The modern world wants to take over the role of raising children from parents. The prevailing view is that it is best to send a child to daycare as early as possible, leaving socialist programs to mold them into „citizens of the world.”
But what kind of people will they grow up to be?
Let us see what the Bible says about raising children.
I strongly recommend taking this advice to heart and simply putting it into practice. What is written in the verses below is the only path to building a happy family.
1. Parents—father and mother—are the first educators:
„My son, heed your father’s discipline and do not reject your mother’s instruction” – Proverbs 1:8.
Both are mentioned here: father and mother. The father provides discipline, guidance, and admonition; the mother provides teaching, instruction, and the wisdom of the home. The Bible does not say: hand the child over to strangers so they may shape his heart. It says: heed your father and mother.
2. Parents are to teach their children the words of God daily:
„And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart; you shall impress them upon your children and speak of them when you sit at home, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you rise” – Deuteronomy 6:6-7.
This is one of the most powerful verses regarding child-rearing. God’s teaching must first reside in the parent’s heart and then be passed on to the children in everyday life: at home, on the road, in the evening, and in the morning. It is not a one-time lesson; it is a family lifestyle.
3. The instruction of children is to be constant, home-based, and practical:
„You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” – Deuteronomy 11:19.
God reiterates the same principle: children are to be taught at home and in the course of ordinary life. Parents are to teach not only through instruction but also through conversation, example, and daily decisions.
4. Parents are to ensure that children do not forget the works of God:
“Only guard yourself and watch over your soul very carefully, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen and so that they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your sons and your grandsons” – Deuteronomy 4:9.
Parents and grandparents are to pass on to their children the testimony of God’s actions: what God did, how He led, how He saved, how He judged, and what He requires.
5. Grandparents also play a part in passing on the truth:
“…make them known to your sons and to your grandsons” – Deuteronomy 4:9.
Grandparents can and should help in passing on Bible truth. They do not replace parents but provide support.
6. The father has a special responsibility to lead his children in the Lord:
„And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” – Ephesians 6:4.
The Greek uses the term *hoi pateres*—fathers. Next come two important words: *paideia*—upbringing, discipline, training; and *nouthesia*—admonition, instruction, guiding the mind. A father is not to be a tyrant, but a responsible guide of the household. He is to raise his children according to the teaching of Christ.
7. A father must not break a child’s spirit:
„Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they do not become discouraged” – Colossians 3:21.
The Bible does not give a father the right to give in to bad moods. A father ought to possess authority—an authority that demonstrates justice and wisdom. If a father belittles, punishes unjustly, shouts, and provokes, he can break his child’s spirit.
8. Children are to obey their parents in the Lord:
„Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” – Ephesians 6:1.
A child has a duty to obey their parents, but the text adds an important limitation: „in the Lord.” A parent has no right to lead a child into sin, idolatry, religious falsehoods, violence, or impurity.
9. The commandment to honor father and mother confirms their authority:
“Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise” – Ephesians 6:2.
Let us see how important this commandment is. The next verse explains the reason: “That it may go well with you and that you may enjoy a long life on the earth.”
10. Honoring parents is a commandment of God:
„Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you” – Exodus 20:12.
Since a child is to honor their father and mother, this means that God has appointed parents as the first guardians, teachers, and protectors of the home.
11. Mother and father are to be respected:
„Each of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths; I am the Lord your God” – Leviticus 19:3.
Here, the mother is mentioned first, then the father. This strongly demonstrates that God does not overlook the mother. A child is to show respect to both parents.
12. The mother also gives a teaching that must not be abandoned:
„My son, keep your father’s commandment and do not forsake your mother’s teaching” – Proverbs 6:20.
Here again, we have both parents. The father—the commandment; the mother—the teaching. The Bible does not say that only the father teaches and the mother has no voice. The mother is a teacher of wisdom.
13. A son must listen to his father and not despise his mother:
„Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old” – Proverbs 23:22.
Upbringing does not end with childhood. God wants adult children to respect their parents.
14. A mother can teach even a king:
„The words of King Lemuel; the instruction his mother taught him” – Proverbs 31:1.
This is a very important example. King Lemuel receives wisdom from his mother. A mother can teach her son moral principles and warn him against bad people and their methods, as well as against drunkenness and injustice.
15. A father is to pass on wisdom to his sons:
„Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding” – Proverbs 4:1.
There should be no situation where a father is so busy that he has no time for his children. A father is to teach, explain, warn, and lead his children toward the teachings of Christ.
16. A father passes on what he himself was taught:
„For I was a son to my father, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother; and he taught me and said to me: Let your heart hold fast to my words, keep my commandments, and you shall live” – Proverbs 4:3-4.
This demonstrates the continuity of generations. The father, who was himself taught, is to pass the teaching on.
17. Upbringing is to lead the child along the path of Christ:
„Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” – Proverbs 22:6.
This is a principle of wisdom: a child must be shaped from a young age in accordance with the truth of Christ. Then, as God promises us, he will not depart from it.
