Two words from John’s Gospel have stayed with generations of readers. If you’re wondering what is the shortest verse in the Bible, the familiar answer is John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” In the King James Version, it is the shortest verse by letter count, with two words and nine letters, excluding the space and punctuation.
The answer needs that qualification. Translations can use different wording, and counting words produces different results from counting letters. Yet the lasting interest in this verse reaches beyond its length. Jesus speaks of resurrection in the same chapter, then weeps among people mourning someone he loves.
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The Shortest Verse in the King James Bible
“Jesus wept.”John 11:35, KJV
The complete verse contains just two words. “Jesus” has five letters, and “wept” has four, giving it nine letters altogether. The reference, space and full stop are excluded from that count.
Other KJV verses also contain two words, including “Rejoice evermore” in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 and “Pray without ceasing” is only three. Word count alone therefore cannot explain why John 11:35 holds its familiar distinction; its brevity by letter count is the more precise measure.
For readers drawn to passages that are easy to remember, our collection of short Bible verses about love offers other brief verses with explanations of their context.
John 11:35 itself deserves more than a passing glance. Its two words occur within a story of friendship, bereavement and an extraordinary claim about life beyond death.
What “Jesus Wept” Means
Jesus weeps during the events surrounding the death of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha. The sisters had sent word that Lazarus was ill, but by the time Jesus arrives in Bethany, he has been in the tomb for four days.
Both sisters tell Jesus that their brother would not have died if he had been there. Their words carry the intimacy of people who trust him enough to bring their anguish directly to him.
Grief Among Those He Loves
When Jesus sees Mary weeping, along with the people who have accompanied her, John describes him as deeply moved and troubled. He asks where Lazarus has been laid. Then comes the brief statement, “Jesus wept.”
The people nearby respond by speaking of his love for Lazarus. The narrative places his tears within a relationship, giving this moment a particular tenderness. Lazarus is someone Jesus loves, and the suffering around him affects him deeply.
A careful reading leaves room for the emotional depth of the scene. John records Jesus’ tears and distress without reducing them to a single, fully explained motive.
Hope Beside Human Sorrow
Earlier in the chapter, Jesus tells Martha that he is the resurrection and the life. He also knows that he will awaken Lazarus. His tears nevertheless belong to the account.
For a grieving reader, that sequence can offer considerable comfort. Confidence in resurrection can coexist with the pain of someone’s absence. Faith gives people hope without requiring them to feel untouched by death.
The brevity of John 11:35 allows us to pause at this moment before the story moves toward the tomb. We meet Jesus among mourners, sharing the sorrow of people he loves.
Why the Answer Changes by Translation
Bible translations do not always use the same number of words to express a passage. A verse that is longer in one version may be shorter in another.
Job 3:2 provides a clear example. In the KJV, it reads, “And Job spake, and said.” In the New International Version, the same verse reads, “He said:”. That NIV wording contains six letters, excluding the space and punctuation, making it shorter than “Jesus wept.”
The following examples illustrate why the translation must be named.
| Verse and translation | Complete verse wording | Words | Letters* |
|---|---|---|---|
| John 11:35, KJV | Jesus wept. | 2 | 9 |
| Job 3:2, KJV | And Job spake, and said, | 5 | 18 |
| Job 3:2, NIV | He said: | 2 | 6 |
| Luke 20:30, NIV | The second | 2 | 9 |
| 1 Thessalonians 5:16, KJV | Rejoice evermore. | 2 | 15 |
Letter counts exclude spaces and punctuation. These are comparison examples, not a ranked list of the Bible’s shortest verses.
This is why “John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the KJV by letter count” is more accurate than a claim covering every English Bible.
A Verse Can Be Incomplete
Verse numbers divide a passage into convenient reference units. They do not always mark complete sentences or independent thoughts.
In the NIV, Luke 20:30 consists of “The second”. The surrounding passage recounts the Sadducees’ question about a woman who successively marries seven brothers. The thought continues across the verse boundaries.
A shortest-verse comparison therefore needs to include sentence fragments as well as self-contained statements. Excluding fragments would introduce a different counting rule, which should be explained rather than assumed.
The Shortest Verse in Greek
The New Testament’s Greek wording produces another set of comparisons. John 11:35 contains sixteen Greek letters, so its familiar English distinction does not carry over unchanged.
In his explanation of the shortest New Testament verses, Biola University professor Kenneth Berding compares these three passages.
| Reference | Greek wording | Greek letters* |
|---|---|---|
| John 11:35 | ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς | 16 |
| 1 Thessalonians 5:16 | πάντοτε χαίρετε | 14 |
| Luke 20:30, shorter reading | καὶ ὁ δεύτερος | 12 |
Counts treat accented letters as letters and exclude spaces and punctuation.
First Thessalonians 5:16, often translated “Rejoice always,” is shorter than John 11:35 in Greek. However, the shorter reading of Luke 20:30 contains fewer letters still.
There is a textual qualification here. Greek editions do not all have the same wording for Luke 20:30; some contain a longer reading. Any precise claim about the shortest Greek verse should therefore identify the text being counted.
For most readers, the useful conclusion is straightforward. The language, translation and textual edition can affect the answer, so a familiar English Bible fact should not be applied automatically to the Greek New Testament.
What Is the Second Shortest Verse in the Bible?
There is no single answer that applies across every translation and counting method. A reliable ranking requires a specified Bible edition and a consistent rule for counting words or letters.
First Thessalonians 5:16 is a useful comparison. Its KJV wording, “Rejoice evermore,” contains two words and fifteen letters. It shares John 11:35’s word count while exceeding its letter count.
That comparison alone does not establish a complete second-place ranking. A full ranking would require checking all verses in the chosen edition and accounting for ties. Lists that mix translations or alternate between word counts and letter counts cannot provide a consistent answer.
The same care applies to a list of the “ten shortest verses.” A selection of brief, memorable passages can be valuable, but it should be described as a selection unless its ranking has been verified.
Questions About the Shortest Bible Verse
Is “Jesus wept” a complete verse?
Yes. “Jesus wept” is the complete text of John 11:35 in the King James Version. It is also a complete sentence, although the surrounding chapter is essential to understanding the scene.
How many words are in John 11:35?
John 11:35 contains two words in the KJV, “Jesus wept.” It has nine letters when spaces and punctuation are excluded. Other languages and translations may use different wording.
Is “Rejoice always” shorter than “Jesus wept”?
In English, “Rejoice always” has thirteen letters, while “Jesus wept” has nine. In Greek, the wording of 1 Thessalonians 5:16 has fourteen letters, compared with sixteen in John 11:35. The answer changes with the language.
What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?
Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible and contains two verses. It calls on the nations to praise the Lord for his merciful kindness and enduring truth. A chapter and a verse are different units, so Psalm 117 answers a separate question from John 11:35.
Two Words Worth Reading Slowly
“Jesus wept” is the familiar answer to a question about length. Within John’s Gospel, it is also a moment of profound tenderness, set between a conversation about resurrection and the raising of Lazarus.
The counts help us answer accurately. The surrounding story gives us a reason to return. Even with hope before him, Jesus had tears for those he loved.
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