What does the Bible say about serving the poor?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible calls God’s people to serve the poor with generous, sincere love, reflecting God’s own compassion and trusting him to provide. Proverbs teaches that kindness to the needy is like lending to the Lord, honors their Maker, and brings blessing, while refusing to help leaves one in need. Isaiah 58:10 links true devotion with sharing oneself with the hungry. Jesus’ apostolic teaching echoes this: Acts 20:35 says it is more blessed to give than to receive, and 1 John 3:17-18 urges practical love rather than words alone. Deuteronomy 15:11 reminds believers that opportunities for mercy remain, and Galatians 2:10 calls the church to remember the poor.
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Proverbs 19:17
He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; He will reward him.
- Proverbs 14:31
He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, But he who is kind to the needy honors him.
- Proverbs 22:9
He who has a generous eye will be blessed; For he shares his food with the poor.
- 1 John 3:17-18
[17] But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him? [18] My little children, let's not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
- Proverbs 28:27
One who gives to the poor has no lack; But one who closes his eyes will have many curses.
- Isaiah 58:10
and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall your light rise in darkness, and your obscurity be as the noonday;
- Acts 20:35
In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
- Deuteronomy 15:11
For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command you, saying, You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.
- Galatians 2:10
They only asked us to remember the poor--which very thing I was also zealous to do.
Related topics
Go deeper
Ask Explain Bible AI about serving the poor and get a fuller answer from a Reformed theological perspective.
Ask what the Bible says about serving the poor