18. A lack of discipline is a lack of love:
„Whoever spares the rod hates his son; whoever loves him disciplines him early” – Proverbs 13:24.
Today, the world wants to raise children without consequences or correction. This is the wrong path. God says otherwise: children must be disciplined if they misbehave.
19. Discipline should be administered while there is still hope:
„Discipline your son while there is hope, but do not let yourself go so far as to kill him” – Proverbs 19:18.
This is a crucial balance. The Bible commands discipline but forbids cruelty. A parent is to correct the child, not destroy them. Punishment is meant to save, not to humiliate.
20. A child left to its own devices brings shame:
„The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a boy left to himself brings shame to his mother” – Proverbs 29:15.
Scripture tells us that leaving a child to their own devices—without instruction, boundaries, correction, or conversation—is a parenting mistake. The Bible says this brings shame to the family.
21. Disciplining a son gives parents rest:
„Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will bring delight to your soul” – Proverbs 29:17.
Proper upbringing requires effort at first, but later it brings peace. A parent who avoids correction merely postpones the problem.
22. The father is to tell the children the truth about God:
“A father will make known Your truth to his sons” – Isaiah 38:19.
A father is to teach his children the teachings of Christ. He should not only require good behavior but also speak to his children about God, His plans, and eternal life.
23. The family is to pass on the works of God to future generations:
„We will not hide them from their children, telling the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has performed” – Psalm 78:4.
Children should hear not only about prohibitions but also about the greatness of God. Biblical upbringing is meant to build a memory: God acts, God judges, God saves, and God requires faithfulness.
24. The goal of upbringing is trust in God:
„So that the coming generation might know—children yet to be born—that they might rise and tell their own children, so that they might place their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments” – Psalm 78:6-7.
The goal of upbringing is not merely social—to ensure the child is well-behaved. The goal is spiritual: for the child to know God, trust God, and keep His commandments.
25. Children should know the meaning of the holidays and Biblical signs:
„And when your children ask you, 'What is this ceremony?’ you shall answer, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt.'” – Exodus 12:26-27.
Parents should explain the meaning of biblical events to their children. The child should ask, and the parent should be able to answer, about the festivals that were celebrated in the past and about the most important observance for the servants of Christ—namely, the Memorial of the death of the Lord Yeshu.
26. The father is to explain to his son what God has done:
„You shall tell your son on that day, saying: 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt'” – Exodus 13:8.
It is a father’s duty to explain Biblical truth. Biblical upbringing is very important. A child needs to understand the meaning of Biblical holidays.
27. The child is to ask, and the father is to answer:
„And when your son asks you tomorrow, saying, ‘What is this?’ you shall say to him: ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage’” – Exodus 13:14.
The Bible envisions conversation within the home. Children ask; parents answer. This stands in contrast to a home where a child is raised primarily by the internet, peers, or teachers—without parental oversight.
28. Parents are to explain the Biblical story:
„When your sons ask their fathers tomorrow, saying: 'What do these stones mean?’ you shall tell your sons, saying: 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground'” – Joshua 4:21-22.
A father is to explain the works of God. This teaches the child to view history through the lens of God’s action rather than chance.
29. The entire community is to hear the Law, including the children:
„Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigner within your gates—so that they may listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this Law” – Deuteronomy 31:12.
Here, the role of the assembly and of Bible gatherings is evident. Children are to hear the Word alongside adults. Yet, this does not absolve parents of their responsibility. The assembly helps, reminds, and teaches, but the daily burden of upbringing rests upon the parents.
30. Children who do not yet know are to listen and learn the fear of God:
„And their children, who did not know, will listen and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land” – Deuteronomy 31:13.
A child is not born with an innate knowledge of God. They must listen, learn, and see an example. Parents cannot simply assume the child will understand on their own; they must teach.
31. Parents are to command their children to guard the words of God:
“Take to heart all the words with which I am bearing witness against you today, and command your sons to observe carefully all the words of this Law” — Deuteronomy 32:46.
Parents are to instruct their children to respect God’s words. A Bible-based upbringing carries authority.
32. The example of Timothy – mother and grandmother passed on the faith:
„I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced that it dwells in you also” – 2 Timothy 1:5.
This is a very powerful example. Timothy’s faith was passed on to him by his grandmother and mother. It is proof that women in the family play an important role in passing on the teachings of Christ. It is not only the mother who teaches, but the grandmother as well.
33. The child is to know the Scriptures:
„From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which can make you wise unto salvation through faith in the Anointed One, Yeshua” – 2 Timothy 3:15.
A child should be taught the Scriptures from an early age; there is no need to wait until they are grown. God’s truth should be conveyed in simple language, appropriate for their age.
34. Older women are to teach younger women to love their children:
“So that they may teach the younger women good sense, love for their husbands, and love for their children” – Titus 2:4.
Older women should help younger women manage their households wisely. Note that love is something that must be learned. Love is not the kind of feeling portrayed in movies—a mere fleeting infatuation. Love means respect, faithfulness, honesty, caring for the family, passing on the truth, and so on.
