40 Bible Verses about Benevolence

If there should be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy towns in thy land which the LORD thy God gives thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother, but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he lacks. Keep thyself that there not be a thought of Belial in thy heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother to give him nothing; for he shall cry unto the LORD against thee, and it shall be a sin unto thee.read more.
Thou shalt surely give unto him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him because for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand to. For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore, I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor and to thy needy, in thy land. And if thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold unto thee and serves thee six years, then in the seventh year thou shalt send him forth from thee free. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not send him away empty. Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock and out of thy threshing floor and out of thy winepress; of that with which the LORD thy God has blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God ransomed thee; therefore, I command thee this thing to day.

And, behold, an old man, who in the evening came from working in the field, who was also of Mount Ephraim, sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were sons of Jemini. And the old man lifted up his eyes and saw the traveller in the plaza of the city and said unto him, Where dost thou go and where hast thou come from? And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehem of Judah toward the side of Mount Ephraim, where I am from, and I went to Bethlehem of Judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD, and no one has received me in their houseread more.
even though we have straw and fodder for our asses, and there is bread and wine also for me and for thy handmaid and for the young man who is with thy slave; we have no lack of any thing. And the old man said, Peace be with thee; let all thy needs be upon me; only do not pass the night in the plaza. So he brought him into his house and gave fodder unto the asses, and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

And David said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely show thee mercy for Jonathan, thy father's sake, and will restore unto thee all the land of Saul, thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

But show mercy unto the sons of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table, for they came thus unto me when I fled because of Absalom, thy brother.

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren, the Jews who had been sold unto the Gentiles; and will ye even sell your brethren? And shall they be sold unto us? Then they remained silent, for they had nothing to answer. Also I said, What you do is not good, do you not walk in the fear of our God, that ye not be the reproach of our enemies the Gentiles? I, likewise, and my brethren and my servants, have lent them money and grain; let us now release them from this burden.read more.
Restore, I pray you, to them, today, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, and even the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. Then they said, We will return it and will require nothing of them; so we will do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests and caused them to sware that they should do according to this promise.

Then he said unto them, Go, eat the fat, and drink sweet wine, and send portions unto those who have nothing prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord, and not sad; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So the Levites caused all the people to be silent, saying, Be silent, for the day is holy; neither be ye sad.

When the ears that heard me, called me blessed; and when the eyes that saw me, gave witness to me: because I delivered the poor that cried and the fatherless who had no one to help him. The blessing of the one that was ready to perish came upon me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.read more.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me as a robe; and my diadem was judgment. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; and the cause which I did not know I searched out. And I broke the fangs of the wicked and caused their teeth to release the prey.

If I have disturbed the desire of the poor or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; or have eaten my morsel alone and the fatherless has not eaten thereof; (for from my youth the fatherless was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided the widow from my mother's womb)read more.
if I have seen any perish for want of clothing or any needy without a covering; if his loins have not blessed me and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, even when I saw that they would all help me in the gate; then let my back fall from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from its joint. For I feared destruction from God, against whose highness I could have no power.

Blessed is he that understands regarding the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of evil.

Pe He has dispersed; he has given to the poor; Tzaddi his righteousness endures for ever; Koph his horn shall be exalted in glory.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Do not say unto thy neighbour, Go and come again and tomorrow I will give when thou hast it by thee.

The soul who is a blessing unto others shall be made fat, and he that fills shall be filled also himself.

He that has a merciful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the destitute.

If thy enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,

He that gives unto the poor shall never lack, but he that hides his eyes from the poor shall have many a curse.

Go ye out to meet them bringing water for the thirsty, O inhabitants of the land of Tema; succour those who are fleeing with your bread.

Is it not to share thy bread with the hungry and that thou bring the poor that are cast out into thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou not hide thyself from thy brother?

and if thou pour out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

neither oppress any, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, gives his bread to the hungry, and covers the naked with a garment,

Give to him that asks of thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Jesus said unto him, If thou desire to be perfect, go and sell what thou hast and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me.

for I was hungry, and ye gave me food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee? or thirsty and give thee drink?read more.
When did we see thee a stranger and take thee in? or naked and clothe thee? Or when did we see thee sick or in prison and come unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brothers, ye have done it unto me. Then he shall also say unto those who shall be on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and ye gave me no food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then they shall also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee? Then he shall answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of my brothers, ye did it not to me.

For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name because ye are of the Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

He answered and said unto them, He that has two coats, let him impart to him that has none; and he that has food, let him do likewise.

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two denarius and gave them to the host and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

Then Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

And all that believed were together and had all things common and sold their possessions and property and distributed them to everyone, as each one had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food together with gladness and singleness of heart,

And of the multitude of those that had believed was one heart and one soul; no one said that anything he possessed was his own, but they had all things common. And with great power the apostles gave witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were soldread more.
and laid them down at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made unto each one according to their need. Then Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation), a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, that their widows were neglected in the daily ministry.

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas; this woman was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days that she was sick and died, whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. And since as Lydda was close to Joppa and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, asking him that he not delay to come to them.read more.
Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made them while she was with them.

a devout man and one that feared God with all his house, who gave many alms to the people and prayed to God always.

And when he looked on him, he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

Then the disciples, each one according to what he had, determined to send relief unto the brethren who dwelt in Judea,

For it has pleased those of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints who are in Jerusalem. It has pleased them verily, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they should also minister unto them in carnal things.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profits me nothing.

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the congregations of Galatia, do ye likewise. Each first sabbath let each one of you set aside in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

Likewise, brethren, we make known unto you the grace of God bestowed on the congregations of Macedonia, how that in a great trial of tribulation the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, and even beyond their power they were willing of themselves,read more.
praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the grace and take upon us the fellowship of the ministry to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and then unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete among you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith and in word and in knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not as commanding, but by occasion of the diligence of others and to prove the sincerity of your charity. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be enriched. And in this I give my advice, for this is expedient for you, who began not only to do, but also to be diligent a year ago. Now therefore finish the doing of it that as there was a readiness to will, so there may also be a performance out of that which ye have. For if there is first a willing desire, it is accepted according to what a person has and not according to what they do not have. For I mean not that others be eased and ye burdened, but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality: As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that had gathered little had no lack.

Therefore show ye unto them before the congregations , the proof of your charity and of our glorying regarding you.

For regarding the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: