Honoring parents is one of the most fundamental teachings in the Bible. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, Scripture consistently emphasizes the importance of respecting, obeying, and caring for one’s parents.
This command is not just about children listening to their parents but extends to showing love, gratitude, and care for them throughout their lives. Honoring parents is a reflection of our respect for God’s authority and His divine order for families.
God promises blessings to those who honor their parents and warns of consequences for those who neglect or dishonor them. This principle fosters strong families and, in turn, a stable society.
No matter our age, honoring our parents remains a lifelong responsibility. Here are powerful Bible verses that highlight this crucial biblical command.
Powerful Bible Verses About Honor Your Parents
1. Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
2. Deuteronomy 5:16
“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you.”
3. Ephesians 6:1-2
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise.”
4. Colossians 3:20
“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
5. Proverbs 1:8
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”
6. Proverbs 6:20
“My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.”
7. Leviticus 19:3
“Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.”
8. Proverbs 23:22
“Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.”
9. Matthew 15:4
“For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’”
10. Mark 7:10
“For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’”
11. Luke 18:20
“You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’”
12. Proverbs 20:20
“If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.”
13. Exodus 21:17
“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.”
14. Proverbs 30:17
“The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.”
15. 1 Timothy 5:4
“But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to show godliness to their own household and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”
16. 1 Timothy 5:8
“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.”
17. Genesis 46:29
“Then Joseph got his chariot ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel.”
18. Ruth 3:5
“I will do whatever you say, Ruth answered.”
19. 2 Samuel 15:25
“Then the king said to Zadok, ‘Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.’”
20. Proverbs 15:20
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.”
21. Proverbs 19:26
“He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.”
22. Genesis 9:23
“But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father.”
23. Exodus 4:18
“Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, ‘Please let me go back to my relatives in Egypt and see if they are still alive.’”
24. Luke 2:51
“Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.”
25. John 19:26-27
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’”
26. Ephesians 6:3
“That it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
27. Proverbs 13:1
“A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.”
28. Deuteronomy 21:18-21
“If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother, they shall bring him to the elders.”
29. Colossians 3:21
“Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.”
30. Psalm 103:13
“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”
31. Matthew 19:19
“Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
32. Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
33. Psalm 127:3
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”
34. Deuteronomy 4:9
“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart.”
35. Proverbs 31:28
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”
Our Thought on What the Bible Teaches About Honoring Your Parents
The Bible is clear about the importance of honoring our parents. It is not just a command but a principle that carries blessings. Honoring parents means respecting, listening, caring for, and obeying them, whether we are children or adults.
The Scriptures show that those who honor their parents will experience God’s favor, while those who dishonor them bring hardship upon themselves. Honoring parents reflects our relationship with God.
It teaches humility, gratitude, and responsibility. By obeying and respecting them, we cultivate a heart that is aligned with God’s will. Even when parents are imperfect, the command to honor them remains because it ultimately honors God.