The short answer
Write five things, in this order: their name, the occasion and the date, one sentence from you, a verse (or just its reference), and your name. Put it on the first blank or title page, in a pen that will not bleed, and keep it short enough to read in one breath. On a black page, use a white or silver pen.
A Bible with a name and a date inside becomes a family document, read again at weddings and funerals. That is a reason not to overthink it: the words that last are usually plain.
A pattern that works for any occasion
- Their name. “For Daniel” or “To Sophie Grace”.
- The occasion and date, and the place if it matters: “on your baptism at Grace Church, Easter Sunday 2026”.
- One sentence from you. What you hope for them, or what you see in them. One honest sentence beats a paragraph of borrowed words.
- A verse, written out or as a reference they can look up. A reference is fine if space is short.
- Your name, and your relationship if they are young: “Your godmother, Anna”.
Wording you can adapt
A baby’s baptism or christening
For Noah, on the day of your baptism, 12 April 2026. We promised to pray for you and to show you the way to Jesus. This book is the start of that promise. Isaiah 43:1. With love, your godparents, Mark and Ellen.
Write to the person they will be at ten or twenty.
An adult’s baptism
Sam, today you went under the water and came up new. I have watched you seek and find. Keep reading. 2 Corinthians 5:17. Your friend in Christ, Joel, 3 May 2026.
A confirmation
For Emma, on your confirmation, 16 May 2026. You have chosen this faith for yourself, and I am so proud of you. Philippians 1:6. With love, Aunt Kate.
More ideas for the day itself are in our confirmation gift guide.
A wedding
To Anna and Lukas, on your wedding day, 20 June 2026. May this be the first book on the shelf of your home, and may you read it together. Ecclesiastes 4:12. With love, Mum and Dad.
Our guide to a Bible as a wedding gift covers choosing the book itself, and Bible verses about marriage has more passages.
A new believer
Leah, welcome to the family of God. Start with John, and call me when you get stuck. Psalm 119:105. Love, Ruth.
A new Christian often needs to know where to begin more than anything else, so a line like “start with John” is a gift in itself. Our guide to gifts for new believers has more.
A graduation or a new start
Ben, as you leave home: trust him with the next step, and the one after. Proverbs 3:5–6. Dad, June 2026.
For someone grieving
Margaret, we are thinking of you and of Tom every day. There is no need to read it all; open it when you can. Lamentations 3:22–23. With love, the Hansens.
Verses that fit an inscription
Short verses work best. Here are some that people choose often, in the World English Bible we print (the King James wording is given for the best known):
| Occasion | Verse |
|---|---|
| Baptism | “But now Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel, says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.” Isaiah 43:1, WEB |
| Baptism or new believer | “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17, WEBKJV: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” |
| Blessing for a child | “‘Yahweh bless you, and keep you. Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.’” Numbers 6:24–26, WEBKJV: “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” |
| Confirmation | “being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6, WEB |
| Confirmation or a new start | “Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.”” Joshua 1:9, WEBKJV: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” |
| Wedding | “If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12, WEB |
| Wedding | “Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16, WEB |
| Graduation | “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5–6, WEBKJV: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” |
| Any reader | “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105, WEBKJV: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” |
| Grief | “It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his mercies don’t fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22–23, WEB |
| Hope | “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13, WEB |
If you write a verse out in full, copy it from the Bible you are giving, so the words match the page. A different translation in the front of the book can confuse a young reader.
Where and how to write
- Where: on the first blank page, the title page, or the inside of the front cover. Some Bibles have a presentation page for exactly this.
- Pen: a fine pigment-ink pen dries quickly and does not bleed through. Avoid fountain pens and wet gel ink on thin Bible paper. Write a draft on paper first.
- On a black page: the pages of our Black Edition are printed black, so dark ink will not show. A white or silver gel or paint pen does; test it on the inside back cover first and let it dry fully before you close the book.
- If you cannot write in it: an eBook, or a book sent straight from the printer, can carry a card instead. Write the same five things on a good card and tuck it into the cover when it arrives, or post it to arrive the same day.
Choosing the book to write in
An inscription lasts as long as the book, so give one that will be read. For a child, that may be a story rather than a full Bible: our illustrated family Genesis is a retelling for ages 8 to 12. For a teenager or an adult, a New Testament of their own, such as the Black or White Edition, or a short book of Scripture on one theme, such as Hope or Marriage, gives the inscription a home they will come back to. The editions cost $60 as a softcover, $80 as a hardcover or $10 as an eBook; a theme book costs $30 to $40; shipping is calculated at checkout and free over $80.
Questions about Bible inscriptions
What do you write in a Bible you are giving as a gift?
Their name, the occasion and date, one sentence from you, a verse or its reference, and your name. Keep it short enough to read in one breath.
What do you say when giving someone a Bible?
Something simple and honest: why you thought of them, and a suggestion of where to start, for example “start with the Gospel of John”. Avoid pressure; the book will do its own work.
Where in a Bible should an inscription go?
On the first blank page, the title page or inside the front cover. If the Bible has a presentation page, use that.
What is a good Bible verse to write for a baptism?
Isaiah 43:1 (“I have called you by your name. You are mine.”), 2 Corinthians 5:17 (“a new creation”) and the blessing of Numbers 6:24–26 are three of the most chosen.
What pen should I use to write in a Bible?
A fine pigment-ink pen that dries quickly and does not bleed. On black printed pages, use a white or silver gel or paint pen and test it first.
Is it all right to give a Bible to someone who is not a Christian?
Yes, if it is given as a gift and not as pressure. Say why you thought of them, suggest one place to start, and leave it there.
How we wrote this guide. We print Bibles and books of Scripture that people give as gifts, and we answer questions about inscriptions in our own orders; the names and dates in the examples are invented. The verses are from the World English Bible and King James texts we print. Published 26 October 2026.
