'Trust in the Lord with all your heart' tops poll of favourite Bible verses
Pastor Dale Morgan
'Trust in the Lord with all your heart' tops poll of favourite Bible
verses*
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
Last Updated: 12:44am BST 07/04/2007
A Verse from Proverbs, exhorting people to "trust in the Lord" rather
than in their own understanding, has been voted the favourite Biblical
quote in a survey.
The poll by Wycliffe UK, a charity that translates Bibles, found that
although the "Good Book" may be less well read today, thousands still
draw inspiration from its pages. It also found that the most popular
verses tend to be those that offer Christians reassurance that they can
overcome life's vicissitudes with faith.
Top of the list was: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not
depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he
will direct your paths."
In second place, from Jeremiah, is: "For I know the plans I have for
you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to
give you a future and a hope."
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said his favourite was
from 2 Corinthians 3:18.
It reads: "All of us have had that veil removed so that we can be
mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord.
"And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more
like him and reflect his glory even more."
Dr Williams said the verse "tells us that what God reveals in Jesus is
nothing less than his full, true nature, and that we, if we let his
Spirit work in us, come to reflect that. It is the most daring promise
in the Bible."
Sir Cliff Richard chose Philippians 4:13: "I can do everything through
Christ, who gives me strength".
Linvoy Primus, a defender for Portsmouth FC, picked the quote from
Jeremiah, the second most popular, saying he had been sent it by a
supporter when he became a Christian.
Pam Rhodes, the television presenter, said her favourite was from Isaiah
49: 15,16: "Can a mother forget her nursing child? But even if that were
possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the
palms of my hands."
She said she found the verse comforting because it showed that God knew
her, warts and all.
Geoff Knot, the director of Wycliffe UK, said: "It's great to see that
so many people still find the Bible relevant to their day to day lives
and gain encouragement, assurance, hope, comfort and wisdom from what it
contains."