10 Powerful Bible Verses for Parents

Pack lunches, brave the school drop-off line, do the piles of laundry, buy the poster board for that science fair project, plan dinner, pick up snacks for baseball practice, make sure they’re brushing their teeth …

Parent, we see you. Taking care of your kids, no matter what age, is far from easy. But while you may feel exhausted, stressed or overwhelmed, know that when you feel weak, God offers you his strength. You are loved.

So loved, in fact, that your Heavenly Father gave you his Word to help you love, guide and care for your little ones. Here, we share 10 powerful Bible verses for parents that you can use to speak truth into your day-to-day.

Bible Verses for Parents:

• 1. Psalm 127:3
• 2. Matthew 19:14
• 3. Proverbs 22:6
• 4. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
• 5. Matthew 6:34
• 6. Lamentations 3:22-23
• 7. Proverbs 3:11-12
• 8. Ephesians 6:4
• 9. Ephesians 4:32
• 10. Proverbs 3:5-6

*All Scripture references are from the NIV.

#1. Psalm 127:3

First, some encouragement. Your children were given to you, specifically, as a blessing from God. The word “heritage” here means an inheritance. An inheritance is often defined as a gift passed down by a loved one.

Even on the hardest of days, when they’re testing your patience and you can barely keep your eyes open, remember this truth: Children are special gifts from God to you!

Think about the last time you bought a gift for your child. You took the time to choose something you knew they would adore. As God’s child, know that he wants to give good gifts to you too (Matthew 7:11), and that includes your children.

God specifically chose your children for you and you for them. Beautiful, isn’t it?

#2. Matthew 19:14

In Matthew 19, parents brought their children to Jesus so he could pray for them. The disciples disapproved of the parents’ actions. But Jesus places high importance on children.

Children possess bold faith. They believe and trust wholeheartedly. They’re also humble, often putting the needs of others above their own. For these reasons and more, Jesus says heaven belongs to those who become just like them.

Know this truth: Your little ones are living, breathing examples of what bold faith looks like. Keep your eyes open — by watching how your children live and love, it’s possible you’ll learn a thing or two that could help bring you closer to Christ.

#3. Proverbs 22:6

As parents, we’re responsible for teaching our children, from a young age, how to follow Jesus. As you teach your kids, you’re building a foundation of faith that will last as they journey through life.

Proverbs 22:6 doesn’t say they won’t ever make mistakes or bad choices as they grow. But you can teach your children who to run to when they do by introducing them to Jesus and helping them build a relationship with him.

How do you start your children off in the way they should go? Our next verse gives us clues on how to do just that.

#4. Deuteronomy 6:6-7

In Deuteronomy 6, Moses speaks to Israel after delivering the Ten Commandments. These commandments would guide Israel in living lives that honor God. And they do the same for us today!

To follow God’s commandments, we must set our hearts on pursuing his way above all else and teach our kids to do the same. How? This verse tells us to talk about the ways of God when we sit at home, when we’re out and about, when we lie down at night and when we get up in the morning.

In other words, we’re to keep God’s way top of mind every single day, no matter what the day holds. In every situation, we should seek to apply God’s commandments:

1. Don’t place other gods before him.
2. Don’t make idols.
3. Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. Don’t murder.
7. Don’t commit adultery.
8. Don’t steal.
9. Don’t speak false truths about your neighbor.
10. Don’t covet what others have.

By following God’s commandments in front of our children, they’ll learn to follow them too.

#5. Matthew 6:34

As parents, we’re faced with worries daily. We worry about finances, doctor’s appointments, the upcoming school year … the list goes on. But this verse tells us not to worry about future things and to instead focus on today.

When we spend our time worrying about the future, we find ourselves missing out on the present. And if we’re not careful, we’ll miss the beautiful things that happen in our day-to-day lives as parents.

We’ll miss the giggles over bubbles, the random dance parties in the kitchen and the spaghetti-covered smiles. Remember, your kiddos are only small for a little while. Enjoy the gifts God has blessed you with by focusing on today. Tomorrow will worry about itself..

#6. Lamentations 3:22-23

In this verse, “consumed” is the Hebrew word tāmam, which can mean “to be complete or finished” or “to be exhausted or spent.” Throughout your parenting journey, you’ve probably felt as if you were finished, exhausted and spent. You might feel that way in this very moment.

However, we don’t have to be consumed because God has compassion on us. He sees our suffering and moves to help us. The best part is that he wants to do this for us every day! His compassion for us is refreshed with the sun, every single morning.

You can bring your exhaustion and overwhelm right to the Father at any time. He is faithful to help you, strengthen you and give you rest.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

#7. Proverbs 3:11-12

One of the most important lessons parents must teach their little ones is that there are consequences for their actions. Unfortunately, this is far from easy. Seeing the pain on our kiddos’ faces while they sit in timeout or miss out on a favorite activity can pain us too. After all, we want nothing more than to see our kids happy.

However, discipline is important for children who are learning what’s right and wrong. Discipline helps protect them from doing things that hurt them in the end. And what parent wouldn’t want to do that?

In those moments when you’re sure your kiddo will never forgive you for taking 10 minutes of their playtime, know this: You’re teaching them to make good choices, something that will serve them well throughout their lifetime. And that’s love.

#8. Ephesians 6:4

This verse and the one above go hand in hand. The word “exasperate” means to provoke to intense anger and frustration.

While being put in timeout might make your child mad for a little while, exasperation is different. For example, you might exasperate your little one by speaking negatively about them while they sit in timeout.

Exasperation is something we must avoid when raising our little ones. Why? Intense anger, frustration and irritation often lead to sin.

Sin is serious business as it leads to death (Romans 6:23) and separation from our Heavenly Father. As parents, we must move in love toward our children, being careful not to push them to sin.

This verse instructs us to instead bring our kids up in the training and instruction of the Lord. We must teach them God’s ways and correct them gently but firmly when necessary, using the truth found in God’s Word.

Will we get it right every single time? No. But even those times are critical teaching moments for your children. Admit when you’re wrong to your kids (James 5:16). Actively forgive them and let your anger go (Matthew 6:14-15).

Your response when you make a mistake is just as powerful as your response when you don’t.

#9. Ephesians 4:32

Children are easy to forgive when they’re little. You may walk into a kitchen adorned with flour snow angels all over the floor, see your child’s face and instantly feel your frustration subside.

But what happens when your children get older? Things often get a bit more personal. They may say hateful and cutting words that truly hurt your feelings. They may make a decision that results in consequences that damage you too.

It’s easy to get so focused on parenting that we continue on, pushing down the hurt. But if we don’t deal with the pain, it will rear its ugly head the next time your child makes a mistake, pushing both of you further apart.

God wants us to forgive our children, just like he forgives us. Forgiveness is powerful: It frees us from anger and resentment while also freeing our children from guilt and shame. It also models God’s forgiveness for our kids, teaching them about his endless mercy and grace.

#10. Proverbs 3:5-6

Parenthood can be confusing. And sometimes, we don’t know what to do next. Questions swirl in our minds: Should I let them watch that TV show? Should I take them to the doctor? Should I send them to that school?

The overwhelming pressure to choose the right path can make us feel stuck. But there’s good news: We don’t have to make decisions on our own. In this verse, we’re instructed to not lean on what we can figure out on our own.

Instead, we should submit to God, which means listening to and obeying him. If we do that, he’ll make our paths straight. Whenever you face a decision, no matter how small, ask God what step you should take. He’s faithful to guide you!

Want to provide strength and encouragement to parents just like you in vulnerable communities around the world? You can help us deliver the training and spiritual support these parents need to raise happy, healthy children in the midst of poverty.