Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Respecting Your Parents?

13 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Respecting Your Parents in the Bible

What does the Bible say about respecting your parents? Browse 13 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme.

13
Total Verses
9
Old Testament
4
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Respecting 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 21:17
    And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. curseth: or, revileth
    KJV
  3. 3
    Leviticus 19:3
    Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
    KJV
  4. 4
    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
  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 1:8
    My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
    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
    Proverbs 29:15
    The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
    KJV
  9. 9
    Proverbs 30:17
    The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. the valley: or, the brook
    KJV
  10. 10
    Ephesians 6:1
    Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
    KJV

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Respecting Your Parents? (9 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 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.
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:
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
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
The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. the valley: or, the brook

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

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
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.
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. have: or, guide

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

  • Share what you have learned about respecting 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 respecting 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 Respecting Your Parents?

You have studied 13 verses about respecting 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 respecting your parents?
What does the Bible say about respecting your parents? Browse 13 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme. The Bible contains 13 key verses about respecting your parents spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about respecting your parents are there?
There are 13 key Bible verses about respecting your parents compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about respecting your parents?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about respecting 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 respecting your parents?
Respecting Your Parents is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 13 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

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