What Does the Bible Say About Raising Children?

Proverbs 22:6 ESV / 137 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 29:15 ESV / 80 helpful votes

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

Ephesians 6:4 ESV / 79 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 23:13 ESV / 61 helpful votes

Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.

Colossians 3:21 ESV / 51 helpful votes

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

Deuteronomy 6:7 ESV / 50 helpful votes

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.

Proverbs 13:24 ESV / 48 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 22:15 ESV / 40 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 29:17 ESV / 39 helpful votes

Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

Proverbs 19:18 ESV / 35 helpful votes

Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.

Psalm 127:3-5 ESV / 35 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.

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / 26 helpful votes

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Psalm 127:3 ESV / 23 helpful votes

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

Proverbs 15:5 ESV / 22 helpful votes

A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

2 Timothy 3:17 ESV / 20 helpful votes

That the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV / 17 helpful votes

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Leviticus 19:29 ESV / 12 helpful votes

“Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity.

1 Peter 2:20 ESV / 11 helpful votes

For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

Matthew 19:14 ESV / 8 helpful votes

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

1 Samuel 1:27-28 ESV / 8 helpful votes

For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Romans 8:28 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Luke 2:52 ESV / 4 helpful votes

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Psalm 127:4-5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

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.

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

2 Kings 2:23-24 ESV / 3 helpful votes

He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys.

1 Samuel 2:26 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.

1 Samuel 1:1-27:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes

There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. ...

1 Samuel 1:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

28 Bible Verses about Raising Children