What does the Bible say about bad children?

20 verses about bad children, ranked by the votes of OpenBible.info readers, with the King James text.

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Bible verses about bad children

1. Deuteronomy 21:18 — 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: 5 votes
2. Proverbs 22:15 — Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. 4 votes
3. Proverbs 29:15 — The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. 4 votes
4. Colossians 3:20 — Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 4 votes
5. Exodus 20:12 — Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 3 votes
6. Exodus 21:15 — And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. 3 votes
7. Proverbs 13:24 — He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. 3 votes
8. Proverbs 17:25 — A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him. 3 votes
9. Proverbs 19:18 — Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. 3 votes
10. Proverbs 20:11 — Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. 3 votes
11. Proverbs 22:6 — Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 3 votes
12. Proverbs 30:17 — The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. 3 votes
13. Ephesians 6:1 — Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 3 votes
14. Exodus 21:17 — And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. 2 votes
15. Proverbs 10:1 — The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. 2 votes
16. Proverbs 23:13 — Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 2 votes
17. Matthew 15:4 — For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 2 votes
18. Ephesians 6:4 — And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 2 votes
19. 2 Timothy 3:2 — For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 2 votes
20. Hebrews 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. 2 votes

Where these verses are

Proverbs (10), Exodus (3), Ephesians (2), Deuteronomy (1), Matthew (1), Colossians (1), 2 Timothy (1), Hebrews (1)

Related topics

• Punishing Your Children
• Punishing Children
• Respecting Parents
• Child Discipline
• Parents And Children
• Children Obeying Their Parents
• Spanking Children
• Spanking
• Respecting Your Parents
• Disobeying Your Parents
• Disciplining Children
• Loving Your Son

Topical Bible data by OpenBible.info (https://www.openbible.info/topics/), CC BY 4.0. Votes reflect how many readers judged each verse relevant; they are not a doctrinal ranking. Verse text: King James Version.