Most-Popular Kids’ Bible Stories
This page catalogs the most-popular stories from over thirty children’s Bibles published from 1831 to 2013. The stories appear in order from most-popular (appearing in many children’s Bibles) to least-popular (only appearing in a couple of children’s Bibles). Stories appearing under the same number in each column appear in an equal number of Bibles for kids. Read a blog post about this list.
Old Testament Stories
- Noah's flood (Genesis 6-8)
- Moses' birth and being found by Pharaoh's daughter (Exodus 2:1-10)
- Joseph's coat, dreams, and sold by his brothers for twenty pieces of silver (Genesis 37)
- Ruth (Ruth 1-4)
Creation of the world (Genesis 1:1-25)
- David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17)
- Capture of Jericho (Joshua 6)
Crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14)
Daniel and the lions' den (Daniel 6)
- Burning bush (Exodus 3:1-4:17)
David chosen by God (1 Samuel 16:1-13)
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
- Elijah and the prophets (1 Kings 18)
Cain and Abel (Genesis 4)
The Fall (Genesis 3)
Manna (Exodus 16)
Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)
- Marriage of Isaac (Genesis 24)
- David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 20)
Egypt's nine plagues (Exodus 7:14-10:29)
- Elijah fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:1-6)
- Jacob's ladder (Genesis 28:10-22)
God's covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:1-17)
The golden calf (Exodus 32)
Samson's death (Judges 16:23-31)
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3)
Making the tabernacle (Exodus 36)
Samson's birth (Judges 13)
Spies sent to Canaan (Numbers 13:1-14:45)
Elijah and the widow at Zarephath (1 Kings 17:7-24)
Esther saves her people (Esther 5,6)
- Naaman healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5)
Joseph visits Jacob (Genesis 46)
Absalom (2 Samuel 13-17)
Jonah and the fish (Jonah 1:1-2:10)
Samuel's birth (1 Samuel 1)
Joseph rules in Egypt (Genesis 41:40-57)
Saul anointed king (1 Samuel 9)
- Tenth plague against Egypt inflicted (Exodus 12:29-30)
Building the Temple (1 Kings 6)
Deception of Isaac for Jacob's blessing (Genesis 27:1-40)
Abraham's call (Genesis 12:1-3)
Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-19:29)
Solomon asks for wisdom (1 Kings 3:1-15)
The Book of Law found; Josiah renews the covenant (2 Kings 22:1-30)
Esther becomes queen (Esther 1-5)
Samson's marriage (Judges 14)
Joseph in prison (Genesis 39:20-23)
Gideon defeats the Midianites (Judges 7:1-8:35)
- Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19)
Birth of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:19-26)
The Exodus (Exodus 12:31-51)
Elisha and the Shunammite (2 Kings 4:8-37)
Rahab and the spies (Joshua 2)
Jacob, Rachel, and Leah (Genesis 29-30)
Samson and Delilah (Judges 16)
David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12)
Daniel and the king's food (Daniel 1:1-16)
The writing on the wall (Daniel 5)
- David anointed king of Judah (2 Samuel 2:1-11)
Samson and the jawbone (Judges 15)
David cares for Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9)
Waters of Meribah (Numbers 20:1-13)
Creation of humanity (Genesis 1:26-31)
Balaam (Numbers 22-24)
The Israelites ask for a king (1 Samuel 8)
Joseph's brothers visit (Genesis 42)
Elijah taken to heaven (2 Kings 2:1-11)
Philistines capture the ark (1 Samuel 4-6)
The Passover instituted (Exodus 12:1-20)
- Saul rejected as king (1 Samuel 15)
Moses' death (Deuteronomy 34)
Gideon's call (Judges 6)
Benjamin visits Joseph (Genesis 43)
Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a tree; fulfillment (Daniel 4)
Solomon anointed king (1 Kings 1:28-40)
Queen of Sheba visits (1 Kings 10:1-13)
Athaliah and Joash (2 Kings 11:21)
Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21)
