What is the longest verse in the Bible?

Quick answer

The verse and chapter divisions were added well after Scripture was written. There is no particular spiritual significance to the longest verse in the Bible in any language. But knowing what are the longest and shortest verses can be interesting factoids.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The longest verse in the Bible depends on the language and translation used. In English versions like the ESV and KJV, Esther 8:9 is the longest, with eighty to ninety words depending on the translation. In the original biblical languages, however, Revelation 20:4 contains the most words. These distinctions carry no spiritual significance but are interesting facts for Bible readers. The differences in verse length arise from variations in language structure and translation choices.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

Esther 8:9 still comes out as the longest verse. The ESV says, "The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language."

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

Revelation 20:4 in the ESV says, "Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The dreaded “trick” question—we’ve all fallen for it at one time or another. Some might consider questions about Bible verse/chapter length to be trick questions. That’s because different verses could be considered the longest verse in the Bible based on word count, and this depends on which language you look at as the measure. The Bible has been translated from Hebrew and Greek into other languages, and the word counts are not the same from one language to the next. Some languages, like English, have multiple translations of the Bible available. Again, the word count is not consistent among these versions. If we look at the original languages, the longest verse in the Bible is Revelation 20:4. Once translated into English, the longest verse in the Bible is Esther 8:9. In the original languages, Revelation 20:4 has fifty-eight words, while Esther 8:9 has only forty-three.

The other longest verses in the Bible can vary based on the translation being used as a measure.

In the ESV translation, the longest verses in the Bible are:

1. Esther 8:9 (80 words)

2. Revelation 20:4 (75 words)

3. Joshua 8:33 and Ezekiel 48:21 (74 words each)

4. Jeremiah 21:7 and Jeremiah 44:12 (73 words each)

5. 2 Chronicles 2:14 (68 words)

This varies slightly in the KJV, where the longest verses go in this order:

1. Esther 8:9 (90 words)

2. Jeremiah 21:7

3. Ezekiel 46:9

4. Joshua 8:33; 2 Chronicles 2:14; Ezekiel 48:21; and Jeremiah 44:12 (four-way tie)

5. Revelation 20:4

UNDERSTAND

Esther 8:9 is the longest verse in most English translations, with eighty to ninety words depending on the version.
Revelation 20:4 is the longest verse in the original biblical languages based on word count.
Verse and chapter divisions were added later and have no spiritual significance, though differences in translation affect word counts and rankings.

REFLECT

How does knowing that verse and chapter numbers were added later affect the way you read and understand the Bible?
How can you ensure you are more focused on the message God is communicating through His Word rather than the structure of it?
What does your interest in Bible facts, like the longest verse, reveal about your curiosity to know God’s Word more deeply?

ENGAGE

How might our understanding of the Bible change if we realized chapter and verse divisions were not part of the original text?
What can a discussion of “trivia” like the longest verse reveal about the richness and complexity of Scripture?
How do translation differences impact how people interpret or engage with the Bible across cultures?