The Bible is a well of wisdom that shares God’s heart and His valuable guidance on many aspects of life and the stories of refugees are not left out.
You may not find the word “refugee” in the Bible but you can see it as “strangers” and “sojourners” in simpler translations and God’s word has a lot to say about them.
The Book of Ruth tells the story of a refugee who had to leave her family behind and follow her Mother-in-Law to a land she had never been to before.
In Genesis, God told Abraham to leave his father’s house to a land that He would show him. Abraham was a sojourner for a very long time.
Refugees are people just like us. Many of them have gone through untold hardships but that doesn’t mean that God loves them any less. The Old and New Testaments emphasize the importance of kindness and hospitality towards others, including how we should treat refugees.
Understanding what the Bible says about refugees can inspire us to live more compassionate and supportive lives.
Biblical Teachings On Refugees
One of the most well-known stories involving refugees is that of Jesus. When Jesus was a baby, King Herod wanted to kill Him. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus became refugees in a foreign land, seeking safety and protection (Matthew 2:13-15).
In Exodus 22:21, God commands His people, Israel to not mistreat or oppress a foreigner and to remember that they were foreigners in Egypt.
This shows that God doesn’t expect us to treat them any less instead He calls us to show compassion and care for those in distress.
Leviticus 19:34 says, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” This verse reminds us that we should empathize with refugees because the Israelites were once refugees themselves.
In the New Testament, Jesus’ teachings also emphasize caring for strangers.
In Matthew 25:35-40, Jesus tells the parable of the sheep and the goats, where He equates helping those in need with serving Him directly. Jesus says, “I was a stranger and you invited me in. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
This powerful message shows that welcoming refugees is a way to honor and serve Christ directly.
What Does The Bible Say About Refugees?
When we understand what the Bible says about refugees, we can be inspired to follow these teachings in our lives. Showing kindness and hospitality to refugees is not just an act of charity but a reflection of our faith and God’s love. By welcoming and supporting refugees, we can make a significant impact on their lives and fulfill our duty as Christians. Here are some Bible verses on refugees:
1. Leviticus 19:34 – “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”
2. Matthew 25:35 – “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”
3. Deuteronomy 10:18-19 – “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.”
4. Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
5. Exodus 22:21 – “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”
6. Jeremiah 22:3 – “This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”
7. Zechariah 7:10 – “Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.”
8. Psalm 146:9 – “The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”
9. Deuteronomy 27:19 – “Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow. Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!”
10. Isaiah 58:6-7 – “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?”
11. Job 31:32 – “But no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler.”
12. Ezekiel 47:22 – “You are to allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners residing among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.”
13. Malachi 3:5 – “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.”
14. Leviticus 25:35 – “If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you.”
15. Ruth 2:10 – “At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, ‘Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”
16. Numbers 15:15 – “The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord.”
17. Proverbs 31:8-9 – “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
18. Luke 10:36-37 – “‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.”
19. Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
20. Ephesians 2:19 – “So then, you Gentiles are not foreigners or strangers any longer; you are now citizens together with God’s people and members of the family of God.”
Help The Refugees In Ukraine
According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, over 100 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to conflict, persecution, and human rights violations.
Among them, millions of Ukrainians have been uprooted from their communities as a result of the ongoing crisis. Families have been torn apart, children have been separated from their parents, and countless individuals are struggling to survive without necessities. The situation is dire, with refugees facing harsh living conditions, limited access to healthcare, and uncertain futures. These displaced individuals are in urgent need of your support.
By providing aid, we can help meet their immediate needs for food, shelter, and medical care. Beyond the essentials, your support will directly assist our Tiny Homes building project, which is a sustainable solution to provide safe and affordable housing for displaced families.
Every contribution to Transform Ukraine’s project, no matter how small, can make a significant difference. Join us as we transform lives, rebuild homes, and restore hope to these refugees.
Together, we can provide a lifeline to those who have lost everything and help them find stability and security once more.
Learn more about donating here.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Giving To The Poor
