What does the Bible say about fathers and children?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible teaches that family life is a God-given calling in which parents lovingly nurture their children and children honor and obey their parents in the Lord. Fathers especially are warned not to provoke or discourage their children, but to bring them up with patient discipline and instruction centered on Christ. Ephesians 6:1-4 and Colossians 3:21 join the command for children to honor parents with the duty of parents to exercise gentle, godly authority. Psalm 103:13 portrays the Father’s compassion as the pattern for human fathers. Proverbs 22:6 urges faithful training, while Psalm 127:3-5 calls children a heritage from the Lord. Through such homes, God turns hearts toward one another and displays his covenant mercy.
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Ephesians 6:4 4 votes
You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
- Colossians 3:21 3 votes
Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.
- Malachi 4:6 3 votes
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.”
- Proverbs 22:6 3 votes
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
- Psalms 103:13 2 votes
Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him.
- 3 John 1:4 2 votes
I have no greater joy than this: to hear about my children walking in truth.
- Psalms 127:3-5 2 votes
Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won’t be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
- Ephesians 6:1-4 2 votes
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise: “that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.” You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
- Exodus 20:12 2 votes
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
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