Parenting is a sacred responsibility, but sadly, some parents fail to fulfill it with love and care, resorting to abuse instead. What does the Bible say about abusive parents, and how should we address it? Let’s explore the biblical teachings on love, discipline, and the nurturing of children, as we seek to protect and support families in creating environments of safety and flourishing.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Abusive Marriages
What Does The Bible Say About Abusive Parents
Exodus 20:12 – Honor your father and your mother
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
Ephesians 6:4 – Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
Colossians 3:21 – Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged
“Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Matthew 7:9-11 – If your son asks for bread, will you give him a stone?
“Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
Proverbs 13:24 – He who spares the rod hates his son
“Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”
Proverbs 19:18 – Discipline your son while there is hope
“Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.”
Proverbs 23:13-14 – Do not withhold discipline from a child
“Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.”
Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
Proverbs 15:1 – A soft answer turns away wrath
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Proverbs 25:24 – It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife
“It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.”
1 Timothy 5:8 – But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith
“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Colossians 3:19 – Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them
“Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.”
Proverbs 31:28-29 – Her children rise up and call her blessed
“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.'”
Ephesians 6:1-3 – Children, obey your parents in the Lord
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.'”
Proverbs 22:15 – Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him
“Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.”
Ephesians 6:2 – Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise)
“Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise).”
Proverbs 30:17 – The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother
“The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.”
Proverbs 15:20 – A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.”
Proverbs 30:11 – There are those who curse their fathers
“There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.”
Proverbs 30:17 – The eye that mocks a father
“The eye that mocks a father and despises to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it.”
Proverbs 6:20 – My son, keep your father’s commandment
“My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.”
Proverbs 23:22 – Listen to your father who gave you life
“Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.”
Proverbs 1:8 – Hear, my son, your father’s instruction
“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.”
Matthew 15:4 – Honor your father and mother
“For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'”
Proverbs 30:17 – The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother
“The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.”
Proverbs 22:16 – Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth
“Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.”
1 John 4:20 – If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
James 1:27 – Religion that is pure and undefiled
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
Matthew 5:22 – But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother
“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Proverbs 14:21 – Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner
“Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.”
Matthew 18:15-17 – If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 – If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
Proverbs 28:24 – Whoever robs his father or his mother and says
“Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, ‘That is no transgression,’ is a companion to a man who destroys.”
1 John 3:15 – Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer
“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
Proverbs 19:26 – He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
“He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.”
1 Timothy 5:1-2 – Do not rebuke an older man
“Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.”
Proverbs 10:1 – A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.”
Proverbs 23:24 – The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice
“The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.”
Matthew 5:9 – Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
James 3:9-10 – With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people
“With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”
Proverbs 15:5 – A fool despises his father’s instruction
“A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.”
Proverbs 30:17 – The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother
“The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.”
Matthew 23:9 – And call no man your father on earth
“And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.”
Proverbs 30:17 – The eye that mocks a father
“The eye that mocks a father and despises to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it.”
Proverbs 23:22 – Listen to your father who gave you life
“Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.”
Proverbs 1:8 – Hear, my son, your father’s instruction
“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.”
Matthew 15:4 – Honor your father and mother
“For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'”
Proverbs 30:17 – The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother
“The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.”
Proverbs 22:16 – Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth
“Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.”
1 John 4:20 – If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
James 1:27 – Religion that is pure and undefiled
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
Matthew 5:22 – But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother
“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Proverbs 14:21 – Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner
“Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.”
Matthew 18:15-17 – If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 – If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
Proverbs 28:24 – Whoever robs his father or his mother and says
“Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, ‘That is no transgression,’ is a companion to a man who destroys.”
1 John 3:15 – Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer
“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
Proverbs 19:26 – He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
“He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.”
1 Timothy 5:1-2 – Do not rebuke an older man
“Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.”
Proverbs 10:1 – A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother
“A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.”
Proverbs 23:24 – The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice
“The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.”
Matthew 5:9 – Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
James 3:9-10 – With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people
“With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”
Proverbs 15:5 – A fool despises his father’s instruction
“A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.”