Topical Bible

What Does the Bible Say About Adoption?

Here are 27 Bible verses about adoption, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.

  1. #1Ephesians 1:5

    Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

    BSBHe predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,

  2. #2James 1:27

    Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

    BSBPure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

  3. #3Matthew 18:5

    And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

    BSBAnd whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

  4. #4John 1:12

    But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

    BSBBut to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—

  5. #5Acts 7:21

    And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

    BSBWhen he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

  6. #6Esther 2:7

    And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

    BSBAnd Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her in as his own daughter.

  7. #7Matthew 25:40

    And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

    BSBAnd the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’

  8. #8Psalms 68:5-6

    A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

    BSBA father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in His holy habitation. God settles the lonely in families; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.

  9. #9Romans 8:15

    For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

    BSBFor you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

  10. #10Deuteronomy 10:18

    He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.

    BSBHe executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.

  11. #11Galatians 3:26

    For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

    BSBYou are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

  12. #12Galatians 4:5-7

    To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

    BSBto redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.

  13. #13Psalms 27:10

    When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

    BSBThough my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

  14. #14Proverbs 31:8

    Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

    BSBOpen your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.

  15. #151 John 3:1

    Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

    BSBBehold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

  16. #16Isaiah 1:17

    Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

    BSBLearn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

  17. #17Romans 9:8

    That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

    BSBSo it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.

  18. #18Isaiah 40:31

    But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

    BSBBut those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

  19. #19John 1:12-13

    But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

    BSBBut to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

  20. #20John 14:18

    I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

    BSBI will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

  21. #211 John 3:2

    Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

    BSBBeloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

  22. #22John 1:13

    Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

    BSBchildren born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.

  23. #23Romans 8:14-19

    For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

    BSBFor all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him. I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.

  24. #24Romans 8:14-17

    For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

    BSBFor all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

  25. #25Psalms 146:9

    The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

    BSBThe LORD protects foreigners; He sustains the fatherless and the widow, but the ways of the wicked He frustrates.

  26. #26Romans 8:14

    For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

    BSBFor all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

  27. #27Romans 8:23

    And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

    BSBNot only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).

Adoption in Torrey's Topical Textbook

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