Relationships

What the Bible says about children

The 14 verses readers most often turn to for this topic, quoted in full from the Berean Standard Bible.

Ps 127:3–5Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. He will not be put to shame when he confronts the enemies at the gate.

Prov 22:6Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Prov 17:6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.

Matt 19:14But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Eph 6:4Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Matt 18:10See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.

Isa 54:13Then all your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their prosperity.

3 John 1:4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

John 16:21A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.

Matt 18:1–3At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus invited a little child to stand among them. “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Gen 1:28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”

Ps 113:9He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!

Col 3:21Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.

Prov 13:24He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

These are the verses readers most often turn to for this topic — not a teaching on it. Read each in its chapter.

Sources

The verses of each topic and their order: OpenBible.info topical data, by readers’ votes: OpenBible.info · CC BY 4.0

Berean Standard Bible · Public domain