13 Best Biblical Scriptures for Father’s Day

Scriptures for Father’s Day will help us understand fathers’ roles in our lives and how we can give back to them. 

We celebrate Father’s Day every year.

We send cards and post lengthy emotional messages dedicated to our dads on social media.

But what is the essence of a man’s relationship with his children?

What makes him a father beyond the biological context?

With all their sacrifices for us, one day is not enough to give honor and appreciation to dads worldwide.

Whether blood-related or not, we celebrate the men who have been father figures to any child.

Fathers deserve appreciation for the goodness of their hearts and the constant sacrifices they make for their loved ones.

With the Bible as our benchmark for selfless fatherly love, we can celebrate Father’s Day full of meaning and substance.

What are the Scriptures for Father’s Day?

The Bible has a lot of wisdom to share about fatherhood.

It begins with the love and mercy of the Lord Almighty and Him calling us His children.

We are called to reflect on these Father’s Day Bible verses to better understand why dads insist on harsh discipline despite our resistance and why they deserve our thanks for it. 

Just as we listen when God speaks, so must we heed the wisdom our fathers impart to us, for they resonate with the love and mercy of God, the Father of all.

What Does the Bible Say About Fathers?

The role of a loving father in the life of his household members is diverse.

He is the provider, protector, disciplinarian, and caregiver, among others.

But the heart of all that he does is projecting the love and mercy of our Heavenly Father toward his family.

Fathers lead families

Joshua 24:15

“And if it seems evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your ancestors 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.”

God blessed fathers with the noble purpose of leading the members of his household.

Fatherhood is not a task for the frail-hearted.

It requires remarkable mental strength, integrity, gentleness, and mercy, just as the Lord has merciful and loving us.

A good father’s judgment must be sound, as his decisions will define the future of his household.

He leads in glorifying God so his children may follow his ways.

Fathers protect

Proverbs 14:26

“In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.”

This Bible verse teaches us that a father must possess courage deeply anchored in his faith to protect his loved ones.

Their purpose is driven by the fatherly instinct to provide security and stability to his children.

A father makes sure that his children live in a manner worthy of God’s kingdom.

In this way, he provides a secure fortress for the children born in his care.

He ensures that they are protected from the powers of evil.

Fathers are examples

1 Kings 15:11

“And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.”

The father’s presence or absence in his children’s lives leaves a significant impact that stays with them throughout adulthood.

To raise a righteous child, a man must act in righteous ways.

If he intends to rear a wise son, he must impart to him his wisdom.

The little ones who look up to him are more likely to imitate his actions, so he is tasked with resonating with God’s steadfast love, standing firm in the faith, and imitating the ways of Christ Jesus.

Fathers are guides

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

“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.

Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

Father’s Day Bible verses tell us that it is a father’s responsibility to start children off on the right path as the righteous lead blameless lives.

As heads of the family, fathers are expected to be wise to lead their household according to the teachings of the Bible.

His ways of integrity and faithfulness to the Lord Almighty will serve as a guide in fighting against sin and temptation.

What the Bible Says About Honoring Fathers

God specified to honor our parents in the Ten Commandments and reiterated in Proverbs 23:22,

Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

Fathers play a demanding part that requires them to endure hardship, sometimes without recognition.

Their sacrifices deserve appreciation not just on Father’s Day but every day of our lives.

Best Father’s Day Scriptures

These Bible verses for Father’s Day will serve as our guide in navigating fatherhood and giving recognition to our fathers.

In the same way that Jesus Christ loved His father and mother, we are called to give our respects to our parents, especially our dad, on Father’s Day.

Father’s Day verses about God as our Heavenly Father

These Bible verses for Father’s Day remind us how blessed we are to be called children of God.

Therefore, everything we think and do must glorify and honor the One God and Father of all.

Joshua 1:9

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

This Bible verse assures us that God will not abandon us, especially in our time of need.

He only requires us to trust Him as our Heavenly Father.

The Scriptures remind us to draw strength and courage from knowing whose children we are.

Psalm 103:13

“Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.”

God disciplines His children, but it is undeniable how merciful He has been to us despite our sins.

Just as our dad would not wish for us to suffer, the Almighty Father lovingly looks down upon us.

Scriptures about being a godly father

The role of a father figure is not to be taken lightly.

A father deals with more than just the physical and earthly needs of his children; he must also nurture the soul.

Thus, Father’s Day Bible verses guide those who wish to take on this duty.

Deuteronomy 1:29–31

“Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.

The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;

And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.”

The phrase, “Just as a father carries his son, God carried you,” is a beautiful analogy of how earthly fathers resonate with God’s fatherly love.

A father carries his son and leads him in ways that will make him worthy of eternal life. 

It also means that a father would rather carry the weight of his children’s problems on his shoulders than see them suffer.

But he must also understand that it is his responsibility to instill discipline and impress the instruction of the Lord on them.

Proverbs 23:24

“The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.”

These Bible verses describe the ideal relationship between a father and child.

The godly father feels great joy with his righteous child in the same way that the wise son rejoices in his father.

The respect is mutual between them with God at the center of their bond.

Scriptures about a father’s roles

Father’s Day Bible verses help us understand the qualities and responsibilities of an ideal father and husband.

Although men are prone to temptation and human errors, they should always strive to fulfill their duties faithfully.

Ephesians 5:28-29

“So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.

He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.”

Scriptures on Father’s Day remind us that he who loves his wife loves himself.

What better way to love the children than to love their mother?

Being a good father cannot be achieved without first being a good husband

Proverbs 3:11-12

“My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction.”

A father’s discipline may seem harsh, but it is necessary.

It is to ensure that the children born in his care and their children’s children will never stray from God’s word.

Our father’s chastening is borne out of love in the same way the Lord disciplines us, His children. 

3 John 1:4

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

This verse states the reason for the Lord’s discipline: to shield us from sin and its consequences.

God has passed on this responsibility to our fathers, and they are often met with resentment from his children.

Scriptures on Father’s Day such as this are a wonderful reminder for children to appreciate their fathers.

The father’s disciplinarian character is meant to implement the mother’s teaching and complement her gentle, nurturing ways.

Scriptures about honoring fathers

Father’s Day only comes once a year.

We tend to take their sacrifices for granted the rest of the year.

But with these Bible verses about fathers and a deeper understanding of its purpose, we could do so much better as children.

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.”

The scripture is pretty straightforward.

There’s almost no other way to say and understand the instruction of the Lord to “honor your father and mother.”

We do it not only because it promises a long life but also because our parents are truly worthy of honor.

We must heed our Father’s instruction just as we listen when the Lord God speaks.

Psalm 127:3-5

“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of one’s youth

Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”

In return for our Father’s selfless sacrifices for us, it is only right that we honor them by making them proud.

We can bring them great joy by living in the truth just as they have wished for us.

In Summary

Bible verses for Father’s Day help us understand the impact of a father’s presence in a child’s life.

They also serve as a guide to men who desire to become godly fathers and husbands.

Being a parent is a heavy responsibility, so it is meant to be considered a hundred times before undertaking.

It means more than just providing worldly nourishment.

It is a duty that involves selfless sacrifice and nurturing of a young soul.

The beauty of fatherhood is that it does not require blood relations for the role.

When a man becomes a child’s protector, leader, and role model, he deserves the honor of being called a father.

Fathers are living proof of God’s steadfast love for us.

For all that they do for their families, fathers truly deserve to be honored through scriptures on Father’s Day and on all other days of the year. 

EDITOR
Alex Shute
Alex is a family man and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. His passion is to serve the global Church and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to learn & grow.
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