What does the Bible say about dads and sons?

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• Ephesians 6:4

  You fathers, don't provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

• Colossians 3:21

  Fathers, don't provoke your children, so that they won't be discouraged.

• Proverbs 3:11-12

  [11] My son, don't despise Yahweh's discipline, Neither be weary of his reproof: [12] For whom Yahweh loves, he reproves; Even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

• Proverbs 22:6

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

• Malachi 4:6

  He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."

• Luke 15:11-32

  [11] He said, "A certain man had two sons. [12] The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of your property.' He divided his livelihood between them. [13] Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. [14] When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. [15] He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. [16] He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. [17] But when he came to himself he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough to spare, and I'm dying with hunger! [18] I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. [19] I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants."' [20] "He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. [21] The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' [22] "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; [24] for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.' They began to celebrate. [25] "Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. [27] He said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.' [28] But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. [29] But he answered his father, 'Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. [30] But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.' [31] "He said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. [32] But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.'"

• 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

  [11] As you know how we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children, [12] to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.

• Exodus 20:12

  "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

• Hebrews 12:7-11

  [7] It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn't discipline? [8] But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not children. [9] Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? [10] For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. [11] All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.

• Proverbs 17:6

  Children's children are the crown of old men; The glory of children are their parents.

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