The Perfect Bible Verses For Teachers
What Does the Bible Say about Teaching?
Teaching is at the very heart of the Bible. Jesus teaches, as do his disciples. This section will discuss some important bible verses for school principals and teachers to learn.
One of the purposes of the Bible is teaching. Jesus Christ focused on teaching both the faith and life in general. Many of the verses in the New Testament are about teaching. For example, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reads:
‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.’
The teaching of God – through Jesus Christ – is for the good of man, both individually and humanity as a whole.
The Psalms also talk about teaching; here is a passage from Psalm 32:8 that is useful for teachers:
‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.’
The verse describes how Jesus helps people learn the right way to live, just as a teacher does for their students in the present. A teacher is there not just to educate but to guide and mentor.
Teachers may also find Proverbs 22:6 helpful:
‘Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.’
This simple line is as important to parents as to teachers and is at the core of Jesus Christ’s teachings throughout the Scriptures.
How can teachers use Bible verses to inspire their students?
Much of the Scriptures aims to inspire. Many of the verses throughout the Bible are written as inspiration. How can a Sunday school teacher use a Bible verse to inspire their students? We’ve found many inspirational verses and will begin by looking at Proverbs 9:9.
‘Instruct the wise, and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous, and they will add to their learning.’
As with many Bible verses, the premise behind these memorable words is stating a simple fact: there is always more to learn, no matter how much you already know. This short verse is useful for inspiring discussion and debate about God’s teachings through Jesus and is a good example of an inspirational Bible verse.
1: Corinthians 12:28 is another verse often used in Bible study and teaching to inspire discussion, explaining how God has structured the church. A short passage reads:
‘And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.’
Students and teachers can use this verse to inspire thought about God’s will.
Proverbs 11:25 is an interesting and inspirational example:
‘A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.’
This simple yet poetic line is about being a good person and living a good life, as Jesus’s teachings inspire us.
Teaching is among the most rewarding careers, yet it can also be difficult. Next, we are going to look at Bible verses that teachers themselves can use to help them persevere with their chosen profession.
What are Some Bible Verses that Encourage Teachers to Persevere?
Perseverance and determination are often referred to in Bible verses. Many such verses are useful to teachers struggling to keep up at times, and a teacher’s job can be taxing. Let’s begin with a simple yet inspirational verse from 1 Chronicles 16:11:
‘Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!’
As encouraging bible verses go, this one is a simple and straightforward example. It instructs readers to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to guide them through difficult times. Faith in the Lord is continuous, as He is always with you.
Romans 12:12 is another simple yet inspirational verse:
‘Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.’
Tribulation is defined as a ‘time of great trouble or suffering.’ Like all of us, teachers can come across problems that need help. Hope is the first step here – with faith in the Lord, you will always have hope – and patience is the second. Then there is the mention of prayer and being constant. Jesus will help you through your difficult times when you have faith, as again, He is with you at all times. See our section on Bible verses for hope for more on the subject.
Luke 1:37 puts things in perspective concerning faith, a short sentence reading:
‘For nothing will be impossible with God.’
Those few words define faith and can help those struggling to remember that God is always there to help, even with seemingly impossible tasks like teaching a child.
Our final verse in this section is James 1:12, and it outlines the importance of being strong when under trial:
‘Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.’
Tests and trials are frequent in the Bible and are often seen as allegorical tales designed to reassure that with your faith in God, you will be able to beat the inevitable struggles in life.
Next, we want to discuss compassion – something Jesus preached readily and often in the New Testament.
What are Some Bible Verses that Inspire Teachers to Be Compassionate?
Compassion is central to the teachings of the Bible. We are told we should be kind and compassionate with one another. Yet there are things we come across in life that try our patience! Teachers know too well how easy it is to be put under pressure to do good work when doing such an important job.
Kindness and compassion can be hard work in some instances. This applies not only to teachers but to all of us. Let’s talk about some Bible verses that inspire compassion in the reader.
Ephesians 4:32 is a simple example of an inspirational verse about kindness and compassion:
‘Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.’
Central to compassion is forgiveness. This is the simple message that the above is telling us. As we have already mentioned, forgiveness is not always easy. The next verse – from Luke 6:35 – outlines the difficulty of compassion.
‘But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.’
To ‘love your enemies’ is perhaps the most difficult aspect of compassion. We are not naturally disposed to be kind to those who are not kind to us, yet when we are, the result is highly rewarding, as the above verse explains.
Romans 12:10 also adds a touch of humility to the compassion element of faith:
‘Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour.’
This tells us that the best form of competition is to be honorable, not to beat your fellow man with boasts. 1 Corinthians 13.4 expands on this premise:
‘Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.’
The Bible teaches us to be kind, compassionate, and understanding and that rudeness and arrogance should be avoided. Compassion is part of faith, and the above verses remind teachers who may be having their temper to try to be compassionate to students.
How Can Teachers Use Bible Verses to Teach Their Students about Love and Kindness?
Love and kindness are two aspects of humanity that are important to an enjoyable and healthy life. We should be loving and kind; others should be expected to be so towards us.
Matthew 7:12 is among the most famous and often paraphrased quotes from the Bible:
‘So whatever you wish that others would do to you, so also to them.’
This important and yet simple quotation is about expecting others to behave towards you as you do towards them. This is important in the teacher-student relationship as it engenders trust.
The importance of love and kindness is also explained quite succinctly in this verse from Proverbs 12:25:
‘Anxiety in man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.’
Students can be anxious, especially when a lot is expected of them. Reassuring those the teacher knows to be struggling will help. A kind word is always welcome.
