The Bible has numerous references to the poor and homeless. Caring for those in need is a recurring topic in the Old and New Testaments. The scriptures instruct and urge us to reach out to those in need and offer compassion, support, and practical assistance.
These verses teach us about the significance of caring for the needy and homeless and remind us of God’s yearning for justice and community. This post will examine some of the most compelling Bible scriptures about impoverished and homeless people and consider how we might implement these principles.
Contents
Bible verses about the poor and homeless
1. Proverbs 15:16
“Better to have little, with fear for the LORD, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil”.
2. Psalm 37:16
“It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich”.
3. Proverbs 28:6
“Better to be a poor person who has integrity than to be rich and double-dealing.”
4. Psalms 140:12
“I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy”.
5. Psalm 12:5
“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will protect them from those who malign them.”
6. Psalm 34:5-6
“They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles”.
7. Psalm 9:18
“But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish”.
8. 1 Samuel 2:8
“He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor. For all the earth is the LORD’s, and he has set the world in order”.
9. Proverbs 22:2
“Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.”
10. Psalm 35:10
“All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?”
11. Job 5:15
“He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth and from the clutches of the powerful.”
12. Psalm 9:9
“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”
13. Psalm 34:6
“This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.”
14. Jeremiah 20:13
“Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD! For though I was poor and needy, he rescued me from my oppressors.”
15. Deuteronomy 10:17-18
“For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing”.
16. Proverbs 22:2
“The rich and poor have this in common: The LORD made them both”.
17. Proverbs 29:13
“The poor and the oppressor have this in common–the LORD gives sight to the eyes of both. If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever”.
18. James 2:5
“Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?”
19. Luke 6:20-21
“Then Jesus looked at his disciples and said, “How blessed are you who are destitute, because the kingdom of God is yours! How blessed are you who are hungry now, because you will be satisfied! How blessed are you who are crying now, because you will laugh!”
20. Proverbs 22:9
“The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor”.
Bible Verses Talking About Homelessness
21. 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.”
22. Psalm 146:9
“The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”
23. Leviticus 23:22
“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.”
24. Deuteronomy 10:18
“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.”
25. 1 John 3:17
“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?”
26. Deuteronomy 15:11
“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.”
27. Luke 14:13-14
“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.”
28. Proverbs 3:27
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”
29. James 2:15-16
“If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?”
30. 1 John 3:17
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”
Bible verses about helping the poor and homeless
31. Proverbs 19:17
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
32. Isaiah 58:10
“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.”
33. Matthew 25:35-36
“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, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
34. Luke 12:33
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”
35. Psalm 82:3-4
“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.”
36. Proverbs 14:31
“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
37. Deuteronomy 15:11
“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.”
38. James 2:15-16
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”
What does the Bible say about helping the homeless
The Bible has several passages encouraging assisting the homeless and those in need. Caring for the poor and vulnerable is a central theme throughout the Bible. Here are some of the fundamental teachings from the Bible about helping the homeless:
Love your neighbor as yourself: Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). This means we should treat others as we want. If we were homeless, we would want someone to help us, so we should do the same for others.
Give to those in need: Proverbs 19:17 says, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” This means that when we help the homeless, we are also helping God. We should be generous with our resources and give to those in need.
Show hospitality: Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” This means that when we help the homeless, we also show hospitality to Christ himself.
Care for the widows and orphans: James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” This means that we should care for vulnerable people who need help.
Do not judge: Matthew 7:1-2 says, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” This means we should not judge the homeless or assume they are lazy or undeserving of help.
What Does the Bible say about the poor
First and foremost, the Bible teaches that God has a particular concern for the poor and vulnerable. In the Old Testament, for example, numerous commands instruct God’s people to care for the poor and ensure they are treated justly.
For instance, Leviticus 19:9-10 says, “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.” Similarly, Proverbs 14:31 states, “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
In the New Testament, Jesus was mainly concerned with the poor and marginalized. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus reads from the book of Isaiah and proclaims that he has come to “proclaim good news to the poor…to set the oppressed free.”
Jesus spent significant time with the poor and outcast throughout his ministry, consistently speaking out against those who exploited or neglected them. In one of his most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus blesses the poor, saying, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20).
The Bible also teaches that caring for the poor is not just a matter of charity or generosity but of justice. In many passages, the Bible condemns those who oppress or exploit the poor and calls for economic and social justice systems that ensure everyone has their basic needs met. For example, Amos 5:11-12 says, “You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them…For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous, take bribes,, and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.”
Additionally, the Bible teaches that caring for the poor should be a central part of the life of every follower of God. In the New Testament, the early Christian community is described as sharing all things in common and providing for those in need (Acts 2:44-45).
The apostle Paul also writes extensively about giving to the poor and caring for those in need (e.g., 1 Corinthians 16:1-3).
Finally, the Bible has numerous verses emphasizing the need to care for the needy and homeless. These verses encourage people and society to be compassionate, generous, and kind to those in need.
The Bible reminds us via these teachings that aiding the less fortunate is a moral requirement and a manifestation of our faith and love for God.
Our job is to take responsibility and make a difference in the lives of the impoverished and homeless by performing acts of kindness, generosity, and charity. Doing so can fulfill our Christian obligation and contribute to creating a more just, compassionate, and caring world.
