Topical Bible

What Does the Bible Say About Punishing Children?

Here are 15 Bible verses about punishing children, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.

  1. #1Proverbs 23:13-14

    Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

    BSBDo not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die. Strike him with a rod, and you will deliver his soul from Sheol.

  2. #2Proverbs 22:6

    Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

    BSBTrain up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

  3. #3Proverbs 13:24

    He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

    BSBHe who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

  4. #4Proverbs 22:15

    Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

    BSBFoolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

  5. #5Proverbs 29:15

    The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

    BSBA rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

  6. #6Ephesians 6:4

    And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

    BSBFathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

  7. #7Proverbs 19:18

    Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

    BSBDiscipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be party to his death.

  8. #8Proverbs 29:17

    Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

    BSBDiscipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will bring delight to your soul.

  9. #9Hebrews 12:6-7

    For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

    BSBFor the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

  10. #10Ephesians 6:1

    Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

    BSBChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

  11. #11Deuteronomy 21:18-21

    If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

    BSBIf a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and does not listen to them when disciplined, his father and mother are to lay hold of him and bring him to the elders of his city, to the gate of his hometown, and say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he does not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” Then all the men of his city will stone him to death. So you must purge the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid.

  12. #12Colossians 3:21

    Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

    BSBFathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.

  13. #13Hebrews 12:11

    Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

    BSBNo discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

  14. #14Romans 6:23

    For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

    BSBFor the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  15. #15Exodus 20:12

    Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

    BSBHonor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

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

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