Parenting is a huge responsibility, and sometimes, parents fall short. The Bible addresses the effects of poor parenting and offers guidance on how to overcome these challenges. Let’s explore verses that speak to both the struggles and the hope for healing and growth in families with difficult parental dynamics.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Turning To God
Bible Verses About Bad Parents
Proverbs 22:6 – Train your children in the way they should go
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6
Ephesians 6:4 – Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” – Ephesians 6:4
Proverbs 29:15 – Correct your son, and he will give you rest
“The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.” – Proverbs 29:15
Colossians 3:21 – Parents, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged
“Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” – Colossians 3:21
Matthew 18:6 – Do not cause little ones to sin
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” – Matthew 18:6
Proverbs 13:24 – Discipline your children to give them life
“Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” – Proverbs 13:24
Proverbs 19:18 – Discipline your son while there is hope
“Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.” – Proverbs 19:18
Proverbs 23:13-14 – Do not withhold discipline from a child
“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.” – Proverbs 23:13-14
Proverbs 29:17 – Discipline your son, and he will give you rest and delight your heart
“Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.” – Proverbs 29:17
Deuteronomy 6:7 – Teach your children diligently
“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.” – Deuteronomy 6:7
Exodus 20:12 – Honor your father and mother
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” – Exodus 20:12
1 Timothy 5:8 – Provide for your own family
“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” – 1 Timothy 5:8
Proverbs 15:20 – A wise son makes a glad father
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.” – Proverbs 15:20
Titus 2:4-5 – Older women should teach younger women to love their children
“Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” – Titus 2:4-5
Proverbs 22:15 – Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child
“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.” – Proverbs 22:15
Psalm 103:13 – As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him
“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.” – Psalm 103:13
Matthew 7:11 – If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” – Matthew 7:11
Proverbs 20:7 – A righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed are his children after him
“The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!” – Proverbs 20:7
Psalm 127:3 – Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from Him
“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.” – Psalm 127:3
Exodus 21:15 – Whoever strikes his father or mother shall be put to death
“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.” – Exodus 21:15
Proverbs 1:8 – Listen to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching
“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.” – Proverbs 1:8
Proverbs 6:20 – Keep your father’s commandment and do not forsake your mother’s teaching
“My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.” – Proverbs 6:20
Proverbs 10:1 – A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.” – Proverbs 10:1
1 Peter 5:2 – Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight
“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly.” – 1 Peter 5:2
Ephesians 6:1-3 – Honor your father and mother, that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land
“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 go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” – Ephesians 6:1-3
Proverbs 30:17 – 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
“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 30:17
Proverbs 30:11 – There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers
“There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.” – Proverbs 30:11
Proverbs 17:6 – Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers
“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.” – Proverbs 17:6
Proverbs 30:12-14 – There are those who are pure in their own eyes, yet are not cleansed of their filth; there are those…
“There are those who are pure in their own eyes but are not cleansed of their filth. There are those…” – Proverbs 30:12-14
Proverbs 15:5 – A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence
“A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.” – Proverbs 15:5
Proverbs 20:20 – If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness
“If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.” – Proverbs 20:20
Colossians 3:20 – Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord
“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” – Colossians 3:20
Proverbs 23:22 – Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old
“Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” – Proverbs 23:22
Proverbs 17:25 – A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him
“A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.” – Proverbs 17:25
Proverbs 28:24 – Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, “That is no transgression,” is a companion to a man who destroys
“Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, “That is no transgression,” is a companion to a man who destroys.” – Proverbs 28:24
Psalm 68:5 – Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation
“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.” – Psalm 68:5
1 John 3:18 – Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” – 1 John 3:18
Proverbs 28:7 – The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father
“The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.” – Proverbs 28:7
Proverbs 17:21 – To have a fool for a son brings grief; there is no joy for the father of a fool
“To have a fool for a son brings grief; there is no joy for the father of a fool.” – Proverbs 17:21
Proverbs 10:9 – Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” – Proverbs 10:9
1 Corinthians 16:14 – Let all that you do be done in love
“Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14
Proverbs 23:24 – The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him
“The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.” – Proverbs 23:24
Proverbs 10:5 – He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son
“He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.” – Proverbs 10:5
Proverbs 19:26 – He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach
“He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.” – Proverbs 19:26
Proverbs 16:24 – Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body
“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” – Proverbs 16:24
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 – If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3