Verses Honoring Mothers
Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” “Honor your father and mother” is one of the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses. And as Ephesians 6:12 points out, this is “the first commandment with a promise—’so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’” This command is repeated in Leviticus 19:3: “Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God.”
Proverbs 1:8–9 “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.” The wise sayings of King Solomon, son of David, are preserved in the book of Proverbs. This is the first of the proverbs that deals with mothers, referring to a mother’s instruction as “a chain to adorn your neck”—beautiful and valuable.
Proverbs 6:20–22: “My son, keep your father's command, and do not forsake mother's teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will speak with you.” In these verses, which echo the ones found in Proverbs chapter 1, we’re reminded that the teachings of our parents are always with us, helping us guide us through life—even when they can’t be with us.
Proverbs 23:22–25 "Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy truth, and do not sell it—wisdom, instruction, and insight as well. The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!” This verse encourages us to follow the teachings of our parents and to strive to make them proud. It describes the pride that a mother and father feel when their children live a wise and godly life.
Proverbs 31:25–29 “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Proverbs chapter 31 is an ode to mothers in its own right because it records wise words that King Lemuel learned from his mother (Proverbs 31:1). These verses describe what it means to be a good wife and mother—patient, wise, and hardworking. King Lemuel’s exact identity is not known. Some people believe that he was actually King Solomon, so this wisdom would have been passed to him by his mother Bathsheba, wife of David.
Ezekiel 19:2 “And say: ‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She lay down among them and reared her cubs.’” In Ezekiel Chapter 19, God asks Ezekiel to mourn for the princes of Israel. This lamentation opens by comparing the kingdom of Israel to a lioness, illustrating the strength and power of both the nation and mothers in general.
Ezekiel 19:10–11 “Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard planted by the waters; it was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water. Its branches were strong, fit for a ruler’s scepter.” Ezekiel 19 continues the metaphor of Israel as a mother, comparing her to a vine that produced powerful branches (leaders). But this passage can also be interpreted as praise for godly mothers who raise their children according to God’s word (the “abundant water” in verse 10).
1 Thessalonians 2:7–8 “We were gentle among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you.” Thessalonians is a letter from the apostle Paul to the early church of Thessalonica (modern-day Thessaloniki, Greece). In it, he recalls the guidance and care demonstrated by the apostles as they brought the gospel of Jesus to the area, comparing it to a nursing mother lovingly looking after her children. It’s a warm greeting, illustrating how much love there was between the apostles and the Thessalonians.
1 Timothy 5:2: “Treat older women like your mother, and treat younger women like your sisters with appropriate respect.” The books of Timothy are letters written by the apostle Paul to a young man named Timothy. In 1 Timothy, chapter 5, Paul gives Timothy instructions on how to treat elders, widows, and other vulnerable members of the community. In particular, he says to treat older women “like your mother,” or with the utmost regard.
2 Timothy 1:5 “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” This verse shows the importance of being guided by godly women. Timothy’s faith in God helped him become a valuable part of Paul’s ministry, and being raised by his spiritual mother and grandmother undoubtedly laid the foundation for his beliefs.
Verses to Encourage and Instruct Mothers
Deuteronomy 6:5–7 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” In Deuteronomy chapter 6, Moses is speaking to the Hebrew people shortly after giving them the Ten Commandments, instructing them how they were meant to follow God. In this verse, he describes loving God so completely that He should be a part of every aspect of family life, including the conversations you have with your children at home.
Psalm 127:3 “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” This verse is a beautiful reminder to mothers that children are a gift from God and a promise for the future. Psalm 127:4 goes on to say, “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.”
Psalm 139:13–14 "For you formed my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well." This beautiful verse shows that God knows us and loves us before we’re even in our mother’s womb. It can be a cherished encouragement for expecting mothers or reassurance to someone who feels forgotten by God. This idea is echoed in Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart, I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.” Although this verse isn’t specifically about motherhood, it’s a comforting reminder that even when parenting is difficult, we should put our trust in God and rely on him to show us the path we should follow.
Proverbs 14:1 “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” This piece of wisdom from Proverbs shows us that living a wise and godly life can lead to a stable, healthy household, but making foolish and impulsive choices can destroy what we’ve worked hard to build.
Proverbs 17:6 “Children’s children are the crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children." The focus of this verse is usually on the first half—the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. But the second half is equally beautiful, describing the way that children look up to their parents when they’re young.
Proverbs 22:6 “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” This verse encourages parents to raise their children with good values so they’ll grow into adults who exhibit those same godly traits.
Proverbs 29:15 “A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.” Proverbs 29:15 encourages mothers to raise their children using godly discipline. It’s a controversial verse that some interpret to endorse corporal punishment. But others take it as a metaphor based on a shepherd’s rod—a hooked staff used to gently guide stray sheep back to their path.
Titus 2:3–5 “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way that they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” In Paul’s letter to Titus, he describes the type of example that older mothers and wives should set for younger women, ensuring that the next generation of believers will honor God’s word and be a light to the world.
Verses About Love
Song of Solomon 8:2 “I would lead you, I would bring you to my mother’s house; she would teach me what to do. I would give you spiced wine to drink, some of my fresh pomegranate juice.” This passage in Song of Solomon starts in chapter 7, verse 9, and it describes a maiden longing for her love. In 8:2, she honors her mother by saying she wants to take her beloved to her mother’s house, presumably so she can learn everything she needs to know to be a good wife.
Isaiah 49:15 "Can a woman forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" Isaiah chapter 49 is a promise from God that He will protect the nation of Israel and that He has not forgotten His people. He compares His care for Israel to one of the closest bonds known to man—a mother caring for her infant. He says that even if a mother forgot her child, He will still remember his people.
Isaiah 66:13 “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” In this verse, God promises to care for His people warmly and lovingly, in the same tender way a mother might care for a child who’s sad or hurt. Motherhood is used metaphorically throughout this chapter—Isaiah 66:8–9 says, “Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.”
John 16:21 "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world." In this verse, Jesus compares his upcoming death and resurrection to the beautiful love a mother has for her new child—his death will be painful, but when he is resurrected, that pain will be replaced by joy.
John 19:26–27 “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” John chapter 19 describes Jesus’ crucifixion. In the midst of his pain, he noticed his mother standing nearby, and asked one of his disciples to look after her. This shows the powerful connection that Jesus shared with his mother. It also sets an example for how his followers should provide for family. This disciple is widely believed to be the apostle John, as he refers to himself this way several other times throughout his gospel.
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13 is known as the “love chapter, and it includes this well-known passage—a beautiful depiction of pure love, and an example of how we should treat the people we care about, like our mothers and children.
1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians chapter 13 concludes with this famous passage that describes love as the most important value—even more than faith or hope.
1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” Motherhood can be hard sometimes, and as humans, we all make mistakes. But this verse encourages us to continue loving each other, because where this is love, forgiveness will follow.
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