Matthew 23:9

Believers should call no one on earth 'Father' in the ultimate spiritual sense, for God alone is the Father in heaven. It guards God's unique place as the source of life and authority.

Cross-references · 15

• 1 Jn 3:1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
• Heb 12:9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
• Mal 1:6A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
• Job 32:21–22Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.
• Rom 8:14–17For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
• Matt 7:11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
• Matt 6:8–9Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
• 1 Tim 5:1–2Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
• 1 Cor 4:15For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
• 2 Cor 6:18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
• 2 Kgs 2:12And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
• Acts 22:1Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
• 2 Kgs 6:21And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
• Matt 6:32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
• 2 Kgs 13:14Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

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