What Does the Bible Say About Mothers?

Luke 14:26 ESV / 42 helpful votes

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 12:48-50 ESV / 31 helpful votes

But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 10:37 ESV / 29 helpful votes

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

John 2:3-4 ESV / 20 helpful votes

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

Leviticus 20:9 ESV / 20 helpful votes

For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him.

Matthew 15:4-6 ESV / 19 helpful votes

For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.

Exodus 21:15 ESV / 18 helpful votes

“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.

Proverbs 22:15 ESV / 17 helpful votes

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

Proverbs 29:15 ESV / 15 helpful votes

The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

Proverbs 20:20 ESV / 11 helpful votes

If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.

Psalm 127:3 ESV / 11 helpful votes

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Proverbs 22:6 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 6:20 ESV / 9 helpful votes

My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching.

Proverbs 15:20 ESV / 8 helpful votes

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

Ephesians 6:2 ESV / 6 helpful votes

“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),

Isaiah 49:15 ESV / 6 helpful votes

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

Proverbs 23:22-25 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Matthew 19:19 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Proverbs 28:24 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, “That is no transgression,” is a companion to a man who destroys.

Proverbs 17:6 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

James 1:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

1 Timothy 2:11-15 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Luke 2:51 ESV / 4 helpful votes

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

Mark 7:10-12 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother,

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Ecclesiastes 12:7 ESV / 4 helpful votes

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Proverbs 30:17 ESV / 4 helpful votes

The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.

Proverbs 30:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes

There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

Proverbs 19:26 ESV / 4 helpful votes

He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.

Proverbs 13:24 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Proverbs 10:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

Proverbs 1:8 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching,

Psalm 139:13-16 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalm 127:3-5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 51:5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

1 Kings 19:20 ESV / 4 helpful votes

And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”

Leviticus 19:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 18:7 ESV / 4 helpful votes

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness.

Exodus 21:22-25 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman's husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Exodus 21:17 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.

Exodus 20:12 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Genesis 2:7 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

1 John 1:9 ESV / 3 helpful votes

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 12:5-11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? ...

Colossians 2:1-23 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. ...

Ephesians 6:1-4 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Galatians 5:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Romans 12:2 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Mark 10:19 ESV / 3 helpful votes

You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”

Proverbs 23:13-14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.

Ephesians 6:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 14:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.

Bible Verses about Mothers