40 Bible Verses about Sisters

Rebuke not an elder: but exhort him as a father, and the younger men as brethren, the elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with all pureness.

They shall come at no dead person, to defile themselves; except it be father or mother, son or daughter, brother or sister that hath had yet no husband: in such they may be defiled.

And the LORD said unto Moses, "Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron and say unto them, 'A priest shall defile himself at the death of none of his people, but upon his kin that is nigh unto him: as his mother, father, son, daughter and brother: and on his sister as long as she is a maid and dwelleth nigh him and was never given to man: on her he may defile himself.

As long as he abstaineth unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body: he shall not make himself unclean at the death of his father, mother, brother or sister: For the abstinence of his God is upon his head.

In the land of Uz, there was a man called Job: an innocent and virtuous man, such a one as feared God, and eschewed evil. This man had seven sons, and three daughters. His substance was seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses, and a very great household: so that he was one of the most principal men among all them of the east country.read more.
And his sons went and made banquets - one day in one house, another day in another - and sent for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent her gay kirtle that was on her and put her hand on her head and so went, and as she went cried. Then Absalom her brother said unto her, "Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? Now then, be still my sister: for he is thy brother. And let not this thing grieve thine heart." And so Tamar remained discomforted in her brother Absalom's house.

yet in very deed she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not of my mother: and became my wife.

Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy sister, the daughter of thy father or of thy mother: whether she be born at home or without.

Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy father's wife's daughter, which she bare to thy father, for she is thy sister: thou shalt therefore not uncover her privities. Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy father's sister, for she is thy father's next kin. Thou shalt not uncover the privities of thy mother's sister, for she is thy mother's next kinswoman.

"'If a man take his sister, his father's daughter or his mother's daughter, and see her privities, and she see his privities also: it is a wicked thing. Therefore let them perish in the sight of their people; he hath seen his sister's secretness, he shall therefore bear his sin.

"'Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, whether she be the daughter of his father or of his mother.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Every man hath dealt shamefully with his neighbour's wife, and abominably defiled his daughter-in-law. In thee hath every man forced his own sister, even his father's daughter.

Dina, the daughter of Lea which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, lord of the country, saw her, and took her, and lay with her, and forced her: and his heart lay unto Dina, the daughter of Jacob. And he loved the damsel and spake kindly unto her,read more.
and spake unto his father, Hamor, saying, "Get me this maiden unto my wife." And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dina, his daughter, but his sons were with the cattle in the field: and therefore he held his peace, until they were come. Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob, to commune with him. And the sons of Jacob came out of the field as soon as they heard it, for it grieved them, and they were not a little wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel, in that he had lain with Jacob's daughter, which thing ought not to be done. And Hamor communed with them, saying, "The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: give her him to wife, and make marriages with us: give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you, and dwell with us, and the land shall be at your pleasure; dwell and do your business, and have your possessions therein." And Shechem said unto her father and her brethren, "Let me find grace in your eyes, and whatsoever ye appoint me, that will I give. Ask freely of me both the dowry and gifts, and I will give according as ye say unto me, and give me the damsel to wife." Then the sons of Jacob answered to Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, because he had defiled Dina their sister. And they said unto them, "We cannot do this thing, that we should give our sister to one that is uncircumcised, for that were a shame unto us. Only in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that all the men children among you be circumcised, then will we give our daughter to you and take yours to us, and will dwell with you and be one people. But and if ye will not hearken unto us to be circumcised, then will we take our daughter and go our ways." And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem his son. And the young man deferred not for to do the thing, because he had a lust to Jacob's daughter: he was also most set by of all that were in his father's house. Then Hamor and Shechem went unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying, "These men are peaceable with us, and will dwell in the land and do their occupation therein; And in the land is room enough for them, let us take their daughters to wives and give them ours; only herein will they consent unto us for to dwell with us and to be one people: if all the men children that are among us be circumcised as they are. Their goods and their substance and all their cattle are ours, only let us consent unto them, that they may dwell with us." And unto Hamor and Shechem his son hearkened all that went out at the gate of his city. And all the men children were circumcised, whatsoever went out at the gates of his city. And the third day, when it was painful to them, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dina's brethren, took either of them his sword and went into the city boldly, and slew all that was male; and slew also Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dina their sister out of Shechem's house, and went their way. Then came the sons of Jacob upon the deed, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister: and took their sheep, oxen, asses and whatsoever was in the city and also in the fields. And all their goods, all their children and their wives took they captive, and made havoc of all that was in the houses. And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "Ye have troubled me, and made me stink unto the inhabiters of the land, both to the Canaanites and also unto the Perizzites. And I am few in number. Wherefore they shall gather themselves together against me and slay me, and so shall I and my house be destroyed." And they answered, "Should they deal with our sister as with an whore?"

