21 Bible Verses about Benevolence

Give to him that asketh thee; and from him who wants to borrow of thee, turn not away.

Jesus said to him, If thou art desirous to be perfect, go, sell all thy substance, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and ye received me hospitably: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye took care of me: I was in prison, and ye came to me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?read more.
When indeed saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? When indeed saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the king answering shall say to them, Verily I tell you, for as much as ye have done it to one of these my brethren, the very least of them, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also to those on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and ye gave me nothing to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me nothing to drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye did not clothe me: sick, and in prison, and ye took no care of me. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he reply to them, saying, For as much as ye have not done it to one of the least of these, neither have ye done it to me.

For whosoever shall give you even a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to the Messiah, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

And he answering said to them, He that hath two coats, let him give to him that hath none; and he that hath provisions, let him do in like manner.

But a certain Samaritan travelling, came by him, and seeing him, was moved with compassion, and coming up to him, bound up his wounds, after pouring on them oil and wine; then setting him on his own beast, he led him to an inn, and took particular care of him. And on the morrow, as he was departing, he took out of his purse two denarii, and gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, Take great care of him; and whatever farther expence may be incurred, when I return, I will repay thee.

But give what is within them for alms; and, lo! all will be pure unto you.

Then Zaccheus standing up, said unto the Lord, Behold, the half of my goods, Lord, I give unto the poor; and if I have got any thing from any man, by laying false informations, I am ready to restore fourfold.

Now all who believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as every one had need. And daily continuing with one mind at the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they partook of their food with great joy and simplicity of heart,

And in the multitude of those that believed there was one heart and soul: and not one person said, that any part of his substance was his peculiar property; but all things were in common among them. And with great power bore the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any person in want among them: for as many as were possessors of fields or houses disposed of them, and brought the prices of the things sold,read more.
and laid them at the apostles' feet: and a distribution was made to every one according as he had need. And Joses, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles, (which is, being interpreted, A son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian by birth, having a field belonging to him, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

NOW in those days, when the disciples were multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian proselytes against the Hebrews, because their widows were overlooked in the daily distribution.

But there was at Joppa a woman, a disciple, named Tabitha, (which by interpretation is called Dorcas:) this woman was full of good works and of alms which she did. But it came to pass that in those days she sickened and died: having then washed her, they laid her out in an upper room. And as Lydda was near to Joppa, the disciples hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, entreating him without delay to come over to them.read more.
Then Peter arose and went with them. And they carried him, on his arrival, into the upper room: and all the widows stood round him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made, whilst she was with them.

a man of piety, and who feared God with all his house, giving much alms to the people, and praying to God continually.

Then looking stedfastly on him, and being terrified, he said, What means this, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

Then the disciples, as everyman had ability, determined every individual of them to send a sum to be distributed among the brethren who dwelt in Judea:

For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a certain contribution for the poor of the saints that are at Jerusalem. They have been so pleased indeed, and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been admitted to a participation in their spiritual things, they ought also to minister to them in carnal things.

And if I deal out all my goods in alms, and deliver up my body that I should be burned, but have not love, I am nothing advantaged by it.

NOW concerning the collection which is for the saints, as I have given an order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. On the first day of the week let every one of you set apart with himself, treasuring it up, whatsoever he may please to give, that when I come there may be then no gatherings. But when I come, whosoever you shall approve by letters, those will I send to carry your charity to Jerusalem.

NOW we inform you, brethren, of the grace of God which hath been bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, hath more abounded to the riches of their liberality. For unto their power, I bear them witness, and above their power, they were voluntarily ready [to give]:read more.
with much entreaty praying us that we would receive the gift, and [undertake] the communication of the contribution for the saints. And not [merely] as we hoped, but gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us according to the will of God. So that we exhorted Titus, that as he had been active before, so also he would perfect in you this grace also. So as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and elocution, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but because of the forwardness of others, and to prove the genuineness of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor though he was rich, that ye by his poverty should be made rich. And in this I give my opinion: for this is expedient for you, who have before begun not only to do, but also to be willing a year ago. Now then accomplish also the doing it, that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be also to perform out of that which ye have. For if there is first a ready mind, a man is acceptable according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not. For I mean not that there should be ease for others and a burden on you; but that according to equality, your abundance on the present occasion should afford a supply for their deficiency, that their abundance also may supply your deficiency, that there may be equality. According as it is written, "He that [gathered] much had no more than others, and he who [gathered] little, had no less."

Therefore shew unto them, and in the presence of the churches, a proof of your love, and of our [just] boasting in you.

NOW concerning the contribution for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write unto you.