What Does the Bible Say About The Poor?
Here are 15 Bible verses about the poor, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Proverbs 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.
- #2Luke 12:33
Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
BSBSell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
- #3Proverbs 22:9
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
BSBA generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
- #41 John 3:17
But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
BSBIf anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- #5Proverbs 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.
- #6Acts 20:35
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
BSBIn everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- #7Proverbs 28:27
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
BSBWhoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
- #8Matthew 5:42
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
BSBGive to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
- #9Matthew 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.”
- #10Galatians 2:10
Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
BSBThey only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
- #112 Corinthians 9:7
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
BSBEach one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.
- #12Luke 14:12-14
Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
BSBThen Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid. But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
- #13Proverbs 14:21
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
BSBHe who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who shows kindness to the poor.
- #14Proverbs 29:7
The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.
BSBThe righteous consider the cause of the poor, but the wicked have no regard for such concerns.
- #15James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
BSBPure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).