Home › Mother's Day Bible Verses

Mother's Day Bible Verses

Draw a random Bible verse for Mother's Day, from Hannah and Mary to wise women and the call to honor parents, for cards, toasts and readings.

TranslationVerses

Tip: press the space bar for a new one.

And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

Genesis 3:20 KJV

What the Bible Says About Mothers

Scripture speaks about mothers in several ways at once. It honors them in law, since the fifth commandment tells children to honor father and mother. It shows them in stories, from Hannah praying for a son to a Levite mother hiding her baby by the Nile, and from Mary at the manger to Mary at the cross. And it borrows their tenderness to describe God, who promises in Isaiah to comfort his people as a mother comforts her child and compares himself to a nursing mother who cannot forget her baby.

The Bible is also realistic. Some of its mothers wait years for a child, some grieve, some make mistakes, and some, like the mother of Rufus in Romans, are remembered for a care that reached beyond their own family, since Paul calls her a mother to himself as well. That wider view is helpful on Mother's Day, because not every family looks the same and not every reader is a parent.

Where Mothers Appear in Scripture

The Old Testament offers Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Jochebed, Hannah, Naomi, Deborah and the widow of Zarephath and the woman of Shunem. Proverbs gives the teaching of a mother a place beside a father's, and its final chapter records the words King Lemuel learned from his mother. In the Gospels, Mary, Elizabeth, the Canaanite woman who pleaded for her daughter, and the widow of Nain show a range of motherly love. Paul's letters mention Eunice and Lois, who passed faith to Timothy, and Paul himself uses the image of a nursing mother when he describes his care for a church.

Wise women, such as Abigail and the woman of Tekoa, are included too, since many people think of a mother's influence as including mentors, grandmothers, aunts and others who guide a younger generation.

Ways to Use These Verses

Write a verse and its note inside a handwritten Mother's Day card.
Read a short passage, such as Proverbs 31 or 2 Timothy 1:5, at a family brunch or church service.
Use a verse as a caption for a photo of a mother, grandmother or mentor.
Offer a gentle verse to someone for whom the day is difficult, such as those who have lost a mother or are longing for a child.
Draw a random verse at the table and let each person say who in their life has shown that kind of love.

A Few Notes on Using Them Well

Many Christian traditions did not historically mark a specific day for mothers, and the modern Mother's Day was shaped largely by twentieth-century customs. Nothing in Scripture prescribes it, so these verses are best treated as thoughtful reflections rather than official liturgy. Choose verses that fit the person you are celebrating. Proverbs 31 describes an ideal, and some mothers may find it heavy rather than encouraging, so a verse about comfort or faithfulness may be a kinder pick.

Draw a verse from the list above, read the short note on who is speaking and why, and then decide how to share it. You can also use the Bible verse randomizer for any occasion, try the random encouraging Bible verse page for a word of comfort, or explore the Bible books to read the stories of these women in full.

