153 Bible verses about Helping Widows

The Bible's stories and teachings about widows really show God's love and compassion. 1 Timothy 5:3 urges us to honor widows. That means truly seeing their situation, having empathy, and offering respect and support.

James 1:27 describes pure and faultless religion as caring for orphans and widows in their distress. It's about being there for them in tough times, offering comfort and help.

The Bible also teaches that widows should be cared for by their families and protected by the church. So, let's keep God's word in our hearts and be a reflection of His goodness to those women grieving the loss of a loved one. Let's be a shoulder to cry on, and most importantly, let's pray for them. Pray that God's Holy Spirit strengthens them.

And let's not just offer comforting words. Let's also provide practical support, whether it's food, clothing, or whatever they might need. Widows go through incredibly difficult times and need our help to keep going.

Let's bless their lives, their homes, their children, and leave a positive mark on their hearts. Let's show them they're not alone in this world.

Honour widows who are widows indeed.

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

“You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child. If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”

“You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child.

He executes justice for the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner in giving him food and clothing.

The LORD preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but he turns the way of the wicked upside down.

The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, as well as the foreigner living amongst you, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

I will come near to you to judgement. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me,” says the LORD of Armies.

The LORD will uproot the house of the proud, but he will keep the widow’s borders intact.

Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Extol him who rides on the clouds: to the LORD, his name! Rejoice before him! A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbour; if you don’t oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, and don’t shed innocent blood in this place, and don’t walk after other gods to your own hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, from of old even forever more.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don’t enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.

I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for insulting.

because I delivered the poor who cried, and the fatherless also, who had no one to help him, the blessing of him who was ready to perish came on me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

He gave her his hand and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

to deprive the needy of justice, and to rob the poor amongst my people of their rights, that widows may be their plunder, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!

The LORD says: “Execute justice and righteousness, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong. Do no violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Don’t shed innocent blood in this place.

To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth, to turn away the right of a man before the face of the Most High,

Don’t oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’

Honour widows who are widows indeed. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety towards their own family and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

If any man or woman who believes has widows, let them relieve them, and don’t let the assembly be burdened, that it might relieve those who are widows indeed.

Now when he came near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only born son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Don’t cry.” He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” He who was dead sat up and began to speak. Then he gave him to his mother.

A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’

A poor widow came and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin. He called his disciples to himself and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”

He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?

For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor amongst the saints who are at Jerusalem.

But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?

“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small. Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter! If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever.

You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow’s clothing in pledge;

Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,

contributing to the needs of the saints, and given to hospitality.

Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility and subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.

For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?

Charge those who are rich in this present age that they not be arrogant, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to share; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.

Let brotherly love continue. We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burnt outside of the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate. Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach. For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come. Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name. But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you. Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honourably in all things. I strongly urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.

“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; Therefore, when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? “Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient. so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Turn to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.

Blessed is he who considers the poor. The LORD will deliver him in the day of evil. But you, LORD, have mercy on me, and raise me up, that I may repay them. By this I know that you delight in me, because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me. As for me, you uphold me in my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting! Amen and amen. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive. He shall be blessed on the earth, and he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies. The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed, and restore him from his bed of illness.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.

One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.

She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did. In those days, she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the tunics and other garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, fatherless, and widow.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

But a certain Samaritan, as he travelled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Now she who is a widow indeed and desolate, has her hope set on God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.

Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

The LORD executes righteous acts, and justice for all who are oppressed.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

or he who exhorts, to his exhorting; he who gives, let him do it with generosity; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

We love him, because he first loved us.

For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.

For to this end we both labour and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those who believe.

Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.”

But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind; and you will be blessed, because they don’t have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”

As it is written, “He has scattered abroad. He has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.”

Blessed is he who considers the poor. The LORD will deliver him in the day of evil.

Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.

For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labour of love which you showed towards his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; naked, and you didn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’ “Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

Let all that you do be done in love.

When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”

Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me. You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies. Your right hand will save me.

Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good towards all men, and especially towards those who are of the household of the faith.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

and if you pour out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will rise in darkness, and your obscurity will be as the noonday;

He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”

So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.

But as for those who turn away to their crooked ways, the LORD will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be on Israel.

bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad.

The Lord GOD’s Spirit is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to those who are bound,

He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.

that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to share;

Don’t you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar? Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News.

I will walk in liberty, for I have sought your precepts.

“Come to me, all you who labour and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

Let’s not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season if we don’t give up.

I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness, for you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities.

being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.

My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality.

Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you!

A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.

If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burnt, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.

He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD; he will reward him.

Please let your loving kindness be for my comfort, according to your word to your servant.

For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgement.

But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; Therefore, when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred.

The LORD is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.

I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread.

All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.

having good behaviour amongst the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation.

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him? My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.

Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established;

Keep me from the way of deceit. Grant me your law graciously!

Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless.

But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

I am in pain and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.

In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man. You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.

who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Sell what you have and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now;

For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away.

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from amongst you the yoke, finger pointing, and speaking wickedly;

Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.

“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy. Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.

For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.

For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack amongst the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God,

To him therefore who knows to do good and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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