8 Passages to Read about Parenting

This article is part of the Passages to Read series.

1. Colossians 3:21

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

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2. Proverbs 13:24

Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

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3. Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

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4. 1 Peter 5:2–3

Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

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5. Psalm 127:3–5

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

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6. Deuteronomy 6:6–9

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

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7. Hebrews 12:7–11

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

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8. Psalm 103:13

As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

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