Bible Verses about Parenthood: Biblical Support for Parents

Looking for Bible verses about parenthood? Find support and encouragement here. Being a parent is a great gift and a great responsibility. Caring for a child’s physical well-being is only one part of parenthood. Nurturing the mind and soul also takes a great deal of patience, compassion, and humility.

There are a myriad of books, blogs, vlogs, and other ways to consume advice on parenthood. Yet the Christian parent must first and foremost learn what God has said about being a parent. The greatest ultimatum that God gives to parents is found in Deuteronomy.

Bible verses about parenthood

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. – Deuteronomy 6:4-7, NIV

The commandment is first to love God and then to teach your child to love God. This is done in all kinds of ways and places, by your words and by your actions. Give your child an example to follow, at home and out in the world. Encourage love in both your conversation and your behavior.

Speaking of behavior, Ephesians chapters 5 and 6 have useful instructions for the various roles of a Christian household, including parents.

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. – Ephesians 6:4, NIV

What exasperates children? Here is a list of possibilities:

• Inconsistent rules or schedules.
• Expectations beyond their maturity or ability.
• Feeling misunderstood.
• Being hungry, tired, or overstimulated physically or emotionally.

As a parent, you have the greater maturity to understand the context of a situation and provide the necessary buffer of patience for your child. Your task is to help your child grow in their self-awareness, which takes time.

The living, the living – they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about your faithfulness. – Isaiah 38:19, NIV

As a Christian parent, your testimony is the most influential that your child will experience. Whether or not they choose to carry out the faith, their opinion of Christianity and God is formed, in part, by you. When you are honest about your experiences, the hard as well as the wonderful, it shapes their view of God.

The long-term plan.

Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. – Proverbs 19:14, NIV

After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. – 2 Corinthians 12:14, NIV

The American dream touts a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” way of life. The reality is that each generation builds on the work of their forebears. Providing for your children should include the long view. You faithfully provide for your children and teach them the responsibility they have to continue that practice for their own future generations.

No matter if you are a parent in ancient Israel, the Roman Empire, or 2024 America, the Bible offers timeless principles to all parents. It is the job of Christian parents to teach their children about God’s love in word and deed.

Christian counseling for parents.

If you’re looking for additional support beyond these Bible verses about parenthood, don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule an appointment for Christian counseling. We would be happy to support you in your parenting journey.