What Does the Bible Say About Spanking?
Here are 18 Bible verses about spanking, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #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.
- #2Proverbs 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.
- #3Ephesians 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.
- #4Proverbs 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.
- #5Colossians 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.
- #6Proverbs 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.
- #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.
- #8Proverbs 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.
- #9Proverbs 23:13
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
BSBDo not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
- #10Proverbs 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.
- #11Proverbs 20:30
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
BSBLashes and wounds scour evil, and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.
- #12Proverbs 13:1
A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
BSBA wise son heeds his father’s discipline, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
- #13Ephesians 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
BSBChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
- #14Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
BSBChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
- #15Hebrews 12:3-11
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 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? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. …
BSBConsider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. For 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? If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. …
- #16Deuteronomy 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.
- #17Hebrews 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.
- #18Galatians 6:1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
BSBBrothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).