Fathers shape us – through words, through example, and sometimes through absence. The Bible speaks honestly about fathers and shows God the Father as he is meant to be. Here you will find 21 Bible verses for fathers: for Father’s Day, as thanks, and as encouragement.
God as Father – the example
How God is a Father.
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As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
Psalm 103:13God as FatherMercy
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And he arose and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on him and embraced him with kisses.
Luke 15:20God as FatherRepentance
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If then even you who are evil are able to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11God as FatherProvision
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For the LORD loves discipline and reproves those whom he loves, just as a father loves his son.
Proverbs 3:12
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And you shall be my father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:18God as FatherOrphans
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See what kind of love the Father has shown us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it does not know him.
1 John 3:1God as FatherIdentity in Christ
Being a good father
Verses about responsibility and example.
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And you fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline of the LORD.
Ephesians 6:4
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You fathers, do not embitter your children, lest they become discouraged.
Colossians 3:21
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A righteous man who walks in his righteousness, his children will prosper after him.
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Listen, my children, to the discipline of your father; pay attention, and you will be wise!
Proverbs 4:1
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A father rejoices when his son is righteous, and he who has begotten a wise son is glad.
Proverbs 23:24
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And these words that I command you today, you shall take to heart, and you shall teach them to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7FamilyGod's Word
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He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, so that I may not come and strike the land with a ban.
Malachi 3:24
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But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: the gods whom your fathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
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For you know that we, like a father admonishes his children, have encouraged, comforted, and testified to each one of you, that you should walk worthy before God, who has called you to his kingdom and to his glory.
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
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That we should not behave toward your children as they come to us, but proclaim the glory of the LORD and his power and the wonders he has done.
Psalm 78:4Grandparents
Fathers in the Bible
Fathers whose stories the Bible tells.
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Then Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” Abraham answered, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, here is fire and wood; but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for the burnt offering.” And they went together.
Genesis 22:7-8
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Now when Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the LORD had commanded him, and took his wife to him.
Matthew 1:24
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And immediately the father of the child cried out with tears and said, “I believe; help my unbelief, O Lord!”
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Then the king was grieved and went up to the roof of the gate and wept, and as he went he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died for you! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
2 Samuel 19:1
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And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has visited and redeemed his people.”
Luke 1:67-68
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
Related Topics
This Goes Well Together
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Easy Yoke Worker JacketDurable worker jacket to Matthew 11:30 – for workdays when the burden can be made lighter.€110
Alpha & Omega - Knitwear Sweater MenKnit sweater with Alpha and Omega for men.€68
Abba - Names of God PosterPoster on “Abba, dear Father” (Romans 8:15) – also beautiful for a child’s room.€12
King Of My Heart - Card GameCard game from the King-of-my-Heart series – for evenings with family and friends.€12
What Makes a Good Father?
The Bible gives fathers two clear instructions: “You fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline of the LORD” (Ephesians 6:4), and even more concisely: “You fathers, do not embitter your children, lest they become discouraged” (Colossians 3:21). Good fathers are therefore not authoritarian, but encouraging. Psalm 103:13 shows the ideal: “As a father has compassion on his children.” And Paul describes his role for the church in the words of a father who admonishes, comforts, and testifies (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12).
Bible Verses for Father’s Day
For a Father’s Day card, verses that give thanks and bless are suitable: Proverbs 20:7 (“A righteous man who walks in his righteousness, his children will prosper after him”), Joshua 24:15, or Psalm 103:13. When writing to a father who never experienced his own father as good, you can point to God as the Father who does not disappoint – find out more in Bible verses about God as Father. Verses for men in general can be found in Bible verses for men, and for the whole family in Bible verses about family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Bible verse is suitable for Father’s Day?
Psalm 103:13, Proverbs 20:7, Ephesians 6:4, and Joshua 24:15 are popular.
What does the Bible say about fathers?
The Bible calls fathers to raise their children lovingly and not to discourage them (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21), and shows God as the Father who has compassion (Psalm 103:13).
