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 3 votes
He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.
- Proverbs 14:31 3 votes
He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
- Proverbs 22:9 3 votes
He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
- 1 John 3:17-18 2 votes
But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him? My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
- Proverbs 28:27 2 votes
One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.
- Isaiah 58:10 2 votes
and if you pour out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will rise in darkness, and your obscurity will be as the noonday;
- Acts 20:35 2 votes
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 2 votes
For the poor will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you to surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.
- Galatians 2:10 2 votes
They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.
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