And it chanced that Absalom, David's son, had a fair sister named Tamar, whom afterward Amnon, another son of David, loved. And this Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick for the love of his sister Tamar: for he thought it hard to come by his purpose of her, seeing she was yet a virgin. But Amnon had a companion called Jonadab, the son of Shimeah the brother of David: which Jonadab was a very wise man.read more.
And he said unto him, "How cometh it that thou, being the king's son, art thus consumed every morning? Mayest thou not tell it me?" And Amnon answered him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister." Then said Jonadab unto him, "Lie on thy bed and feign thyself sick. And when thy father is come to see thee, say unto him, 'Let my sister Tamar come and give me meat and dress it in my sight, that I may see it and eat it of her hand." And Amnon lay down and made himself sick. And when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto him, "Let Tamar my sister come and make me a couple of fritters in my sight, that I may eat of her hand." And David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go to thy brother Amnon's house and dress him meat. When Tamar came to her brother Amnon's house, he lay. And she took flour and made paste and made fritters in his sight and did bake them, and took a platter and poured them out before him. And Amnon would not eat, but commanded to have out all men from him. And they went all out from him. Then said Amnon unto Tamar, "Bring the meat into the chamber that I may eat it of thine hand." And Tamar took the fritters which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother, and set them before him to eat. And he took her and said unto her, "Come, lie with me my sister." And she answered him, "Nay, my brother, do not force me, for it ought not to be so in Israel. Do not this folly. For whither shall I go with my shame? And thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. But speak unto the king, and he shall not deny me unto thee." Howbeit, he would not hearken unto her voice but was too strong for her and forced her and lay with her. And then Amnon hated her exceedingly: so that the hate wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he before loved her. And he said unto her, "Up, and away." Then she said unto him, "This great cruelness, that thou puttest me away, passeth the other that thou didst unto me." Nevertheless he would not hear her, but called his lad that waited upon him, and said, "Put her out at the doors from me and bolt the door after her." And she had a kirtle of divers colors upon her: for with such were the king's daughters that were virgins appareled; made strait unto them. Then his servant brought her out at the doors and locked the doors after her. And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent her gay kirtle that was on her and put her hand on her head and so went, and as she went cried.

And it happened, two year after, that Absalom had a sheep shearing in Baal Hazor besides the tribe of Ephraim, and bade all the king's sons. And he came to the king and said, "Behold, thy servant hath a sheep shearing. Let the king and his servants come with thy servant." And the king said unto Absalom, "Oh nay my son let us not go every one of us that we be not chargeable unto thee." And Absalom lay sore upon him: howbeit, he would not go, but blessed him.read more.
Then said Absalom, "Then let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king answered, "What needeth it that he go with thee?" But Absalom made such insistence that he let Amnon go with him, and all the king's children. Then Absalom commanded his young men, saying, "Mark when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I bid you smite Amnon, then kill him. Fear not, for it is I that bid you. Be bold therefore and play the lusty bloods." And the young men of Absalom served Amnon even as Absalom commanded them. And all the king's sons arose and took each man his mule and fled. And while they were yet in the way, tidings came to David that Absalom had slain all the king's sons, so that none was left alive. Then the king arose and tare his garments and lay along on the earth: and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah David's brother answered and said, "Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men, the king's sons: save Amnon only is dead. For that hath been ever in Absalom's mouth since he forced his sister Tamar. Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing so grievously to think that all the king's sons were dead, when Amnon only is dead." But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked about. And behold, there came much people by a way that was behind his back along by a hill's side. Then said Jonadab unto the king, "Behold, the king's sons are come; and as thy servant said, so it is." And as soon as he had left speaking: behold, the king's sons came and lifted up their voices and wept. And thereto the king and all his servants wept exceedingly.

