40 Bible Verses about Benevolence

This is what you must do whenever there are poor Israelites in one of your cities in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you. Be generous to these poor people. Freely lend them as much as they need. Never be hardhearted and stingy with them. When the seventh year, the year when payments on debts are canceled, is near, you might be stingy toward poor Israelites and give them nothing. Be careful not to think these worthless thoughts. The poor will complain to Jehovah about you, and you will be condemned for your sin.read more.
Give the poor what they need, because then Jehovah will make you successful in everything you do. There will always be some Israelites who are poor and needy. That is why I am commanding you to be generous with them. If you buy Israelites (your own brothers) as slaves, you must set them free after six years. Do not send him away empty handed when you set him free. Supply him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat. Give to him as Jehovah your God has blessed you. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah your God redeemed you. Therefore I command you this today!

An old man came by at the end of a day's work on the farm. He was originally from the mountains of Ephraim, but he was now living in Gibeah. (The other people there were from the tribe of Benjamin.) The old man saw the traveler in the city square and asked: Where do you come from? Where are you going? The Levite answered: We have been in Bethlehem in Judah. We are on our way home deep in the mountains of Ephraim. No one will put us up for the night.read more.
We have fodder and straw for our donkeys and we have bread and wine for my concubine and me and for my servant. We have everything we need. The old man said: Come to my home. You are welcome! I will take care of you. You do not have to spend the night in the square. He took them home and fed their donkeys. They washed their feet and ate and drank.

David replied: Do not be afraid. I will be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. You will always be welcome at my table.

But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead and take care of them. They were kind to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom.

I said to them: We have given whatever we were able to give, to make our brothers the Jews free. They were servants and prisoners of the nations. Would you now give up your brothers for a price? Are they to become our property? They said nothing. They answered not a word! I said: What you are doing is not good. Is it not necessary for you to walk out of respect for our God, because of the shame the nations put on us? Even I and my servants have been collecting interest (Usury) for the money and the grain we have let them have. So now, let us give this up.read more.
Give back to them this very day their fields, their vine-gardens, their olive-gardens, and their houses, as well as a hundredth part of the money and the grain and the wine and the oil that you have taken from them. They said: We will give them back, and take nothing for them. We will do as you say. Then I sent for the priests and made them take an oath that they would keep this agreement.

He said to them: Go away now, and take the fat for your food and the sweet for your drink, and send some to him for whom nothing is made ready. This day is holy to our Lord. Let there be no grief in your hearts. The joy of Jehovah is your strong place. So the Levites made all the people quiet, saying: Be quiet, for the day is holy; and do not give way to grief.

When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved. This is because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper. The blessing of the wretched came upon me. I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.read more.
I put on righteousness and it clothed me. My justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy! I championed the cause of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the unrighteous. I made them drop their prey from their teeth.

If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the orphan has not eaten from it, for from my youth I reared the orphan like a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow.read more.
If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or a poor person without covering, whose loins have not blessed me, and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; if I have raised my hand against the orphan, because I saw I had supporters at the gate; then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket. I was in terror of destruction from God and I could not face his majesty.

([Psalm of David]) Blessed (happy) is the one who has concern for helpless people. Jehovah will rescue (save) him in times of trouble.

He gives freely to poor. His righteousness continues forever. His head is raised in honor.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in the power of your hand to do it. If you can help them now, never tell your neighbors: Wait until tomorrow.

The liberal person will prosper. He who waters will be watered.

He who has a bountiful eye will be blessed for he gives of his bread to the poor.

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

He who gives to the poor will not lack. But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

bring water for the thirsty. You who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives.

Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house? When you see the naked, should you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh?

and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will be like midday.

if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.

Give to those who ask. Lend to those who borrow.

Jesus then replied: If you wish to be complete, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor. You will have wealth in heaven. Then follow me!

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 took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.' The righteous will answer him: 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?read more.
When did we see you as a stranger and take you in, or naked and dress you? When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?' The King will answer: 'To the extent that you did it to one of the least of my brothers, you did it to me.' Then he will tell those on his left: 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the ever-burning fire that is prepared for the Devil and his [fallen] angels. I was hungry and you did not feed me. I was thirsty and you did not give me drink. I was a stranger and you did not take me in. I was naked and you did not dress me. I was sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' They will also ask: 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison and not minister to you?' The King will answer: 'To the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of my brothers, you did not do it to me.'

Whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ's, most assuredly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.

He answered: He who has two coats let him give to him who has none. He who has food let him do likewise.

Then a Samaritan arrived where he was. He was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds pouring oil and wine on them. He set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn to take care of him. The next day he paid the host two shillings. He said take care of him and if you spend more I will repay you when I return.

Give that which is within as charity. Then all things are clean for you.

Zacchaeus stood before Jesus and said: Lord, I now give half of all my possessions to the poor. If I have defrauded any one I will give back four times the amount taken.

All those who believed stayed together. They held all things in common. They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all men, as every man had need. They continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house. They ate their food with gladness and singleness of heart.

The congregation that believed was of one heart and mind. No one claimed his or her own possessions for everything was common property. The apostles witnessed about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power. Grace (God's loving kindness) was upon them all. There was no needy person among them for as many as possessed land or houses sold them, and brought the money from the things that were sold.read more.
They gave it to the apostles. Distribution was made to every man according as he had need. Joses, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles, (this meaning: The son of consolation,) was a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus. He sold his land and brought the money to the apostles.

The number of disciples increased at that time. A murmuring arose on the part of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

A disciple named Tabitha was at Joppa. Her name, when translated means Dorcas. This woman did many good works and gave gifts of mercy. She was sick, and died. They washed her body and laid her in an upper chamber. Since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him requesting that he come to them quickly.read more.
Peter went to them right a way. When he arrived they brought him into the upper chamber. All the widows stood by him weeping and showing the coats and garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.

He was a devout man who respected God with his entire household. He gave many gifts of mercy to the people and prayed to God always.

He looked at him and was afraid. What is it, Lord? He replied. The angel said: God hears your prayers and sees your gifts of mercy.

The disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers in Judea.

It pleased those of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor holy ones in Jerusalem. It pleased them to do so and they are debtors for this. If the nations have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in physical things.

And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Now concerning the collection for the holy ones, you should do the same as I told the congregations of Galatia. On one day of the week let every one of you set something aside, as God has prospered you, that there be no contributions collected when I come. (Greek: heis, number one) When I come, whomever you approve by your letters, I will send to bring your gift to Jerusalem.

We make known to you brothers the grace of God that has been given to the congregations of Macedonia. Out of severe affliction they have an abundance of joy and their deep poverty abounds in the riches of their generosity. For according to their ability, I bear witness, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord.read more.
They were very urgent in their concern for this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the holy ones. This is not as we hoped. First they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God. We exhorted Titus, that as he made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace. But as you have plenty of everything, in faith, and speech, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love for us, see that you have plenty of this undeserved kindness also. I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. I give my judgment: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. But now complete the doing. There was the eager will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a man has, not according to what he does not have. I do not say this for the ease of others and for your affliction but by equality: your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want; that there may be equality: as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack.

Show to them as representatives of the congregations the quality of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

I do not need to write you about the ministry to the holy ones.