35. A mother is to keep the home in cleanliness and kindness:
„To be sensible, pure, workers at home, good, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled” – Titus 2:5.
When a wife fails to fulfill her domestic duties and does not acknowledge her husband as the head of the family, she reviles the word of God.
36. The good widow was known for having raised children:
„Well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality, if she has washed the feet of the saints, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work” – 1 Timothy 5:10.
Raising children is listed as a good work. This means that God views the raising of children as a serious ministry, not as a trivial domestic matter.
37. Younger women were to bear children and manage the household:
„So I want the younger ones to marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity for reproach” – 1 Timothy 5:14.
Let us note the importance of having children and raising them to be servants of the Lord Yeshu.
38. Parents are also to care for their children materially:
„For children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children” – 2 Corinthians 12:14.
A parent is to care for a child’s needs. Parental responsibility includes God’s Word and discipline, but also proper material provision.
39. Whoever does not care for the members of their household denies the faith:
„But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” – 1 Timothy 5:8.
This is a very strong statement. A father, a mother, or children must not destroy the family. Caring for the family is part of the faith.
40. Children are to obey their parents in everything that is pleasing to the Lord:
„Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord” – Colossians 3:20.
Children are to obey their parents. They must not cause quarrels when they grow up. They are also responsible for ensuring the family remains steadfast in the teachings of Christ.
41. As a child, Lord Yeshu was subject to His parents:
„And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them; but His mother kept all these things in her heart” – Luke 2:51.
The Lord Yeshu, though He was the Son of God, was subject to His earthly guardians during His childhood. This confirms the order of the home: a child does not rule over its parents.
42. Parents are to bring their children to the Lord Yeshu, not turn them away:
„Let the children come to Me and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these” – Matthew 19:14.
Children must not be cut off from the teachings of Christ. The family is to lead the child toward God.
43. Children are an example of simplicity and humility:
„Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” – Matthew 18:3.
Anyone who learns the teachings of Christ should become like a child—starting with a clean slate. Religions have instilled incorrect beliefs, flawed doctrines, and false teachings in people. All of this must be cast aside so one can become like a child and learn anew.
44. Whoever causes a child to stumble sins gravely:
„But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea” – Matthew 18:6.
This is a warning to parents, teachers, relatives, and all adults. A child can be caused to stumble by a bad example, false teaching, violence, sexualization, idolatry, lying, and being led toward the world.
45. A father cannot tolerate his sons’ sin:
„I declared to him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knew, because his sons were bringing a curse upon themselves, and he did not restrain them” – 1 Samuel 3:13.
Eli’s sons were grown men and priests who sinned openly before God. Eli was aware of their wickedness and admonished them with words, but he failed to restrain them firmly or remove them from the position where they continued to profane the service of God. Consequently, God judged not only the sons but also Eli’s house. This serves as a warning to fathers: a gentle conversation alone is insufficient when open sin persists in the home. Love devoid of truth, discipline, and decisive action can become complicity in evil.
46. A father cannot honor his children more than God:
„Why do you trample upon My sacrifice and My offering, which I commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons more than Me?” – 1 Samuel 2:29.
A parent can fall into the trap of family idolatry: protecting a child even when that child sins against God. The Bible is clear: God comes first. Love for one’s child cannot mean condoning evil or false beliefs.
47. God chastises like a father his son:
„Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you” – Deuteronomy 8:5.
God sets the example: discipline is not an act of hatred, but a form of upbringing. A father should discipline in such a way that the child becomes obedient, is willing to learn, and fulfills their duties.
48. God disciplines His sons through chastisement:
„For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives” – Hebrews 12:6.
The New Covenant reiterates the principle: love without correction is not complete love. The purpose of discipline is to attain spiritual holiness, not to vent anger.
49. Earthly fathers discipline, but God shows the purpose of upbringing:
„They disciplined us for a short time as they saw fit, but He does so for our benefit, that we might share in His holiness” – Hebrews 12:10.
Earthly fathers discipline their children as they see fit, but God disciplines purposefully, justly, and for our good—so that His children may share in His holiness.
50. Good upbringing bears the fruit of righteousness:
„No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful; later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” – Hebrews 12:11.
A child often dislikes correction in the moment. But wise correction bears fruit later: peace and righteousness. This distinguishes biblical discipline from violence.
According to the Bible, who is to raise children?
• Father and mother — the primary and principal duty of upbringing belongs to the parents.
• Father — bears a special responsibility for guidance, discipline, and admonition in the Lord.
• Mother — plays a vital role as teacher, caregiver, and guardian of the home.
• Grandparents — should pass on the truth to the next generation.
• Older women — should teach younger women to love their children and manage their homes wisely.
• The assembly of God’s servants — assists in understanding Biblical themes and fostering spiritual unity.
• God — is the ultimate model of upbringing: He disciplines, teaches, and leads toward holiness.
A child is to be raised at home by father and mother—grounded in the Word of God and nurtured through discipline, love, admonition, example, and daily conversation.
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