After this there came a dearth in the land. And Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the dearth was sore in the land. And when he was come nigh for to enter into Egypt, he said unto Sarai his wife, "Behold, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon. It will come to pass, therefore, when the Egyptians see thee, that they will say, 'she is his wife.' And so shall they slay me and save thee.read more.
Say, I pray thee therefore, that thou art my sister; that I may fare the better by reason of thee, and that my soul may live for thy sake." As soon as he came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman that she was very fair. And Pharaoh's lords saw her also, and praised her unto Pharaoh, so that she was taken into Pharaoh's house; which entreated Abram well for her sake, so that he had sheep, oxen and he-asses, men servants, maid servants, she-asses and camels. But God plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai, Abram's wife. Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, "Why hast thou thus dealt with me? Wherefore toldest thou me not that she was thy wife? Why saidest thou that she was thy sister, and causedest me to take her to my wife? But now, lo, there is thy wife: take her and be walking." Pharaoh also gave a charge unto his men over Abram, to lead him out, with his wife and all that he had.

And Abraham departed thence toward the south country and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sara his wife, that she was his sister. Then Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and fetched Sara away. And God came to Abimelech by night in a dream and said to him, "See, thou art but a dead man for the woman's sake which thou hast taken away, for she is a man's wife."read more.
But Abimelech had not yet come nigh her, and therefore said, "LORD, wilt thou slay righteous people? Said not he unto me, that she was his sister? Yea, and said not she herself that he was her brother? With a pure heart and innocent hands have I done this!" And God said unto him in a dream, "I know it well that thou didst it in the pureness of thy heart: And therefore I kept thee that thou shouldest not sin against me, neither suffered I thee to come nigh her. Now, therefore, deliver the man his wife again, for he is a prophet. And let him pray for thee that thou mayest live. But and if thou deliver her not again, be sure that thou shalt die the death, with all that thou hast."

And there fell a dearth in the land, passing the first dearth that fell in the days of Abraham. Wherefore Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar. Then the LORD appeared unto him and said, "Go not down into Egypt, but bide in the land which I say unto thee: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee: for unto thee and unto thy seed I will give all these countries. And I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father,read more.
and will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries. And through thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because that Abraham hearkened unto my voice and kept mine ordinances, commandments, statutes and laws." And Isaac dwelled in Gerar. And the men of the place asked him of his wife, and he said that she was his sister: for he feared to call her his wife lest the men of the place should have killed him for her sake, because she was beautiful to the eye. And it happened after he had been there long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw Isaac sporting with Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, "See, she is of a surety thy wife, and why saidest thou that she was thy sister?" And Isaac said unto him, "I thought that I might peradventure have died for her sake." Then said Abimelech, "Why hast thou done this unto us? One of the people might lightly have lain by thy wife and so shouldest thou have brought sin upon us."

When Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, she envied her sister and said unto Jacob, "Give me children, or else I am but dead."

And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, conceived again; and bare Jacob another son. And Rachel said, "God is turned, and I have made a change with my sister, and have gotten the upper hand." And she called his name Naphtali.

