What is the second shortest Bible verse?

Answer 1

Answer

1 Chronicles 1:25 'Eber, Peleg, Reu.'

the shortest verse in The Bible is John 11:35 'Jesus wept'

Answer

The answer to this question can depend somewhat on the translation. In the word-for-word Revised Standard Version (RSV), John 11:35 ("Jesus wept.") is 11 characters long, including the space and period. Both I Thessalonians 5:16 ("rejoice always," 15 characters) and I Thessalonians 5:17 ("pray constantly," 16 characters) are shorter than the above 1 Chronicles verse (17 characters). In the dynamic equivalent translation of the NIV, all three of these latter verses ("be joyful always" and "pray continually" and "Eber, Peleg, Reu.") are 17 characters long. Other translations have I Thess. 5:17 as "pray without ceasing," which is 21 characters long.

In the original Hebrew of the Old Testament, 1 Chronicles 1:25 is 11 characters long if only the original consonantal text is included, but 17 characters if the vowel points are added.

In the original Greek of the New Testament, John 11:35 is 18 characters long, I Thess. 5:16 is 16 characters, and I Thess. 5:17 is 24 characters.

In most English translations, John 11:35 is the shortest verse, with I Thessalonians 5:16 being the second shortest. This includes the King James Version.