Tenth plague against Egypt threatened (Exodus 11)
The Lord calls Samuel (1 Samuel 3)
- Aaron's staff becomes a snake (Exodus 7:8-13)
The Passover communicated (Exodus 12:21-28)
David and Saul are enemies (1 Samuel 18:9-30)
David spares Saul (1 Samuel 24)
God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15)
Isaac's birth (Genesis 21:1-8)
Jacob flees Laban (Genesis 31)
Abraham sends away Ishmael (Genesis 21:10-21)
Deborah and Barak (Judges 4)
Jeroboam's idolatry (1 Kings 12:25-14:19)
Crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3)
Joseph and Potiphar (Genesis 39:1-20)
- Jepthath (Judges 11:30-40)
Fall of Israel (2 Kings 17:1-5)
Jacob wrestles with the angel (Genesis 32:24-32)
The sun stops (Joshua 10)
God comforts Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-18)
Saul's death (1 Samuel 31:3-6)
Israel revolts under Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1-24)
Hezekiah king of Judah (2 Kings 18)
Elisha and the widow's olive oil (2 Kings 4:1-7)
The bronze snake (Numbers 21:4-8)
- Job afflicted by Satan (Job 1:1-2:13)
Birth of Isaac foretold (Genesis 18:1-16)
Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28:7-25)
God is angry with Solomon (1 Kings 11)
Israel blesses his twelve sons (Genesis 49)
God blinds Arameans (2 Kings 6:8-23)
Jehu anointed king of Israel (2 Kings 9:1-13)
Dividing the land (Joshua 13-20)
Creation of Eve (Genesis 2:20-25)
The silver cup (Genesis 44)
- God speaks to Job (Job 38:1-42:9)
Ezra 3-4 (Ezra 3-4)
Esau sells his birthright to Jacob (Genesis 25:27-34)
God blesses Job (Job 42:10-13)
David returns the Ark to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6)
Arameans flee (2 Kings 7)
Solomon and the baby (1 Kings 3:15-28)
Jacob and Esau reunite (Genesis 33)
Moses kills an Egyptian, goes to Midian and gets a wife (Exodus 2:11-25)
David anointed king of Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-12)
Korah's rebellion (Numbers 16)
Lot and Abraham (Genesis 13:5-8)
Ahab's death (1 Kings 22:29-39)
Taberah, quail (Numbers 11-12)
Bad kings of Israel (1 Kings 12 - 2Chron 33)
Jonah at Nineveh (Jonah 3-4)
Creation of Adam (Genesis 2:7-8)
- Amalek Attacks (Exodus 19)
Ezra 1-2 (Ezra 1-2)
Elisha and the bears (2 Kings 2:23-25)
Aaron's staff buds (Numbers 17)
Dedicating the Temple (1 Kings 8)
The year of jubilee (Leviticus 25)
Hagar conceives (Genesis 16)
David and Abigail (1 Samuel 25)
David plays the harp for Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-23)
Hazael kills Ben-hadad (2 Kings 8:7-15)
Plans for the Temple (2 Samuel 7)
Achan's sin (Joshua 7)
Victory over Ai (Joshua 8:1-29)
- The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 23)
Judges 1-2 (Judges 1-2)
The Israelites leave Sinai (Numbers 10)
Jehoash king of Israel (2 Kings 13:18-20)
Ahab defeats Ben-hadad (1 Kings 20)
Laws for sacrifices (Leviticus 17)
David eats the shewbread (1 Samuel 21:3-6)
Hannah's prayer to the Lord (1 Samuel 2:1-10)
Laws for feasts (Leviticus 23:1-22)
Elijah calls Elisha (1 Kings 19:19-21)
Manasseh king of Judah (2 Chron 33:10)
Fall of Judah (2 Kings 25:4-10)
Azariah (aka Uzziah) (2 Kings 15:1-7)
Defeat of Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21-35)
Amaziah king of Judah (2 Kings 14:1-16)
The second set of Commandments (Exodus 34)
Ehud (Judges 3:12-30)
- The Gibeonites trick the Israelites (Joshua 9)
Fall of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1 -21)
Jonathon takes a garrison of Philistines (1 Samuel 14:1-14)
Expulsion from Eden (Genesis 3:22-24)
Joshua's address to the princes of Israel (Joshua 23)
David and Achish (1 Samuel 27:1 - 28:3, 29:1-11)
Isaiah's commision (Isaiah 6:8-9)
Aaron's death (Numbers 20:22-29)
Address and death of Joshua (Joshua 24)
David at Ziklag (1 Samuel 30:1-30)
Jehoshophat (1 Kings 22)
Stone memorial (Joshua 4 )
