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What does the Bible say about widows?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible calls God’s people to honor, protect, and provide for widows, reflecting God’s own fatherly care for the vulnerable. God warns against oppressing widows in Exodus 22:22-24 and is praised as their defender in Psalms 68:5 and 146:9. Isaiah 1:17 and James 1:27 show that true righteousness and pure religion include seeking justice and practical care for those in need. In 1 Timothy 5, the church is to support genuinely needy widows, while families bear the primary responsibility to care for their relatives. Jesus condemns religious leaders who exploit widows in Luke 20:47, calling believers to compassionate integrity.

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

  • Exodus 22:22-24 9 votes

    “You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child. If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

  • Psalms 68:5 6 votes

    A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

  • 1 Timothy 5:3-6 4 votes

    Honor widows who are widows indeed. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety toward their own family and to repay their parents, for this is acceptable in the sight of God. Now she who is a widow indeed and desolate, has her hope set on God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day. But she who gives herself to pleasure is dead while she lives.

  • 1 Timothy 5:8 4 votes

    But if anyone doesn’t provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

  • Psalms 146:9 3 votes

    Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but he turns the way of the wicked upside down.

  • Isaiah 1:17 3 votes

    Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”

  • 1 Timothy 5:16 3 votes

    If any man or woman who believes has widows, let them relieve them, and don’t let the assembly be burdened, that it might relieve those who are widows indeed.

  • James 1:27 3 votes

    Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

  • Proverbs 15:25 3 votes

    Yahweh will uproot the house of the proud, but he will keep the widow’s borders intact.

  • Luke 20:47 3 votes

    who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

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