It fortuned as they went, that he entered into a certain town. And a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house. And this woman had a sister called Mary, which sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his preaching: And Martha was cumbered about much serving, and stood and said, "Master, dost thou not care, that my sister hath left me to minister alone? Bid her therefore, that she help me."read more.
And Jesus answered, and said unto her, "Martha, Martha, thou carest, and are troubled, about many things: verily one is needful. Mary hath chosen her that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses, because of his wife the Ethiopian which he had taken: for he had taken a Ethiopian to wife. And they said, "Doth the LORD speak only through Moses? Doth he not speak also by us?" And the LORD heard it. But Moses was a very meek man, above all the men of the earth.read more.
And the LORD spake at once unto Moses, unto Aaron and Miriam, "Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of witness." And they came out all three. And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam. And they went out both of them. And he said, "Hear my words. If there be a prophet of the LORD's among you, I will show myself unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. But my servant Moses is not so, which is faithful in all mine house. Unto him I speak mouth to mouth and he seeth the sight and the fashion of the LORD, and not through riddles. Wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" And the LORD was angry with them and went his way, and the cloud departed from the tabernacle. And behold, Miriam was become leprous, as it were snow. And when Aaron looked upon Miriam and saw that she was leprous, he said unto Moses, "Oh I beseech thee my lord, put not the sin upon us which we have foolishly committed and sinned. Oh, let her not be as one that came dead out of his mother's womb: for half her flesh is eaten away." And Moses cried unto the LORD saying, "Oh God, heal her." And the LORD said unto Moses, "If her father had spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the host seven days, and after that let her be received in again." And Miriam was shut out of the host seven days: and the people removed not, till she was brought in again.

But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a sleeping chamber. And so Jehoshabeath the daughter of king Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest - because she was the sister of Ahaziah - hid him from Athaliah that she slew him not.

But Jehosheba the daughter of king Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and his nurse with him, out of a sleeping chamber, and hid him from Athaliah, that he was not slain.

And there went a man of the house of Levi and took a daughter of Levi. And the wife conceived and bare a son. And when she saw that it was a proper child, she hid him three months long. And when she could no longer hide him, she took a basket of bulrushes and daubed it with slime and pitch, and laid the child therein, and put it in the flags by the river's brink.read more.
And his sister stood afar off, to wete what would come of it. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to the river to wash herself, and her maidens walked along by the river's side. And when she saw the basket among the flags, she sent one of her maids and caused it to be fetched. And when she had opened it she saw the child, and behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on it and said, "It is one of the Hebrew's children." Then said his sister unto Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call unto thee a nurse of the Hebrew's women, to nurse the child?" And the maid ran and called the child's mother.

And then came there unto him all his brethren, all his sisters, with all them that had been of his acquaintance afore, and ate bread with him in his house: wondering at him, and comforting him over all the trouble that the LORD had brought upon him. Every man gave him a sheep and a Jewel of gold.

Acertain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary which anointed Jesus with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick, and his sisters sent unto him, saying, "Lord behold, he whom thou lovest is sick."

And Judah gave Er, his eldest son, a wife whose name was Tamar. But this Er, Judah's eldest son, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; wherefore the LORD slew him. Then said Judah unto Onan, go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, and stir up seed unto thy brother.read more.
And when Onan perceived that the seed should not be his: therefore when he went into his brother's wife, he spilled it on the ground, because he would not give seed unto his brother. And the thing which he did, displeased the LORD, wherefore he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown." For he feared lest he should have died also, as his brethren did. Thus went Tamar and dwelt in her father's house.

I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a minister of the congregation of Cenchreae,

If a brother or a sister be naked or destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, "Depart in peace, God send you warmness and food," notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body: what helpeth it them? Even so faith, if it have no deeds, is dead in itself.

Though I tarry never so much, yet the grave is my house, and I must make my bed in the dark. I call corruption my father, and the worms call I my mother and my sister. What helpeth then my long tarrying? Or, who will fulfill the thing that I look for?read more.
All that I have, shall go down into the pit, and lie with me in the dust."

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments by thee. Keep my commandments and my law, even as the apple of thine eye, and thou shalt live. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them in the table of thine heart.read more.
Say unto wisdom, "Thou art my sister," and call understanding thy kinswoman: That she may keep thee from the strange woman, and from the harlot which giveth sweet words.