Captain of the Lord's Host (Joshua 5:13-15)
The dream of the statue (Daniel 2)
Nahash (1 Samuel 11)
Isaac in the land of the Philistines (Genesis 26)
Ezekiel's vision of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
Vision of angels (Ezekiel 1)
Repairing the Temple (2 Kings 12)
- Metaphor for the judgement of Israel/Judah (Ezekiel 3-5)
David's last words (2 Samuel 23:1-7)
Numbering the Israelites Again (Numbers 26)
God's second appearance to Solomon (1 Kings 9:1-9)
Jeremiah 18:1-10 (Jeremiah 18:1-10)
Adam and Eve know nakedness (Genesis 3:7-11)
Saul offers sacrifices (1 Samuel 13)
Abner and Joab (2 Samuel 3)
David gives up Saul's sons to the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1-11)
Saul becomes king (1 Samuel 10)
Ahaziah (2 Kings 1)
War with Moab (2 Kings 3)
Scapegoat (Leviticus 16:8-10, 21-26)
Joshua becomes leader (Joshua 1)
An axhead floats (2 Kings 6:1-6)
Burials of Deborah, Rachel and Isaac (Genesis 35)
David returns to Judah (2 Samuel 19:11-23)
From Adam to Noah (Genesis 5)
Ahaz (2 Kings 16)
| New Testament Stories
- Jesus' birth (Luke 2:7)
- Wise men visit Jesus (Matt 2:10-12)
- Jesus as a boy in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
Jesus' crucifixion (Mark 15:22-40)
- Feeding of the 5,000 (Mark 6:32-44)
- Jesus and the children (Luke 18:15-17)
Jesus chooses his disciples (Matt 4:18-22)
Jesus calms the storm (Mark 4:35-41)
Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:41-42, 49-56)
The triumphal entry (Luke 19:28-44)
- Peter's miraculous escape from prison (Acts 12:1-19)
The Last Supper (Mark 14:18-26)
Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5)
Jesus' ascension (Luke 24:51-53)
- Jesus' temptation in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13)
Bartimaeus sees (Mark 10:46-52)
The Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13)
Parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
Parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)
Saul's conversion (Acts 9:1-19)
Jesus walks on water (Mark 6:48-53)
Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-45)
- Peter heals the crippled beggar (Acts 3:1-10)
The birth of Jesus foretold (Luke 1:31-33)
Jesus changes water to wine (John 2:1-11)
Jesus' resurrection (Matt 28:5-20)
Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)
Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42)
- Parable of the sower (Luke 8:5-8)
Shepherds visit Jesus (Luke 2:15-18)
Parable of the lost sheep/lost coin (Luke 15:3-10)
Jesus talks with the Samaritan Woman (John 4:4-42)
Jesus heals a paralytic (Luke 5:18-25)
Jesus' baptism (Matt 3:14-17)
Aeneas and Dorcas (Acts 9:36-43)
- The faith of the centurion (Luke 7:1-10)
Paul preaches at Rome under guard (Acts 28:17-31)
The stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60)
At the home of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38)
- Jesus' arrest (Mark 14:43-50)
Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 12:1-14)
John the Baptist beheaded (Matt 14:1-12)
Phillip and the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-39)
Paul and Silas in prison (Acts 16:16-40)
- Jesus' anointing at Bethany (Mark 14:3-9)
Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)
On to Jerusalem; Paul's arrival at Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-26)
The Shipwreck (Acts 27:27-44)
Jesus and the miraculous catch of fish (John 21:1-25)
The upper room discourse (John 13-17)
Jesus before Pilate (John 18:28-40)
The transfiguration (Mark 9:2-12)
Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)
Ten lepers (Luke 17:12-19)
The birth of John the Baptist foretold (Luke 1:5-25)
- Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-28)
John the Baptist (Luke 3:1-22)
Jesus heals the official's son (John 4:43-54)
Paul before Agrippa (Acts 26:1-32)
Jesus appears to his disciples (John 20:19-23)
