The world today is filled with 8.2 billion people with about 9.2 percent of the world in extreme poverty. That translates to about a whopping 700 million people living on less than 2$ per day. God’s word is filled with instruction on how God expects us to treat the poor and lend a helping hand to the needy. The bible reveals to us that God is near to the poor and the needy. There are over 2000+ verses in the bible about helping the poor, here’s 20 verses about helping the poor that stand out to us and motivate us to reach and help those in need
- “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.” Proverbs 14:31
- “Kindness to the poor is like lending to God.” Proverbs 19:17
- “God’s righteous people will pour themselves out for the poor, but the ungodly make no attempt to understand or help the needy.” Proverbs 29:7
- He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. Proverbs 19:17
- Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Proverbs 21:13
- “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” Leviticus 19:15
- “Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.” Deuteronomy 15:10-11
- “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4
- “Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 17:5
- “Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.” Proverbs 22:22-23
- “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”
Isaiah 58:6-10
- “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Isaiah 61:1
- “Then Jesus said to his host, When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’” Luke 14:12-14
- “Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” James 2:2-4
- “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:17-18
- “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
- “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” Matthew 5:42
- “He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.” 1 Samuel 2:8
- “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” Proverbs 22:9
- And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Mark 10:21
As we think about these verses on helping the poor, may they encourage you to live a life of generosity, reflecting the deep love that Christ has shared with us. Remember, He died for us in our moments of need.
Help the Needy in Ukraine
Helping the poor and caring for those in need is a direct way to live in accordance with God’s commandments and to demonstrate his love for mankind.
Times of crisis, such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, create areas of impoverishment and expose the poor and needy to unimaginable hardship; however, showing compassion through volunteering, sending donations, and supporting organizations can have a significant impact and help provide for those in dire need.
Transform Ukraine is committed to providing support to individuals affected by the conflict. By partnering with us, you can assist give immediate aid and long-term stability to communities in need.
Learn more about how you can support us here.
