Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Disobeying Your Parents?

11 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Disobeying Your Parents in the Bible

What does the Bible say about disobeying your parents? Browse 14 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme.

11
Total Verses
7
Old Testament
4
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Disobeying Your Parents

  1. 1
    Exodus 20:12
    Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
    KJV
  2. 2
    Exodus 21:15
    And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
    KJV
  3. 3
    Exodus 21:17
    And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. curseth: or, revileth
    KJV
  4. 4
    Leviticus 20:9
    For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
    KJV
  5. 5
    Deuteronomy 21:18
    If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
    KJV
  6. 6
    Proverbs 13:24
    He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
    KJV
  7. 7
    Proverbs 22:6
    Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Train: or, Catechise in: Heb. in his way
    KJV
  8. 8
    John 14:15
    If ye love me, keep my commandments.
    KJV
  9. 9
    Ephesians 6:1
    Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
    KJV
  10. 10
    Colossians 3:20
    Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
    KJV

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Disobeying Your Parents? (7 Verses)

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. curseth: or, revileth
For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Train: or, Catechise in: Heb. in his way

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Disobeying Your Parents? (4 Verses)

If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

How to Study What the Bible Says About Disobeying Your Parents

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about disobeying your parents. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about disobeying your parents and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about disobeying your parents is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on disobeying your parents needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about disobeying your parents with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about disobeying your parents, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Disobeying Your Parents?

You have studied 11 verses about disobeying your parents. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about disobeying your parents?
What does the Bible say about disobeying your parents? Browse 14 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme. The Bible contains 11 key verses about disobeying your parents spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about disobeying your parents are there?
There are 11 key Bible verses about disobeying your parents compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about disobeying your parents?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about disobeying your parents is Exodus 20:12 — "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."
Where in the Bible does it talk about disobeying your parents?
Disobeying Your Parents is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 11 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

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