Is there a biblical instruction to stone rebellious children?

TL;DR:

Yes, there was a command in the Old Testament to stone stubbornly rebellious children for specifically severe rebellion; however, there is no mention in the Bible of this law being used. The severity of the Old Testament instruction reveals to us the importance of honoring our father and mother.

what does the bible say?

In the Old Testament, the Mosaic law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai and served as the authoritative statutes for Israel during the period before Christ came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). The Law revealed the seriousness of our sin and provided the way God called His people to respond to sin. Yes, the Old Testament contains instructions about stoning stubbornly rebellious children, found in Leviticus 20:9 and Deuteronomy 21:18–21. However, the process required substantial evidence and community involvement, including the consent of parents and town leaders. While these commands were meant to emphasize the seriousness of rebellion and uphold justice, there is no record of their actual enforcement. Today, although we are not bound by the Old Testament law, the New Testament teaches us to take sin seriously, to fear God, and to honor our parents and maintain respect, reflecting God's ongoing principles of family order and authority.

from the old testament

Leviticus 20:9 reads: "For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him."
Deuteronomy 21:18–21 later commented on the command in Leviticus, teaching, "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, 'This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.' Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear."
As quoted, the law was to be applied as follows: The command applied only to a son who had been rebellious to his parents over an extended period of time despite discipline. Second, the law required that both parents as well as the town's leaders (called elders) were witnesses of this crime. In other words, both parents had to consent and the elders of the town would have to agree that the son's rebellion was so bad as to apply the death penalty. Third, if both parents and the leaders approved, it required that "all the men of the city" were to help put the rebellious son to death. The entire community would have had to consent to capital punishment for the crime.
The goal of the instruction to stone stubbornly rebellious children was to remove evil from the community. This crime was not intended to kill children but rather to protect the community from future crime and to cause others to realize the importance of living according to the law of the Lord (Deuteronomy 21:21).
There is no record in the Bible of this law being enforced.

from the new testament

The instruction to stone rebellious children is found in the Old Testament. The New Testament teaches that children are to honor their father and mother (Ephesians 6:1–3).

implications for today

The Old Testament laws of stoning stubbornly rebellious children reveals the serious consequences of disrespect and rebellion, highlighting the importance of maintaining strong family and community structures. While the Old Testament commands are striking and severe, they also illustrate a deep commitment to justice and order. The establishment of the law was for our good and to reveal the severity of sin. It also gave specifics of what was to be punished. Rebellion challenges God’s established authority. Rebelling against one’s parents is ultimately rebelling against God, who established the family and the beauty of order within relationship. While we no longer stone rebellious children, nor do we know if this was ever done, we do know that God calls us to fear Him (Proverbs 1:7; Ecclesiastes 12:13; Deuteronomy 10:12), to take sin such as rebellion seriously, and to honor our parents (Ephesians 6:1–3). We honor our parents when we demonstrate respect, obedience, and love, reflecting our understanding of God’s design for family and authority. By upholding these values, we not only foster harmonious relationships within our homes but also align ourselves with God's broader principles of justice and order. Honoring our parents honors God and promotes a healthy, thriving community.

understand

The Old Testament prescribed stoning for stubbornly rebellious children, but required stringent evidence and community consent.
The law aimed to highlight the seriousness of rebellion and maintain societal and familial order.
Christians follow the New Testament's call to honor parents through respect and love, not the Old Testament stoning law.

reflect

How does the severity of the Old Testament law regarding rebellious children influence your understanding of the importance of honoring and respecting authority today?
How can we reflect God's principles of justice and order in our own families and communities, even though we are not bound by the Old Testament laws?
How does recognizing the historical and cultural context of these Old Testament laws affect your view of the New Testament teachings on honoring parents?

engage

This Mosaic law is not to be applied by Christians today. Christ came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17) and offers a new way of life based on faith through Him. The New Testament does continue to teach that children are to honor their father and mother (Ephesians 6:1–3) but the application of this Old Testament law is not mentioned by Jesus or His early followers in the New Testament as one Christians are to follow.
How can the principles from the Old Testament be reconciled with Christ’s fulfillment of the Law and Christians no longer being bound by it in addressing issues of rebellion and disobedience?