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146 Bible Verses about Poverty
In God's Word, we read how He urges us to help the poor and care for those who are vulnerable. His heart breaks for those in need, and He calls us to stand up for them!
As God's people, we need to remember that Scripture is an expression of wisdom, correction, and discipline, but also of God's inexhaustible love. Through it, the Lord speaks to all of us, calling us to bring comfort and help to the poor and needy in this world.
Proverbs 3:27-28 (NIV) says, "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—when you already have it with you." Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, we see God's desire for His children to show compassion to the poor and those in need.
Jesus said that the poor will always be with us. He also said that those who show mercy to the poor, the sick, and the needy are actually ministering to Him personally (Matthew 25:35-40) and, therefore, will be rewarded.
So, my encouragement to you today is this: Don't hesitate to do good. Be a channel of blessing to those who are without hope, and leave a lasting mark of love on this society that has been so marked by hatred and indifference.
I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you.
The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.
There is one who pretends to be rich and yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor and yet possesses great wealth.
for the needy are not permanently ignored, the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed.
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
as sorrowful, but always rejoicing, as poor, but making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Just as it is written, “He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.”
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
The one who oppresses the poor insults his Creator, but whoever shows favor to the needy honors him.
John answered them, “The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.”
“Why wasn’t this oil sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?”And I know that his commandment is eternal life. Thus the things I say, I say just as the Father has told me.”(Now Judas said this not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box, he used to steal what was put into it.)
What is desirable for a person is to show loyal love, and a poor person is better than a liar.
You must not oppress a lowly and poor servant, whether one from among your fellow Israelites or from the resident foreigners who are living in your land and villages.
If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed,
I was once young, now I am old. I have never seen a godly man abandoned, or his children forced to search for food.
But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?
The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.
For he never bothered to show kindness; he harassed the oppressed and needy, and killed the disheartened.
“If you lend money to any of my people who are needy among you, do not be like a moneylender to him; do not charge him interest.
The wealth of a rich person is like a fortified city, but the poor are brought to ruin by their poverty.
For he will rescue the needy when they cry out for help, and the oppressed who have no defender.He will take pity on the poor and needy; the lives of the needy he will save.
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly! When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.
Remove falsehood and lies far from me; do not give me poverty or riches, feed me with my allotted portion of bread,lest I become satisfied and act deceptively and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I become poor and steal and demean the name of my God.
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
He will defend the oppressed among the people; he will deliver the children of the poor and crush the oppressor.
The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners,
One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.A generous person will be enriched, and the one who provides water for others will himself be satisfied.
The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them.
Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.
The one who mocks the poor insults his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
I realize that everything has its limits, but your commands are beyond full comprehension. מ (Mem)
For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous.
If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!
For you are a protector for the poor, a protector for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm, a shade from the heat. Though the breath of tyrants is like a winter rainstorm,
A poor person is disliked even by his neighbors, but those who love the rich are many.
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.’But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores.“Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.And in hell, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.So he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.’But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’So the rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father – send Lazarus to my father’s house(for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m too ashamed to beg.Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
It is vain for you to rise early, come home late, and work so hard for your food. Yes, he can provide for those whom he loves even when they sleep.
vindicates the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. The Lord releases the imprisoned.
I have wandered off like a lost sheep. Come looking for your servant, for I do not forget your commands.
If a fellow Israelite from one of your villages in the land that the Lord your God is giving you should be poor, you must not harden your heart or be insensitive to his impoverished condition.Instead, you must be sure to open your hand to him and generously lend him whatever he needs.
But in the seventh year you must let it lie fallow and leave it alone so that the poor of your people may eat, and what they leave any animal in the field may eat; you must do likewise with your vineyard and your olive grove.
Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you.As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name.Think of how we regard as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.And above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall into judgment.Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises.Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up – and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months!Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten.he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure!Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Two things I ask from you; do not refuse me before I die:Remove falsehood and lies far from me; do not give me poverty or riches, feed me with my allotted portion of bread,lest I become satisfied and act deceptively and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I become poor and steal and demean the name of my God.
The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and will not be answered.
Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed; you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.You defend the fatherless and oppressed, so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.
You must not oppress a lowly and poor servant, whether one from among your fellow Israelites or from the resident foreigners who are living in your land and villages.You must pay his wage that very day before the sun sets, for he is poor and his life depends on it. Otherwise he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.
The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain and the one who gives to the rich – both end up only in poverty.
But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores.
I know, Lord, that your regulations are just. You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.
He gives strength to those who are tired; to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.
A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a discerning poor person can evaluate him properly.
How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who remains forever faithful,
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven!Again I say, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.”
For wisdom provides protection, just as money provides protection. But the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
I am oppressed and have been on the verge of death since my youth. I have been subjected to your horrors and am numb with pain.
The righteous person cares for the legal rights of the poor; the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
Reach agreement quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will be thrown into prison.
May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, and do not give Jerusalem priority over whatever gives me the most joy.
The one who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.
For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.
Honor widows who are truly in need.But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to fulfill their duty toward their own household and so repay their parents what is owed them. For this is what pleases God.But the widow who is truly in need, and completely on her own, has set her hope on God and continues in her pleas and prayers night and day.
Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?
He chose David, his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds.He took him away from following the mother sheep, and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and of Israel, his chosen nation.David cared for them with pure motives; he led them with skill.
In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.
Then he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Yet he protected the needy from oppression, and cared for his families like a flock of sheep.
Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.”
So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them.
No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke.
You hide them with you, where they are safe from the attacks of men; you conceal them in a shelter, where they are safe from slanderous attacks.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation.
The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile.
For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?
So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.
lest I become satisfied and act deceptively and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I become poor and steal and demean the name of my God.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
With all my strength I will say, “O Lord, who can compare to you? You rescue the oppressed from those who try to overpower them; the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them.”
because he stands at the right hand of the needy, to deliver him from those who threaten his life.
He generously gives to the needy; his integrity endures. He will be vindicated and honored.
Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from mortal danger.
Then some soldiers also asked him, “And as for us – what should we do?” He told them, “Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay.”
The oppressed and the poor look for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched from thirst. I, the Lord, will respond to their prayers; I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.
But seven years of famine will occur after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate the land.
because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished, and drowsiness clothes them with rags.
For he did not despise or detest the suffering of the oppressed; he did not ignore him; when he cried out to him, he responded.
For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us.
For he never bothered to show kindness; he harassed the oppressed and needy, and killed the disheartened.He loved to curse others, so those curses have come upon him. He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.
You must actively help the hungry and feed the oppressed. Then your light will dispel the darkness, and your darkness will be transformed into noonday.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
The Lord satisfies the appetite of the righteous, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
“Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.
Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression! Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery! If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!
He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.When they sprout leaves, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near.So also you, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.“But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.For it will overtake all who live on the face of the whole earth.But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”So every day Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, but at night he went and stayed on the Mount of Olives.And all the people came to him early in the morning to listen to him in the temple courts.For they all offered their gifts out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.”
He does whatever he pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the ocean depths.
But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.
and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need.
And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith?
How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who remains forever faithful,vindicates the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. The Lord releases the imprisoned.
But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well.
A poor person who walks in his integrity is better than one who is perverse in his ways even though he is rich.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave –just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”