The empty tomb (John 20:1-8)
Jesus rejected at Nazareth (Luke 4:14-36)
- Judas agrees to betray Jesus (Matt 26:14-16)
The apostles persecuted (Acts 5:17-26)
Peter's confession of Christ (Mark 8:27-30)
Disagreement between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:36-41)
Jesus and the woman with bleeding (Luke 8:43-48)
The escape to Egypt (Matt 2:13-18)
He who is least among you shall be first (Mark 9)
(Journeys) (Acts 17-20:6)
On Cyprus (Acts 13:4-12)
The birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:57-66)
The riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41)
The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem (Acts 9:19-31)
Christ the good shepherd (John 10:1-30)
Overturning tables in the Temple (John 2:13-17)
Jesus taken to Annas (Mark 14:53-65)
- Cornelius the Centurion (Acts 10:1-48)
The trial before Felix (Acts 24:1-24)
The healing of a demon-possessed man (Mark 5:1-20)
Jesus' dedication (Luke 2:39)
Further Parables (Matt 14:31-53)
Jesus heals many (Matt 15:29-31)
Paul arrested (Acts 21:27-36)
Sending out disciples (Luke 10:1-20)
In Lystra and Derbe (Acts 14:8-20)
Doubting Thomas (John 20:24-31)
In Athens (Acts 17:22-34)
Calling fisher disciples (Mark 1:16-21)
Parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16)
Parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt 18:21-35)
Jesus' beatings (Mark 15:15-22)
Widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-16)
- The Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1-4)
Woman washes Jesus' feet (Luke 7:36-50)
New Jerusalem (Rev 22)
The faith of a Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30)
Parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30)
Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-25)
Signs of the end of the age (Luke 21:5-37)
The poor widow (Mark 12:42-44)
Parable of the ten virgins (Matt 25:1-13)
- Rich fool (Luke 12:16-21)
The rich ruler (Luke 18:18-30)
Parable of the wedding banquet (Matt 22:1-14)
Paul speaks to the crowd (Acts 22:1-21)
The man with leprosy (Mark 1:40-45)
The house upon the sand and the rock (Matt 7:24-27)
Parables (Luke 15)
Jesus goes to the feast of tabernacles (John 7:1-13)
Ashore on Malta (Acts 28:1-10)
The calling of Matthew (Matt 9:9)
The plot to kill Paul (Acts 23:12-22)
Light of the world (John 8:12)
Healing a blind man who sees trees (Mark 8:22-26)
Peter's vision (Acts 10:9-23)
Parable of the Pharisee and publican (Luke 18:10-14)
The Church at Antioch (Acts 11:19-30)
Jesus feeds the four thousand (Mark 8:1-9)
Eutychas raised from the dead at Troas (Acts 20:7-12)
- Forgiving one's brother (Matt 18:15-22)
Pool of Siloam (John 9)
Paul transferred to Caesarea (Acts 23:23-35)
Knock and it shall be given (Luke 11:5-13)
Casting out a demon (Mark 9:17-30)
The widow's gift (Luke 21:1-4)
Casting out moneylenders (Matt 21:12-13)
Paul sails for Rome (Acts 27:1-12)
- Mary visits Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56)
Parable of the hidden treasure (Matt 13:34-35)
Festus consults King Agrippa (Acts 25:13-22)
Parable of the fig tree (Luke 13:6-9)
Healing Peter's mother-in-law (Matt 8:14,15)
The woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11)
Cost of following Jesus (Luke 14:25-34)
Judas's suicide (Matt 27:3-5)
Sadducees (Mark 12:18-27)
Parable of the tenants (Matt 21:33-45)
Parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14)
Withered fig tree/moving mountains (Matt 21:19-22)
Paying taxes (Matt 17:24-27)
Lilies of the field (Matt 6:28-34)
Children praising Jesus (Matt 21:16)
Bread of life (John 6:22-59)
The burial (Matt 27:57-61)
Whoever does unto the least of these does unto me (Matt 20:20-28)
Healing at the pool of Bethesda (John 5)
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The Data
Download the raw list of stories (Google Spreadsheet).