What Does the Bible Say About Respecting Your Elders?
Here are 12 Bible verses about respecting your elders, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #11 Timothy 5:1-2
Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
BSBDo not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
- #21 Peter 5:5
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
BSBYoung men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- #3Hebrews 13:17
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
BSBObey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.
- #4Proverbs 19:20
Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
BSBListen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.
- #5Leviticus 19:32
Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.
BSBYou are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God. I am the LORD.
- #6Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
BSBChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
- #7Exodus 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.
- #8Luke 17:1-37
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. …
BSBJesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord answered, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. …
- #9Job 12:12
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
BSBWisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
- #10Proverbs 20:29
The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
BSBThe glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
- #111 Timothy 5:17
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
BSBElders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
- #121 Timothy 5:1
Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
BSBDo not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).