diff --git a/backend/src/buildSearchIndex.js b/backend/src/buildSearchIndex.js
index 7efef7c9..9114e17b 100644
--- a/backend/src/buildSearchIndex.js
+++ b/backend/src/buildSearchIndex.js
@@ -10,16 +10,17 @@ class SearchIndexBuilder {
     this.startTime = null;
   }
 
-  // Parse verses from markdown content (same logic as BibleSearchEngine)
+  // Parse verses from markdown content (handles multi-line verses)
   parseVersesFromMarkdown(content, book, chapter, version) {
     const verses = [];
     const lines = content.split('\n');
+    let currentVerse = null;
 
-    for (let i = 0; i < lines.length; i++) {
-      const line = lines[i].trim();
+    for (const line of lines) {
+      const trimmedLine = line.trim();
 
       // Skip empty lines and headers
-      if (!line || line.startsWith('#')) {
+      if (!trimmedLine || trimmedLine.startsWith('#')) {
         continue;
       }
 
@@ -27,22 +28,35 @@ class SearchIndexBuilder {
       // - "1. In the beginning..." (numbered list format)
       // - "1 In the beginning..." (simple number format)
       // - "**1** In the beginning..." (bold number format)
-      const verseMatch = line.match(/^(\*\*)?(\d+)(\*\*)?[.\s]\s*(.+)$/);
+      const verseMatch = trimmedLine.match(/^(\*\*)?(\d+)(\*\*)?[.\s]\s*(.*)$/);
 
       if (verseMatch) {
+        // If a new verse is found, save the previous one
+        if (currentVerse) {
+          verses.push(currentVerse);
+        }
+
         const verseNumber = parseInt(verseMatch[2]);
         const verseText = verseMatch[4];
 
-        verses.push({
+        currentVerse = {
           book,
           chapter,
           verse: verseNumber,
           text: verseText,
           version
-        });
+        };
+      } else if (currentVerse) {
+        // If it's a continuation of the current verse, append the text
+        currentVerse.text += ` ${trimmedLine}`;
       }
     }
 
+    // Add the last verse
+    if (currentVerse) {
+      verses.push(currentVerse);
+    }
+
     return verses;
   }