The Top Bible Verse and Chapter of 2025
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As we begin a new year, many of us like to look back on the previous year and reflect. It’s human nature to take stock of what we did and learned the previous year in order to make sense of where we’re at as we stand at the open door of the unexplored new year stretching before us.
We like to look at our previous year “wrapped,” whether in music, movies, books, miles travelled, new hobbies explored, or any other metric. As Christians, we may also find it interesting and insightful to reflect on which Bible verse or verses stood out to us in the past year and what parts of Scripture particularly spoke to us.
We’d love to hear what Bible verses were most impactful for you in 2025, and we also wanted to share what Scriptures were most popular for our Bible Study Tools readers this past year.
What Were the Top Bible Verses of 2025?
So, without further ado, the top-searched Bible verse on Bible Study Tools in 2025 was…
"'For I know the plans I have for you,'” declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
The top Bible passage or chapter was…
"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
These are likely not surprising passages to top the list, yet it’s helpful to move behind their surface-level popularity and truly dig into what God is saying here.
What Is the Meaning of Jeremiah 29:11?
Let’s first look at Jeremiah 29:11. While the meaning of this verse may seem fairly straightforward, the historical context is crucial. Often, modern-day Christians will use this verse as something of a “catch-all” to say that God has good things planned for them, whether in their career, relationships, health, or any other part of life. It almost becomes a type of prosperity gospel mantra.
While the belief that God desires good for his people and that he will take care of those who belong to him is certainly scriptural (see Matt. 6:25-33, for example), Scripture also has much to say about the hardships and trials we will face in this life, particularly as followers of Christ.
As Jolene Underwood notes in her Bible Study Tools article “Does Jeremiah 29:11 Mean That God Won’t Let Bad Things Happen to Me?”, ironically, this extremely popular verse actually comes from the book of a very unpopular prophet (Jeremiah), who has even been called the “Weeping Prophet.” Jeremiah proclaimed God’s message to the Israelites while they were enduring exile in Babylon. In addition to this hopeful message in 29:11, Jeremiah prophesied to the Israelites that they would remain in exile for another 70 years. The majority of his book is filled with God’s judgment on the Israelites’ idolatry and the hardships they would face. Jeremiah 29:11 is a beacon of hope in the midst of an otherwise sobering message and book.
But perhaps that gives it even deeper hope for us today. Instead of a trite “God wants you to prosper” message that we can glean from this verse on the surface, through this context, we see that the Lord will never leave or forsake us, even when it feels like we are in exile like the Israelites. Even then, he offers us hope and the promise of a better future through Christ.
This verse gets at the heart of the Christian message as we live in what has been called the “Already-But-Not Yet,” when our relationship with God has been restored through the blood of Christ, yet we still live in a fallen world, marred by sin.
As Underwood writes, “The Hebrew word translated as ‘plan’ also means thoughts, intention, and purpose. When God says, ‘I know the plans I have for you,’ he says he knows what we do not know. God knows the big picture for all humanity, from the beginning of time until the end. He knows how to cultivate good things and new growth, even after decades of destruction and defiance. God knows the thoughts and intention of his heart for us, which is always for restoration. It is his intention to bring us closer to him and closer to his original design, for our sake, and for his kingdom.”
Hope, indeed.
What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91? (It’s More Similar to Jeremiah 29:11 Than You May Think)
Now let’s turn to Psalm 91. Interestingly, we will see some parallels with Jeremiah 29:11.
Psalm 91 was 2025’s top Bible chapter. This is another popular portion of Scripture that many have turned to for hope and encouragement in times of trial and trouble. In fact, this psalm is the first psalm or chapter of Scripture I ever memorized, and it continues to be a Scripture passage that sticks with me, as I’m sure it does for many of you.
From beginning to end, Psalm 91 describes how the Lord will protect, defend, and strengthen those who trust in him. The evocative imagery recalls a hedge of protection—an impenetrable fortress protected by God himself and his angels.
Again, as with Jeremiah 29:11, we know that this psalm is not saying that those who follow the Lord will never experience trouble or that their lives will be easy and effortless. That would be inconsistent with the rest of Scripture.
However, this psalm offers a powerful and compelling truth that, as followers of the Lord, he will fight our battles, and ultimately, no true harm will come to us because our souls belong to him (see also Luke 12:4-5).
A New Testament Reference to Psalm 91
It’s also noteworthy that when Satan tempted Jesus in the Wilderness, Satan quotes from Psalm 91:
“Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written:
“He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone’” (Matt. 4:5-6).
Interestingly, it could be said that, like some Christians today who misuse Scripture passages like Jeremiah 29:11 and Psalm 91 to proclaim a kind of prosperity gospel in which God will never allow anything bad to happen to you if you do A, B, and C, Satan misuses this passage in much the same way, telling Jesus that if he is God’s Son, then surely God will protect him. Jesus, of course, rebukes Satan by also quoting Scripture and telling him not to ascertain God’s protection by putting it to the test.
Similarly, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Judas leads the Jewish religious leaders and Roman soldiers to capture him, Jesus assures them that, if he wished to, he could ask God to send a legion of angels to protect him, and God would do so.
But he did not. Jesus chose to step outside the fortress of divine protection described in Psalm 91 and become a human being:
“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:8).
And he did this so that we could claim the kind of protection offered in Psalm 91 for eternity.
After all that, I’m not at all surprised these two Bible passages were favorites this past year!
More Bible Study Resources and Plans
If this article got you thinking more deeply about Scripture or brought up more questions, we’d love to hear from you. You can find many more Bible articles, resources for studying the Bible, and much more at BibleStudyTools.com.
And as we enter a brand-new year, it’s the perfect time to make a plan to dig into Scripture more. Whether you are a busy parent, a pastor, a student, someone in ministry, or any other calling, you can find a plan that will work with your schedule.
Browse Bible reading plans here.
We also have audio Bible options or get into God's Word with a podcast!
Bible Verse of the Year Questions to Consider:
Do you have a Bible verse(s) that stands out to you from 2025?
What about a Bible verse God has put on your heart for 2026?
What are your thoughts on Jeremiah 29:11 and Psalm 91? Share them on Crosswalk Forums—we’d love to engage with you there!
Veronica Olson Neffinger is a Content Editor for Salem Web Network. When she is not writing or editing articles, you can find her listening to baseball games, enjoying the outdoors, reading, or engaged in some form of home or garden care. She lives in Richmond, VA with her husband and two young sons.