31 Bible Verses about Poverty, Attitudes Towards

Relieving the wants of Christ's People; devoted to hospitality.

Therefore, I say, as the opportunity occurs, let us treat every one with kindness, and especially members of the Household of the Faith.

Suppose some Brother or Sister should be in want of clothes and of daily bread, And one of you were to say to them--"Go, and peace be with you; find warmth and food for yourselves," and yet you were not to give them the necessaries of life, what good would it be to them?

But, if any one has worldly possessions, and yet looks on while his Brother is in want, and steels his heart against him, how can it be said that the love of God is within him?

Suppose a man should enter your Synagogue, with gold rings and in grand clothes, and suppose a poor man should come in also, in shabby clothes, And you are deferential to the man who is wearing grand clothes, and say--"There is a good seat for you here," but to the poor man--"You must stand; or sit down there by my footstool," Is not that to make distinctions among yourselves, and show yourselves prejudiced judges?

"Let the man who has two coats," answered John, "share with him who has none; and the man who has food do the same."

At Jaffa there lived a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which is in Greek 'Dorcas'--a Gazelle. Her life was spent in doing kind and charitable actions.

But Zacchaeus stood forward and said to the Master: "Listen, Master! I will give half my property to the poor, and, if I have defrauded any one of anything, I will give him back four times as much."

A religious man and one who reverenced God, with all his household. He was liberal in his charities to the people, and prayed to God constantly.

Let every one give as he has determined before hand, not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves 'a cheerful giver.'

Therefore, when you do acts of charity, do not have a trumpet blown in front of you, as hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. There, I tell you, is their reward!

Afterwards Jesus called his disciples to him, and said: "My heart is moved at the sight of all these people, for they have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, for fear that they should break down on the way."

About that time, when there was again a great crowd of people who had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him, and said: "My heart is moved at the sight of all these people, for they have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat; And if I send them away to their homes hungry, they will break down on the way; and some of them have come a long distance."

'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, For he has consecrated me to bring Good News to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and restoration of sight to the blind, To set the oppressed at liberty, To proclaim the accepted year of the Lord.'

Some thought that, as Judas kept the purse, Jesus meant that he was to buy some things needed for the Festival, or to give something to the poor.

The story, I mean, of Jesus of Nazareth, and how God consecrated him his Christ by enduing him with the Holy Spirit and with power; and how he went about doing good and curing all who were under the power of the Devil, because God was with him.

All who became believers in Christ held everything for the common use; They sold their property and their goods, and shared the proceeds among them all, according to their individual needs.

The whole body of those who had become believers in Christ were of one heart and mind. Not one of them claimed any of his goods as his own, but everything was held for the common use. The Apostles continued with great power to bear their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's blessing rested upon them all abundantly. Nor was there any one in need among them, for all who were owners of land or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the salesread more.
And laid them at the Apostles' feet; and then every one received a share in proportion to his wants.

So the disciples, without exception, determined, in proportion to their means, to send something to help the Brethren living in Judea. And this they did, sending it to the Officers of the Church by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

I left nothing undone to show you that, laboring as I labored, you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said himself-- 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

After some years' absence I had come to bring charitable gifts to my nation, and to make offerings;

Just now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem, to take help to Christ's People there. For Macedonia and Greece have been glad to make a collection for the poor among Christ's People at Jerusalem. Yes, they were glad to do so; and indeed it is a duty which they owe to them. For the Gentile converts who have shared their spiritual blessings are in duty bound to minister to them in the things of this world.

For our object is not to give relief to others and bring distress on you, but, by equalizing matters, to secure that, On the present occasion, what you can spare may supply their need, so that at another time what they can spare may supply your need, and thus matters may be equalized. As Scripture says--'The man who had much had nothing over, and the man who had little did not lack!'

Only we were to remember the poor--the very thing I was myself anxious to do.

"If you wish to be perfect," answered Jesus, "go and sell your property, and give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."

Then the King will say to those on his right 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, enter upon possession of the Kingdom prepared for you ever since the beginning of the world. For, when I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink; when I was a stranger, you took me to your homes; When I was naked, you clothed me; when I fell ill, you visited me; and when I was in prison, you came to me.'

If any one gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you, he shall assuredly not lose his reward.

Never forget to do kindly acts and to share what you have with others, for such sacrifices are acceptable to God.

About this time, when the number of the disciples was constantly increasing, complaints were made by the Jews of foreign birth against the native Jews, that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.

Show consideration for widows--I mean those who are really widowed.

That religious observance which is pure and spotless in the eyes of God our Father is this--to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world.