Bible Verse Gifts for Pastors
Pastors and church staff have already received a lot of gifts with a dove on them. This guide is for the other kind of gift: a real Bible line, surprising and exact, printed plain with no explanation. The verse does the joking. The person wearing it does the explaining, and they will probably enjoy that part.
Every pick below comes from our eleven verses. Each one comes with a story card, so the owner always knows what to say when someone asks, “Wait, what is that?” That question is where the name comes from. Manna comes from the Hebrew for “what is it?” because the people in the wilderness did not know what they were looking at. Exodus 16:15 says, “It is manna: for they wist not what it was.”
Acts 20:9 for the long sermon
“He sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.” (Acts 20:9)
What it means: Paul preached so long that a young man named Eutychus fell asleep in a third story window, fell out, and died. Paul went down, wrapped his arms around him, and he came back to life. Then everyone went back upstairs, ate, and Paul kept preaching until sunrise. Every pastor has watched someone nod off in a pew. This is the worst case, and it still ends with God at work.
The Third Loft tee is $34, in sizes S to 4XL, with an Art or Text version in Black or Bone. See the Third Loft tee.
Matthew 23:24 for the desk
“Which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:24)
What it means: Jesus was talking to religious leaders who gave God ten percent of even their mint and spices but skipped justice, mercy and faithfulness. They strained a gnat out of a drink so they would not swallow an unclean bug, then swallowed a camel, which is also unclean, just bigger. You can be careful about everything except what matters.
The Gnat and Camel mug is $18, 11 oz ceramic, white or black. The verse is on one side and the answer is on the other, which makes it a good gift for the pastor who drinks coffee all week. See the Gnat and Camel mug.
1 Samuel 17:18 for church staff
“And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand” (1 Samuel 17:18)
What it means: Before David faced Goliath, his father sent him to the front lines with bread for his brothers and ten cheeses for their commander. David made the delivery and walked up just as Goliath came out. Small jobs done faithfully are what put you in place for the big moments. The office manager, the volunteer coordinator and the person who sets up the folding chairs will understand.
The Ten Cheeses tote is $28, organic cotton twill, 16 x 14.5 in. See the Ten Cheeses tote.
1 Samuel 13:21 for the church office
“Yet they had a file for the mattocks” (1 Samuel 13:21)
What it means: The Philistines banned blacksmiths in Israel, so Israel had to pay the enemy to sharpen its farm tools. When war came, only Saul and his son Jonathan had swords. Then Jonathan climbed a cliff with one helper, and God routed the Philistines. God has never been waiting on better equipment, which is a comfort to anyone who has looked at a church budget.
The File for the Mattocks framed print shows the meaning card, 8 x 10 in, in a black, white or red oak frame, and it costs $45. See the File for the Mattocks framed print.
Judges 7:13 for the small congregation
“A cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian” (Judges 7:13)
What it means: Gideon had only 300 men against an army too big to count. He sneaked into the enemy camp at night and overheard a soldier’s dream about a loaf of cheap barley bread that rolled in and knocked a tent flat. The soldier’s friend said the loaf was Gideon. God loves to use the small and overlooked, so everyone knows the win came from Him.
The Barley Bread hoodie is $65, garment dyed fleece with the verse on the back, in sizes S to 3XL. If you want something a little lighter, the crewneck is $50 in the same sizes. See the Barley Bread hoodie.
Numbers 11:5 for the committee meeting
“The cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:” (Numbers 11:5)
What it means: God fed Israel bread from heaven every morning in the desert. They got tired of it and cried for the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic they used to eat in Egypt. That was the menu from their own slavery. Miss the old life long enough and you forget what it was. Anyone who has sat through a meeting about how things used to be knows the feeling.
The Egypt’s Produce Aisle stickers are $12 for three kiss cut vinyl stickers on one sheet, about 5.8 x 8.3 in. They are a small gift for a laptop lid or a filing cabinet. See the Egypt’s Produce Aisle stickers.
John 2:6 for the fellowship hall
“And there were set there six waterpots of stone” (John 2:6)
What it means: Jesus was at a wedding when the wine ran out, which was a huge embarrassment for the family. He told the servants to fill six big stone jars with water, well over 100 gallons. When they served it, it was wine, and the best wine of the whole party. It was His first miracle. He does not patch what ran out. He replaces it with better.
The Six Waterpots poster is $28, the meaning card at 12 x 18 in, matte. It comes unframed, so the pastor can pick the wall. See the Six Waterpots poster.
How to pick one
Think about the person, not the occasion. If they preach, the tee or hoodie lets the verse travel with them. If they work in the office, a mug or print stays put. If you are not sure, the sticker sheet is the easiest place to start. Each design also has a story behind it, and you can read the whole thing on our story page.
Wrap up
A pastor spends the week answering hard questions. These gifts hand them an easy one. Someone reads the verse, asks what it is, and the pastor gets to tell a story from the Bible that most people have read right past. The Manna’d store is US only, so if you are buying from outside the US you can find us on Etsy.
Now you’ve been Manna’d.
See all eleven verses