An excerpt from Matthew 5: 40-43 is also an interesting verse:
‘You have heard it said that ‘you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’
Love and kindness require hard work in many cases – as the above quote explains – yet we gain great reward through faith by being good to those who are less than so to us.
We have already discussed patience, but we want to expand on this aspect of life as a teacher.
What are Some Bible Verses that Remind Teachers to be Patient with their Students?
We are all familiar with the phrase ‘patience is a virtue.’ It comes from a poem of the 1300s by English poet William Langland yet is undoubtedly inspired by Scripture.
Patience – and its importance – is mentioned times in the Bible. For teachers, being patient with students is certainly a virtue. Yet there will be times of frustration – both for teachers and students – and several Bible verses may help calm the situation when read by the teacher.
Galatians 6:9 has an interesting take on patience:
‘Let’s not get tired of doing good because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up.’
In simple terms, ‘good things come to those who wait.’ A central premise of the Christian doctrine and faith lies in being kind to others, and as we all know, sometimes people do try our patience! Teachers experience this often trying to teach little children, and the above quote is a reassurance that things will improve as long as we live a good life. Bible meditation is a useful way to engage students and help them understand.
A simple verse to remember when frustration sets in or when anger is threatening is Proverbs 15:18, which reads:
‘Hotheads stir up trouble, but patient people calm down strife.’
The implication is clear: remaining patient when it is difficult to do so removes the tension from the situation. This is an important verse for teachers dealing with problem students who may wish to cause distraction.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 has a lovely take on the subject of patience:
‘The end of something is better than its beginning. Patience is better than arrogance.’
Being patient is not always easy and does often involve hard work. Suppose a teacher is finding that things are not going smoothly. In that case, the above quotes from the Bible – and many more besides – are gentle reminders about the importance of patience in dealing with potentially difficult situations. Students are often frustrated, confused, and anxious, so always approach with patience.
What are Some Bible Verses that Remind Teachers to be Humble?
Humility is a recurring theme in Bible verses. Christian teachers expect those with faith to be humble and not consider themselves above others in any way. This is important in the classroom. Humility on the part of the teacher instills trust in the students, and they begin to learn that being ‘better’ than someone – or indeed thinking they are – is not the right way to go. There are many Bible verses about humility, so let’s discuss a few.
Romans 12:16 says:
‘Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.’
This is an important Bible verse as it reassures the reader that considering themselves a better person than the next man is not what your faith demands of you. You should always consider yourself on the level of others, which is particularly important for teachers. Whether you are a Sunday School teacher or Bible study leader, or if you teach at public schools or otherwise, always approach your students respectfully.
Philippians 2:3-4 reinforces the above:
‘Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.’
Selfish actions are not the actions of a good Christian. The teacher is not above being taught.
Another important verse about humility is found in 1 Peter 3:8 and reads as follows:
‘Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.’
The running theme of humility and kindness to others is one that teachers must remember as it is important in building a relationship with those whom you teach. One of the most famous and oft-used verses comes from Matthew 5:5:
‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.’
Pride, in other words, is not the way forward. This is further enhanced in Proverbs 11:2:
‘When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.’
Teachers will benefit from a wise and humble approach to their chosen profession and be assured the students will respond in the best way. Here are some Bible verses for graduation you can study with your students.
How Can Teachers Use Bible Verses to Teach Their Students about Forgiveness?
We have touched on the subject of forgiveness, yet it is such a core element of the Bible teachings that we felt the need to elaborate. Forgiving someone who has wronged you is not easy. It takes a lot of effort, humility, and thought. Here is a famous verse from Colossians 3:13, versions of which occur throughout the Good Book.
‘Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.’
To be forgiven by God through the gift of forgiveness through Christ is to have your sins removed. Forgive as the Lord forgave you is among the basic elements of Christian belief. Most of us will experience the need to forgive the acts of others during our lives, including teachers, who are responsible for explaining the importance of forgiveness to the younger generations.
Luke 23:24 quotes another famous and often paraphrased phrase:
‘Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’
God, through Jesus, forgives sinners who turn to Him. This short verse from Proverbs 28:13 also explains the importance of honesty.
‘Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.’
The explanation is as above: God forgives those who have faith in Him. The final quote in this section – before we talk about wisdom – is taken from Matthew 18:21-22 and is a poignant reminder of just how important forgiving those who wrong you is.
‘Then Peter came to Jesus and asked,
“Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”’
Teachers asking students to study and discuss the above show them that forgiveness is not limited.
Wisdom is our final virtue.
What are Some Bible Verses that Encourage Teachers to Seek Wisdom?
Teachers need to be wise, and wisdom is part of the core of Christianity. There are many verses that encourage teachers to seek wisdom, so let’s begin with the well-known Proverbs 1:7.
‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.’
The core of having faith in Him is fear of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this brief passage, ‘knowledge’ is about being aware of the world and being in awe of God, while ‘wisdom’ is about correctly applying and using that knowledge.
James 1:5 covers a similar premise:
‘If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.’
In this short quote, James refers to an Old Testament ‘wisdom’ which, according to writings, comes from prayer for God’s help. Teachers seeking wisdom should pray, and they will be endowed.
A famous verse about wisdom is 1 John 4:1, and it reads as follows:
‘Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.’
This line is about being careful with the wisdom preached by many. ‘False Prophets’ are exactly that, ‘spirits’ claiming to speak the word of God, but in reality, espousing demonic influence. Essentially, the above is a lesson on gullibility.
Teachers must seek wisdom and students, too, as wisdom is at the heart of Christian beliefs and represents the word of God.