The LORD said also unto me, in the time of Josiah the king, "Hast thou seen what that shrinking Israel hath done? How she hath run up upon all high hills, and among all thick trees, and there played the harlot? Hast thou seen also, when she had done all this, how I said unto her that she should turn again unto me, and yet she is not returned? Judah, that unfaithful sister of hers also saw this: Namely, that after I had well seen the adultery of the shrinking harlot Israel, I put her away, and gave her a bill of divorcement. For all this, her unfaithful sister Judah was not ashamed, but went back and played the whore also.read more.
Yea, and the noise of her whoredom hath defiled the whole land. For she hath committed her adultery with stones and stocks. Nevertheless, her unfaithful sister Judah is not turned unto me again with her whole heart, but feignedly, sayeth the LORD."

"'Behold, all they that use common proverbs, shall use this proverb also against thee: 'Like mother, like daughter.' Thou art even thy mother's own daughter, that hath cast off her husband and her children. Yea, thou art the sister of thy sisters, which forsook their husbands and their children. Your mother is a Hittite, and your father an Amorite. Thine eldest sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell upon thy left hand. But thy youngest sister that dwelleth on thy righthand, is Sodom and her daughters.read more.
Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but in all thy ways thou hast been more corrupt than they. As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, Sodom thy sister with her daughters hath not done so evil as thou and thy daughters. Behold, the sins of thy sister Sodom, were these: Pride, fullness of meat, abundance and Idleness: these things had she and her daughters. Besides that, they reached not their hand to the poor and needy, but were proud - And did abominable things before me, wherefore I took them away when I had seen it. Neither hath Samaria done half of thy sins. Yea, thou hast exceeded them in wickedness: Insomuch that in comparison of all the abominations which thou hast done, thou hast made thy sisters good women. Therefore thou which didst condemn thy sister: bear thine own shame, for thine own offences that thou hast committed - more abominable than they did, which indeed are more righteous than thou art. Be thou, I say, ashamed; and bear thy shameful rebuke, seeing that thou has proven thy sisters in comparison of the righteous. As for their captivity, namely the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, the captivity of Samaria and her daughters: I will bring them again. So will I also bring again thy captivity among them: that thou mayest take thine own confusion upon thee, and be ashamed of all that thou hast done, and to comfort them. Thus thy sisters, namely Sodom and her daughters, Samaria and her daughters, with thyself and thy daughters, shall be brought again to your old estate. When thou wast in thy pride, and before thy wickedness came to light: thou wouldest not hear speak of thy sister Sodom, until the time that the Syrians with all their towns, and the Philistines, with all that lie round about them, brought thee to shame and confusion: that thou mightest bear thine own filthiness and abomination, sayeth the LORD. For thus sayeth the LORD God: I should, by right, deal with thee, as thou hast done. Thou hast despised the oath, and broken the covenant. "'Nevertheless, I will remember the covenant that I made with thee in thy youth, insomuch that it shall be an everlasting covenant: So that thou also remember thy ways, and be ashamed of them. Then shalt thou receive of me thy elder and younger sisters, whom I will make thy daughters: and that beside thy covenant. And so I will renew my covenant with thee, that thou mayest know that I am the LORD: That thou mayest think upon it, be ashamed, and excuse thine own confusion no more: when I have forgiven thee all that thou hast done, sayeth the LORD God.'"

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without the doors, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, "Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee." He answered and said to him that told him, "Who is my mother? Or who are my brethren?"read more.
And he stretched forth his hand over his disciples, and said, "Behold my mother and my brethren. For whosoever doth my father's will which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister, and my mother."

And then came his mother and his brethren, and stood without, and sent unto him and called him: And the people sat about him, and said unto him, "Behold, thy mother and thy brethren seek for thee without." And he answered them, saying, "Who is my mother, and my brethren?"read more.
And he looked round about on his disciples, which sat in compass about him, and said, "Behold, my mother, and my brethren: For whosoever doeth the will of God, he is my brother, my sister and mother."

"If a man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, moreover and his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

And whosoever forsaketh houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake; the same shall receive a hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Jesus answered and said, "Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath forsaketh house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, other children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, which shall not receive a hundred fold now in this life, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers and children, and lands with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life.