What Does the Bible Say About Being Poor?
Here are 21 Bible verses about being poor, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1James 2:5
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
BSBListen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
- #2Psalms 34:6
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
BSBThis poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- #3Psalms 34:17
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
BSBThe righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles.
- #4Job 29:12
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
BSBbecause I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
- #5Proverbs 22:16
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
BSBOppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.
- #6Proverbs 21:13
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
BSBWhoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
- #7Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
BSBNo one can serve two masters: 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 both God and money.
- #8Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
BSB“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- #9Luke 6:31
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
BSBDo to others as you would have them do to you.
- #10Proverbs 19:17
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
BSBKindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
- #11Deuteronomy 15:7-8
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
BSBIf there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother. Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs.
- #12Mark 10:21
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
BSBJesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- #13Proverbs 14:31
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
BSBWhoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
- #14Ezekiel 16:49-50
Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
BSBNow this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them, as you have seen.
- #15Matthew 7:12
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
BSBIn everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
- #162 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
BSBFor you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
- #17Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
BSBA good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is passed to the righteous.
- #18Matthew 19:21
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
BSBJesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
- #19Ecclesiastes 2:26
For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
BSBTo the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
- #20Job 27:16-17
Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
BSBThough he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay, what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.
- #21Acts 4:34-35
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
BSBThere were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales, and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).