Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Honoring The Parents?

19 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Honoring The Parents in the Bible

What does the Bible say about honoring the parents? Browse 19 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme.

19
Total Verses
11
Old Testament
8
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Honoring The Parents

  1. 1
    Exodus 20:1
    And God spake all these words, saying,
    KJV
  2. 2
    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
  3. 3
    Exodus 21:15
    And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
    KJV
  4. 4
    Exodus 21:17
    And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. curseth: or, revileth
    KJV
  5. 5
    Leviticus 19:3
    Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
    KJV
  6. 6
    Deuteronomy 5:16
    Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
    KJV
  7. 7
    Ruth 1:16
    And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Intreat: or, Be not against me
    KJV
  8. 8
    Psalms 86:1
    A Prayer of David. Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. A Prayer: or, A Prayer, being a Psalm of David
    KJV
  9. 9
    Proverbs 19:18
    Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. for: or, to his destruction: or, to cause him to die
    KJV
  10. 10
    Proverbs 23:22
    Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
    KJV

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Honoring The Parents? (11 Verses)

And God spake all these words, saying,
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
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Intreat: or, Be not against me
A Prayer of David. Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. A Prayer: or, A Prayer, being a Psalm of David
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. for: or, to his destruction: or, to cause him to die
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Honoring The Parents? (8 Verses)

Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

How to Study What the Bible Says About Honoring The 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 honoring the 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 honoring the 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 honoring the 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 honoring the parents needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about honoring the 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 honoring the 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 Honoring The Parents?

You have studied 19 verses about honoring the 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 honoring the parents?
What does the Bible say about honoring the parents? Browse 19 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme. The Bible contains 19 key verses about honoring the parents spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about honoring the parents are there?
There are 19 key Bible verses about honoring the parents compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about honoring the parents?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about honoring the parents is Exodus 20:1 — "And God spake all these words, saying,"
Where in the Bible does it talk about honoring the parents?
Honoring The Parents is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 19 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

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