What is the shortest verse in the Bible?

from the old testament

• If we look at the Old Testament, the difficulty in finding the shortest verse increases dramatically. The original biblical Hebrew had no vowels, but modern versions of the Hebrew text have vowels added to them in an effort to maintain the original sounds. If we are counting letters, do we count the vowels that were added later? The shortest Old Testament verse in English is Job 3:2 which says, "He said," in some English translations (NIV, CSB, HCSB, NLT)—two words and six letters. In Hebrew, there are thirteen letters in Job 3:2 if you exclude the vowels. If you include the vowels, then Job 3:2 has eighteen letters.
• In 1 Chronicles 1:25, the English lists the names "Eber, Peleg, Reu," which accounts for twelve letters. However, in the original Hebrew, 1 Chronicles 1:25 consists of only nine letters without vowels. If you add the vowels, the text has fourteen letters.

from the new testament

• If we are using English, then the most common verse considered to be the shortest is John 11:35, which has two words in the majority of English translations and only nine letters: "Jesus wept." However, in the original Greek language, John 11:35 consists of sixteen letters.
• In Greek, a shorter verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16, which consists of fourteen letters. In English, it reads, "Rejoice always."
• In the NIV, Luke 20:30 reads, "The second"—only two words and nine letters in English, and twelve letters in Greek. However, there are some Greek manuscripts that contain a longer version of Luke 20:30.

implications for today

If we want to know the shortest verse of the Bible, we have to decide in which way we want to answer the question. If we are counting by the number of English letters, then Job 3:2 comes in first with only six letters, but even this depends on which version you decide to use. Some versions read, "Job said" (NRSV, seven letters), others, "And he said" (Douay-Rheims, nine letters), and still others, "And Job said" (ESV, NASB, ten letters), not to mention additional variations like, "And Job spoke, and said" (NKJV), or "by saying to God" (CEV). If you want to count the letters using the original languages, then 1 Chronicles 1:25 would be the shortest verse in Scripture with only nine letters, but only if you do not count the vowels. If you count the vowels in Hebrew, 1 Chronicles 1:25 has fourteen letters. In that case, the shortest verse is in the Greek text of Luke 20:30 with only twelve letters, and even then, it depends on which manuscript you choose.

Whether a verse is long or short, every word of the Bible is God’s Word and carries eternal significance. From the briefest statement to the longest passage, Scripture is “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16) and speaks truth that reveals His character, purposes, and promises. A two-word verse like “Jesus wept” (John 11:35) holds just as much power to comfort, convict, and reveal God’s heart as an entire chapter of doctrine or prophecy. The length of a verse doesn’t determine its value—its divine origin does. So, whether we are reading one verse or many, we are called to receive it with reverence, believe it with faith, and take it to heart with a desire to be transformed.