The Bible's best-known mother and daughter bond is Naomi and Ruth, her daughter-in-law: "Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her" (Ruth 1:14). A daughter can honor her mother with "Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all" (Proverbs 31:29), and a mother can say, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 1:4).
The bond between a mother and daughter can be the closest friendship of a lifetime, and sometimes the most complicated. Scripture speaks to both. These twelve King James verses begin with Naomi and Ruth, a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law whose loyalty shaped Israel's history, then offer short verses a mom or daughter can write in a Christmas or birthday card, and end with faith and prayer passed down through the generations. For more on moms, see mothers; for girls and young women, see daughters.
Naomi and Ruth: a mother and daughter bond
1. Ruth 1:14
"And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her."
Orpah went home, but Ruth clung to Naomi. The next verses hold Ruth's famous promise, whither thou goest, I will go (Ruth 1:16). Loyalty in grief made them family.
2. Ruth 2:2
"And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter."
Ruth asked permission to glean, and Naomi answered with three words: Go, my daughter. A mother's blessing can be short and still give courage to a daughter stepping into something new.
3. Ruth 3:1
"Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?"
Naomi wanted rest and security for Ruth, that it might be well with her. Many mothers pray the same for their daughters: a safe home, a good marriage and peace with God.
4. Ruth 3:5
"And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do."
Ruth answered Naomi's plan with complete trust: All that thou sayest unto me I will do. Later the women of Bethlehem said she was better to Naomi than seven sons (Ruth 4:15). Love, not only blood, makes a mother and daughter close.
Verses to give your mom or your daughter
5. Proverbs 31:29
"Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all."
These are the words a godly woman's family speaks in her praise. They make a heartfelt line for a Christmas or Mother's Day card from a daughter to her mom. See Mother's Day.
6. 3 John 1:4
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."
John wrote of his spiritual children, but every Christian mother knows this joy. It is a lovely verse for a daughter's baptism, graduation or wedding card.
7. Philippians 1:3
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,"
Paul thanked God every time he remembered his friends. Written in a card, this verse says, in Scripture's own words, that you thank God for her, and it works in either direction.
8. 2 John 1:1
"The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;"
John addressed this short letter to the elect lady and her children, whom he loved in the truth. Some readers take the lady as a church, others as a Christian mother; either way it pictures a mother and children held together by truth and love.
Faith and prayer across the generations
9. Psalms 145:4
"One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts."
One generation tells the next about God's works. Family stories of answered prayer, told by a mother to her daughter, are part of how faith is passed on. Titus 2:3-4 asks older women to teach younger women in the same way. See grandmother.
10. Psalms 78:4
"We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done."
We will not hide them from their children. Talking about God at the dinner table, on the drive to school and at bedtime keeps faith from being a private secret. See parenting.
11. Isaiah 59:21
"As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever."
God promises that His words will not depart from the mouth of His people, nor from their children, nor from their children's children. A mother who shares Scripture with her daughter is living inside that promise.
12. Matthew 15:28
"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 would not stop asking Jesus to heal her daughter, and He praised her great faith. Every mother who keeps praying for a daughter is following her example. See praying for others.
A short prayer
Lord, thank You for the gift of mothers and daughters. Knit our hearts together in love like Naomi and Ruth. Help us speak kindly, forgive quickly and pass Your faithfulness from one generation to the next. Where our relationship is strained, bring healing, and where we are far apart, keep us close in prayer. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Print our free 12 Days of Christmas Scripture Cards · Give the Scripture Memory Cards to your mom or daughter · Share the Starter Bundle as a mother and daughter study gift
Frequently asked questions
Is like mother, like daughter in the Bible?
Almost. Ezekiel quotes an old proverb: "As is the mother, so is her daughter" (Ezekiel 16:44). In context, though, it is a rebuke of Jerusalem for copying the sins of the nations around her. For a positive picture of faith passed from mother to child, see 2 Timothy 1:5 and our strong woman verses.
What is a good Bible verse for a mother and daughter card?
Short verses work best. From a daughter: Proverbs 31:29 or Philippians 1:3. From a mother: 3 John 1:4 or "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee" (Numbers 6:24). Add one personal memory and sign it with love. Our free 12 Days of Christmas Scripture Cards also make a simple gift.
What does the Bible say about a strained mother and daughter relationship?
Scripture calls children to honor their parents (Exodus 20:12) and parents not to provoke their children (Colossians 3:21). Healing often starts with one honest, humble conversation and a willingness to forgive (Colossians 3:13). See broken relationships for more.
Were Naomi and Ruth mother and daughter?
Naomi was Ruth's mother-in-law, but she called Ruth "my daughter" again and again (Ruth 2:2), and the women of Bethlehem said Ruth was "better to thee than seven sons" (Ruth 4:15). Their story shows that a mother and daughter bond can grow through marriage, adoption and shared faith. If you are missing your mom, see loss of a mother.
Honoring a parent never requires staying in an abusive situation. If you are being harmed, please talk to a pastor or licensed counselor. In the US, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about mothers · Bible verses about daughters · Bible verses for Mother's Day · Bible verses about the loss of a mother · Bible verses about grandmothers · Bible verses about a strong woman · Bible verses for teens
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
