

Jonah 1:1
"The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai:"

Micah 1:1
"The Lord gave this message to Micah of Moresheth during the years when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.  The visions he saw concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem."

Nahum 1:1
"This message concerning Nineveh came as a vision to Nahum, who lived in Elkosh."

Habakkuk 1:1
"This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision."

Zephaniah 1:1
"The Lord gave this message to Zephaniah when Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah.  Zephaniah was the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amaraiah, son of Hezekiah."

Haggai 1:1
"On August 29 of the second year of King Darius's reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel's son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest."

Zechariah 1:1
"In November of the second year of King Darius's reign, the Lord gave this message to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah and grandson of Iddo:"

Malachi 1:1
"This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi."

Matthew 1:1
"This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham."

Mark 1:1
"This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.  It began"

Luke 1:1
"Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us."

John 1:1
"In the beginning the Word already existed.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Acts 1:1
"In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach"

Romans 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News."

1 Corinthians 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes."

2 Corinthians 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.  I am writing to God's church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece."

Galatians 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, an apostle.  I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead."

Ephesians 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.  I am writing to God's holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:1
"This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.  I am writing to all of God's holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the elders and deacons."

Colossians 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy."

1 Thessalonians 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy.  We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

2 Thessalonians 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy.  We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Timothy 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope."

2 Timothy 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.  I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus."

Titus 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.  I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives."

Philemon 1:1
"This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.  I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker,"


Hebrews 1:1
"Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets."

James 1:1
"This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I am writing to the "twelve tribes " - Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!"

1 Peter 1:1
"This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.  I am writing to God's chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia."

2 Peter 1:1
"This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.  I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have.  This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior."

1 John 1:1
"We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen.  We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands.  He is the Word of life."

2 John 1:1
"This letter is from John, the elder.  I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth - as does everyone else who knows the truth -"

3 John 1:1
"This letter is from John, the elder.  I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth."

Jude 1:1
"This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.  I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ."

Revelation 1:1
"This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place.  He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John,"