28 Bible Verses About Family (NIV & KJV)

Family is one of God's earliest and most cherished gifts. From the first household in Genesis to the spiritual family of believers in the New Testament, the Bible weaves the theme of family throughout its pages. It is the place where love is learned, faith is passed down, and God's design for human relationships is lived out day by day.

These Bible verses about family gather the clearest passages in both the NIV and KJV on honoring parents, raising children, dwelling in unity, and building a household devoted to God. Whether you are strengthening your own home, encouraging loved ones, or seeking God's wisdom for family life, these words offer guidance and grace.

Let these verses remind you that family is meant to be a refuge of love and faith, a place where each generation points the next to the Lord, and a reflection of the belonging God offers to all who call Him Father.

🏡 A Household Devoted to God

These verses call families to serve and follow the Lord together.

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.””— Joshua 24:15 (NIV)“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”— Joshua 24:15 (KJV)

“They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.””— Acts 16:31 (NIV)“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”— Acts 16:31 (KJV)

“But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—”— Psalm 103:17 (NIV)“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;”— Psalm 103:17 (KJV)

“The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.”— Proverbs 20:7 (NIV)“The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.”— Proverbs 20:7 (KJV)

“Psalm 127 Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”— Psalm 127:1 (NIV)“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”— Psalm 127:1 (KJV)

👨‍👩‍👧 Honoring Parents

Scripture commands children to honor and obey their parents.

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”— Exodus 20:12 (NIV)“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”— Exodus 20:12 (KJV)

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”— Ephesians 6:1 (NIV)“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.”— Ephesians 6:1 (KJV)

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”— Colossians 3:20 (NIV)“Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.”— Colossians 3:20 (KJV)

“My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”— Proverbs 6:20 (NIV)“My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:”— Proverbs 6:20 (KJV)

“Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.”— Proverbs 23:22 (NIV)“Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”— Proverbs 23:22 (KJV)

🌱 Raising Children

These verses guide parents in nurturing their children in faith.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”— Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”— Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”— Ephesians 6:4 (NIV)“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”— Ephesians 6:4 (KJV)

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.”— Psalm 127:3 (NIV)“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”— Psalm 127:3 (KJV)

“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.”— Deuteronomy 6:7 (NIV)“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.”— Deuteronomy 6:7 (KJV)

“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.”— Proverbs 17:6 (NIV)“Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.”— Proverbs 17:6 (KJV)

❤️ Love and Unity in the Home

Scripture calls family members to dwell together in love and peace.

“Psalm 133 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”— Psalm 133:1 (NIV)“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”— Psalm 133:1 (KJV)

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”— Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”— Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”— 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”— 1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”— Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”— Proverbs 17:17 (KJV)

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”— Ephesians 4:31 (NIV)“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”— Ephesians 4:31 (KJV)

🛐 Faith Passed Through Generations

These verses celebrate the faith handed down within families.

“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.”— 2 Timothy 1:5 (NIV)“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”— 2 Timothy 1:5 (KJV)

“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”— Psalm 145:4 (NIV)“One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.”— Psalm 145:4 (KJV)

“consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation.”— Psalm 48:13 (NIV)“Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.”— Psalm 48:13 (KJV)

“He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.”— Psalm 78:5-6 (NIV)“For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:”— Psalm 78:5-6 (KJV)

🕊️ Provision and Blessing for the Family

Scripture speaks of God's care and responsibility within the household.

“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”— 1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV)“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”— 1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV)

“Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.”— Psalm 128:3 (NIV)“Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.”— Psalm 128:3 (KJV)

“A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.”— Proverbs 13:22 (NIV)“A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.”— Proverbs 13:22 (KJV)

“Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.”— Proverbs 19:14 (NIV)“House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.”— Proverbs 19:14 (KJV)

What Does the Bible Say About Family?

The Bible presents family as a divine institution and one of God's most treasured gifts. From the very beginning, God established the family as the foundation of human society, the place where love is given, faith is nurtured, and character is formed. Scripture honors the bonds between parents and children, calling children to honor their father and mother and instructing parents to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

At its heart, the Bible's vision of family is spiritual. Joshua's declaration, "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15), captures the call for every household to follow God together. Scripture treasures unity, urging family members to be kind, forgiving, and patient with one another, and it celebrates the passing of faith from one generation to the next. The Bible also reminds us that God Himself is a Father who welcomes all believers into His family, making the earthly home a reflection of an even greater belonging.

May these verses strengthen the bonds of your home and root it in God's love. For more Scripture to encourage your family, explore our Bible verses about mothers, Bible verses about children, and Bible verses about marriage.