Verses in This Collection

Genesis 3:20 – And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
After the fall, Adam names his wife Eve, a name linked to life, recognizing her as the one through whom humanity would continue.
Genesis 16:11 – And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
An angel finds Hagar fleeing into the desert, pregnant and mistreated, and tells her what to name her son because God heard her distress.
Genesis 21:6-7 – And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
Sarah, long childless and now elderly, laughs with surprise and joy at nursing Isaac, a son nobody had expected her to bear.
Genesis 24:67 – And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death .
Isaac brings Rebekah into his late mother's tent, and the text notes that she brought him comfort after Sarah's death.
Genesis 30:22-24 – And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
Rachel, after years of waiting, finally bears Joseph and speaks of her shame being taken away and hopes for another son.
Exodus 2:1-3 – And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child , she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.
A Levite mother hides her baby for three months, then makes a waterproof basket, a quiet act of courage that shaped Israel's history.
Exodus 2:7-9 – Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
Moses' sister arranges for his own mother to nurse him, so the woman who risked everything is paid to raise her son.
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 fifth commandment gives honor to father and mother a place among the Ten Commandments, tying it to long life in the land.
Leviticus 19:3 – Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Reverence for mother and father is grouped here with keeping the sabbath, showing how seriously family respect was taken in Israel's law.
Deuteronomy 5:16 – Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Moses repeats the command to honor parents to a new generation about to enter the land, again with a promise of wellbeing.
Joshua 2:12-13 – Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD , since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
Rahab, who helped the Israelite spies, asks that her mother and her whole family be spared, showing a daughter's concern for her household.
Judges 4:4-5 – And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Deborah, a prophet and judge, sits under a palm tree and settles disputes, an example of a woman whose wisdom served the whole nation.
Judges 5:7 – The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
In her victory song Deborah describes herself as a mother in Israel, using motherhood as an image of protective leadership for her people.
Judges 13:2-5 – And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
An angel tells the childless wife of Manoah she will have a son, and gives her instructions for her own care during pregnancy.
Ruth 1:16-17 – And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
Ruth refuses to leave her mother-in-law Naomi after both are widowed, promising loyalty that reaches beyond family duty into shared faith.
Ruth 4:14-16 – And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD , which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.
The women of Bethlehem celebrate with Naomi when Obed is born, and she holds the baby in her lap as his nurse.
1 Samuel 1:10-11 – And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD , and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
Hannah, deeply distressed by childlessness, prays at the sanctuary and promises to dedicate any son to God for his whole life.
1 Samuel 1:27-28 – For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD ; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD . And he worshipped the LORD there.
Hannah brings young Samuel to Eli and gives him back to God, keeping the vow she made when she asked for him.
1 Samuel 2:1 – And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD , mine horn is exalted in the LORD : my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
Hannah responds to answered prayer with a song of thanksgiving that praises God for reversing her situation and strengthening her.
1 Samuel 2:19 – Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
Each year Hannah sews a small robe for Samuel and brings it when she visits, a quiet and practical sign of ongoing care.
1 Samuel 25:18-19 – Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn , and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.
Abigail acts quickly and wisely, loading provisions and going to meet David, preventing violence that her husband's folly had provoked.
2 Samuel 14:2-4 – And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead: And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.
Joab brings in a wise woman from Tekoa who, playing a grieving mother, uses a parable to help King David see his own family situation.
2 Samuel 20:16-19 – Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he . Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear. Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter . I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD ?
A wise woman in the besieged city of Abel calls out to Joab and negotiates a peaceful end that saves her city.
1 Kings 2:19 – Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.
King Solomon rises, bows to his mother Bathsheba and has a throne placed for her at his right hand, publicly honoring her.
1 Kings 3:26-27 – Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it . Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
Two women claim the same baby before Solomon, and the true mother is revealed when she gives up her claim rather than see him harmed.
1 Kings 17:12-15 – And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
A widow in Zarephath, down to her last meal for herself and her son, shares with Elijah and finds her supply does not run out.
1 Kings 17:21-24 – And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD , and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
When the widow's son stops breathing, Elijah prays and the boy lives; his mother then expresses confidence that the prophet's word is true.
2 Kings 4:8-10 – And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
A woman of Shunem notices Elijah's successor Elisha passing through and furnishes a small upper room for him, an act of generous hospitality.
2 Kings 4:34-37 – And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
Elisha prays over the Shunammite woman's dead son, who revives, and she bows to the prophet before taking her child back in her arms.
Esther 2:7 – And he brought up Hadassah, that is , Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
Esther has lost both parents, and her cousin Mordecai raises her as his own daughter, showing that parenting is often done by relatives and guardians.
Psalm 22:9-10 – But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
