44 Bible Verses About Children
The Bible celebrates children as a blessing from God and provides wisdom for raising, training, and praying for them. These verses speak to parents and children alike.
Bible Verses
44
carefully curated passages
How to use this page
Read each verse with its context explanation. Bookmark the ones that speak to you and return often as your situation changes.
What the Bible Says About Children
The Bible celebrates children as a blessing from God and provides wisdom for raising, training, and praying for them. These verses speak to parents and children alike.
Psalm 127:3 KJV
“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”
Context & Meaning
God declares children to be His personal gift, an inheritance He bestows rather than an accident of biology. This framing shapes how parents should value them.
Proverbs 22:6 KJV
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Context & Meaning
Solomon's proverb on parental investment, early spiritual and moral training in a child creates a pattern that tends to endure through their entire life.
Matthew 18:3 KJV
“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
Context & Meaning
Jesus holds up a child as the model for kingdom citizenship, their dependence, humility, and openness are qualities adults must cultivate to receive God's kingdom.
Matthew 19:14 KJV
“But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Context & Meaning
When disciples tried to turn children away, Jesus insisted on welcoming them, children are not spiritually peripheral but central to the kingdom's culture.
Ephesians 6:1-3 KJV
“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.”
Context & Meaning
Paul links a child's obedience to parents with God's first explicitly promised commandment, honoring parents is connected to both blessing and longevity.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 KJV
“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
Context & Meaning
Parents are charged with saturating family life with God's word, not just formal instruction but continuous, natural conversation throughout every part of the day.
Psalm 128:3 KJV
“Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.”
Context & Meaning
The psalm uses the image of flourishing olive shoots around a table to picture a family blessed by God, children are a sign of divine favor and a household's vitality.
Isaiah 54:13 KJV
“And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.”
Context & Meaning
God promises that His people's children will be personally taught by Him, a covenant promise about the spiritual formation and peace of the next generation.
3 John 1:4 KJV
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
Context & Meaning
John expresses what every godly parent and spiritual mentor longs for, seeing their children walking faithfully in truth is the deepest joy available to them.
Psalm 34:11 KJV
“Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”
Context & Meaning
The psalmist invites children specifically to learn the fear of the Lord, reverent awe of God is the foundation of all wisdom and is meant to be taught early.
Related Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about children?
The Bible describes children as a gift and heritage from God (Psalm 127:3), worthy of being welcomed into Jesus' presence (Matthew 19:14), and in need of intentional spiritual training (Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Children also serve as models of the humility required to enter God's kingdom (Matthew 18:3).
What does the Bible say about raising children?
Key parenting instructions include: training children in godly ways from the start (Proverbs 22:6), saturating family life with Scripture (Deuteronomy 6:6-7), not provoking them to wrath (Ephesians 6:4), bringing them up in God's nurture and instruction (Ephesians 6:4), and blessing them as Jesus did (Mark 10:16).
What does the Bible say about children honoring parents?
Ephesians 6:1-3 quotes the fifth commandment, "Honour thy father and mother", calling it the first commandment with an explicit promise: long life and well-being. Obedience to parents is described as "right" in the Lord. Proverbs 1:8 also urges children to heed parental instruction.
How should I pray for my children?
Isaiah 54:13 can be the basis of prayer: that your children will be taught of the Lord and experience great peace. Ephesians 3:14-19 provides a model for praying that they would be rooted in love and know Christ's fullness. 3 John 1:4 captures the goal: that they walk in truth.
What is a blessing verse for a child?
Numbers 6:24-26, the Aaronic blessing, is the oldest and most used blessing in Scripture: "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: the LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Isaiah 54:13 is also a powerful parental blessing: "all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children."