The psalmist remembers being safe at his mother's breast and traces his trust in God back to the very beginning of life.
Psalm 27:10 – When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
David acknowledges that even the closest human ties can fail, and he finds in God a care that does not depend on parents.
Psalm 71:6 – By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
An older psalmist looks back across a lifetime and recalls that God has sustained him since birth, praising him continually for it.
Psalm 113:9 – He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD .
God is praised for lifting up the childless woman and giving her a home with children, turning sorrow into joy.
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 the 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.
Children are described as a gift and reward from the Lord, and a full quiver is used as a picture of family strength.
Psalm 128:3 – Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.
A fruitful wife in the home and children around the table are pictured as signs of blessing for the person who honors God.
Psalm 131:2 – Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
The psalmist compares his quieted soul to a weaned child resting against its mother, a picture of trust without anxious demands.
Proverbs 1:8 – My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
A father speaking to his son tells him to listen to his father's instruction and not to dismiss his mother's teaching.
Proverbs 6:20-22 – My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
Young people are told to keep their parents' commands close, with a promise that this guidance will lead and watch over them.
Proverbs 10:1 – The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
The book of Proverbs notes that a wise child brings gladness to a father while a foolish one brings grief to a mother.
Proverbs 14:1 – Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
A wise woman is pictured as building up her household, in contrast to one whose folly tears it down by her own actions.
Proverbs 15:20 – A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
Another proverb repeats the link between a child's good sense and a parent's joy, and warns against despising one's mother.
Proverbs 19:26 – He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
Proverbs speaks sharply about a son who mistreats his father or drives out his mother, calling it shameful and disgraceful.
Proverbs 20:20 – Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
The wisdom writers treat cursing parents as a serious breach and predict that such a person's life will end in darkness.
Proverbs 23:22-25 – Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
A father urges his son to listen to his father, not despise his mother when she is old, and to give them joy.
Proverbs 29:15 – The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
Loving correction and discipline are linked with wisdom, while a child left entirely to himself is said to shame his mother.
Proverbs 30:17 – The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
A vivid warning describes the fate of an eye that mocks a father and scorns a mother's obedience, stressing how serious contempt for parents is.
Proverbs 31:1 – The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
The final chapter begins by saying it records words King Lemuel's mother taught him, giving a mother's counsel a place in Scripture.
Proverbs 31:10-12 – Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
The poem about a capable wife begins by asking who can find her, and says her husband can trust her fully.
Proverbs 31:15 – She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
This woman rises early, before the household is up, to provide food for her family and assign tasks to those who work with her.
Proverbs 31:20 – She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
The capable woman reaches out her hands to the poor and needy, showing that her energy is not limited to her own household.
Proverbs 31:25-26 – Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she speaks with wisdom and kindness, so her words carry the same weight as her work.
Proverbs 31:28-29 – Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also , and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
Her children and husband speak well of her, and he says that many women have done well but she surpasses them all.
Proverbs 31:30-31 – Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD , she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
The poem closes by saying reverence for God matters more than charm or beauty, and that her own work deserves public praise.
Isaiah 40:11 – He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
God is compared to a shepherd who carries lambs and gently leads the mothers of the flock, a picture of tender care.
Isaiah 49:15 – Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
God answers a people who feel forgotten by asking whether a nursing mother could forget her child, and promising he will not forget them.
Isaiah 54:1 – Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD .
Isaiah tells the woman who has never given birth to sing, because her future will be fuller than she could imagine.
Isaiah 66:13 – As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
God promises to comfort his people the way a mother comforts her child, using one of the Bible's most direct maternal images.
Jeremiah 31:15 – Thus saith the LORD ; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
The prophet pictures Rachel weeping for her children in Ramah, a voice of mourning that Matthew later connects with the grief of Bethlehem.
Hosea 11:3-4 – I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
God recalls teaching Israel to walk and lifting them like a parent who eases the yoke, even though they did not see it.
Matthew 1:18-21 – Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man , and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Mary is found to be expecting before her marriage, and Joseph is told in a dream that her son will save his people.
Matthew 2:13-14 – And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
Joseph takes Mary and the infant Jesus by night to Egypt to escape Herod, so a young mother becomes a refugee.
Matthew 8:14-15 – And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, and she gets up and serves them, showing a mother in a disciple's home.
Matthew 12:48-50 – But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
When told his mother and brothers are outside, Jesus points to his followers and says that doing God's will makes someone family.
Matthew 15:4 – For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Jesus reminds his critics that Moses commanded honoring father and mother, and he criticizes those who used religious excuses to avoid supporting parents.
Matthew 15:25-28 – Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
A Canaanite mother keeps asking Jesus to heal her tormented daughter, and he praises her persistent faith before granting the request.
Matthew 20:20-21 – Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him , and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
The mother of James and John approaches Jesus on behalf of her sons, showing a mother's ambition and love, even if misdirected.
Matthew 23:37 – O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Jesus grieves over Jerusalem by comparing himself to a hen gathering her chicks, an image of protective, patient motherly care.
Luke 1:38 – And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Mary, a young woman told she will bear the Messiah, accepts the message with humility and willingness to let God's word happen.
Luke 1:41-44 – And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
Elizabeth, pregnant with John, greets Mary with joy when the baby stirs, and she affirms Mary's trust in what God said.
Luke 1:46-49 – And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
Mary responds with a song of praise, speaking of God's care for a lowly servant and the honor she will be given.
Luke 1:57-60 – Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so ; but he shall be called John.
Elizabeth gives birth to John after years of waiting, and she insists on the name the angel had given when relatives disagree.
Luke 2:7 – And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Mary gives birth to her firstborn in Bethlehem, wraps him in cloths and lays him in a manger because the inn was full.
Luke 2:19 – But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
After the shepherds report what the angels said, Mary stores these things in her mind and keeps thinking about them.
Luke 2:34-35 – And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
Simeon blesses the family and warns Mary that her son will cause division and that she herself will feel deep pain.
Luke 2:48-51 – And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Mary and Joseph find the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple after days of searching, and his mother again keeps these events in mind.
Luke 7:12-15 – Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Jesus sees a widow in Nain burying her only son, is moved with compassion, and raises him so she can have him back.
Luke 11:27-28 – And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
A woman in the crowd praises the mother who bore Jesus, and he responds that those who hear and keep God's word are blessed.
John 2:3-5 – And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it .
At the wedding in Cana, Mary notices the wine running out, tells Jesus, and instructs the servants to do whatever he says.
John 16:21 – A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
Jesus uses the pain of childbirth as an image, noting that a mother's anguish gives way to joy once the baby is born.
John 19:26-27 – When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
From the cross, Jesus sees his mother and the disciple he loved and asks him to care for her as his own mother.
Acts 1:14 – These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
After the ascension, Mary is listed among the group of believers gathered in prayer with the apostles and her other sons.
Acts 12:12 – And when he had considered the thing , he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
When Peter is freed from prison he goes to the house of Mary, mother of John Mark, where many are praying together.
Acts 16:1 – Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Timothy is introduced as the son of a Jewish believing mother, a detail that prepares for the faith passed on to him.
Romans 16:13 – Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
Paul sends greetings to Rufus and to Rufus' mother, whom he also calls his own, a sign that motherly care extended beyond blood relatives.
Galatians 4:19 – My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
Paul compares his anxious care for the Galatian believers to labor pains, using a mother's effort to describe pastoral concern.
Ephesians 6:1-3 – 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.
Paul tells children to obey their parents in the Lord and repeats the commandment to honor father and mother with its promise.
Colossians 3:20 – Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Children are urged to obey their parents in everything, a brief instruction that Paul says pleases the Lord in a household of believers.
1 Thessalonians 2:7 – But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
Paul says he and his companions were gentle among the Thessalonians, like a nursing mother caring for her own children.
1 Timothy 5:1-2 – Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
Timothy is told to treat older women as mothers and younger women as sisters, with purity, so the church is a family.
1 Timothy 5:4 – But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
Children and grandchildren are told to put religion into practice at home by repaying their parents and grandparents, which pleases God.
2 Timothy 1:5 – 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.
Paul recalls the sincere faith that lived first in Timothy's grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, and which now lives in Timothy.
2 Timothy 3:14-15 – But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them ; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Paul reminds Timothy of the Scriptures he has known since childhood, learning that began at home and led him to faith.
Titus 2:3-5 – The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Older women are encouraged to live reverently and teach younger women, including how to love their husbands and children and manage a home.
Hebrews 11:11 – Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Sarah is counted among those of faith because she trusted that God, who had made the promise, would be faithful despite her age.
Hebrews 11:23 – By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.
Moses' parents hide their baby for three months by faith, and the writer says they were not afraid of the king's order.
Hebrews 11:35 – Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
The writer recalls women who received their dead raised to life, which echoes the stories of the widow of Zarephath and the woman of Shunem.
2 John 1:4 – I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
The elder writes to a chosen lady and her children and says he is glad to find some of them walking in the truth.
1 Chronicles 4:9 – And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
Jabez is described as more honorable than his brothers, and the text pauses to mention that his mother named him in pain.

More Random Verse Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do these verses come from?

Every verse on this page comes from a hand-picked list of 99 Bible verses on this theme. Each one was checked against the KJV text and comes with a short note on its context.

Can I get a completely random verse instead?

Yes. The main Bible verse randomizer chooses from all 31,102 verses.