40 Bible Verses about Benevolence

If there is among you a poor man of one of your brothers inside any of your gates in your land which Jehovah your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother. But you shall open your hand wide to him, and shall surely lend him enough for his need, that which he lacks. Beware that there is not a thought in your wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand, and your eye may be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing. And he may cry to Jehovah against you, and it is sin to you.read more.
You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing Jehovah your God shall bless you in all your works, and in all that you put your hand to. For the poor shall never cease out of the land. Therefore, I command you saying, You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor, and to your needy, in your land. If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. And when you send him out free from you, you shall not let him go away empty. You shall richly bestow on him from your flock, and from your grain floor, and from your winepress; with what Jehovah your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah your God redeemed you. Therefore I command you this thing today.

And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening, who was also from Mount Ephraim. And he lived in Gibeah, but the men of the place were of Benjamin. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a traveler in the streets of the city. And the old man said, Where do you go, and where do you come from? And he said to him, We are passing from Bethlehem-judah to the side of mount Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem-judah, but I am going to the house of Jehovah. And there is no man who receives me into his house.read more.
Yet here is both straw and food for our asses. And there is bread and wine also for me, and for your slave woman, and for the young man who is with your servants. There is no lack of anything. And the old man said, Peace be with you. Yet all that you lack shall be on me. Only do not stay in the street. And he brought him into his house and mixed fodder for the asses. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

And David said to him, Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore you all the land of Saul your father. And you shall eat bread at my table forever.

But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at your table. For so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom your brother.

And I said to them, According to our ability we have redeemed our brothers, the Jews who were sold to the nations. And will you even sell your brothers? Or shall they be sold to us? And they were silent and did not find an answer. And I said, What you do is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations our enemies? And also I, my brothers and my servants, might take from them silver and grain. Please let us leave this lending at interest.read more.
Please even today give back to them their lands, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the wine, and the oil, that you take from them. And they said, We will restore, and will ask nothing from them. So we will do as you say. Then I called the priests and took an oath from them that they should do according to this promise.

Then he said to them, Go eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our LORD. And do not be sorry, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength. And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, Be quiet, for the day is holy. And do not be grieved.

For the ear heard and blessed me. And the eye saw me and witnessed to me. For I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him. The blessing of the perishing came on me; and I caused the widow's heart to sing.read more.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my judgment was like a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I did not know, I searched out. I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.

If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my bit alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it, for from my youth he grew up with me, as with a father, and from my mother's womb I guided her;read more.
if I have seen any perish for lack of clothing, or there was no covering for the needy; if his loins have not blessed me, and he warmed himself with the fleece of my flock; if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless when I watched over my help in the gate; then let my arm fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from the elbow. For trouble from God is a terror to me, and I could not do anything because of His highness.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he who acts wisely toward the poor; Jehovah will deliver him in time of trouble.

He has scattered abroad; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn shall be lifted up with honor.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, Go and come back again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it beside you:

The soul who gives freely shall be made fat; and he who waters shall also be watered himself.

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

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

He who gives to the poor shall not lack, but he who hides his eyes shall have many a curse.

The people of the land of Tema brought water to him who was thirsty; they went before him who fled with their bread.

Is it not to break your bread to the hungry, and that you should bring home the wandering poor? When will you see the naked and cover him; and you will not hide yourself from your own flesh?

and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.

and has not ill-treated any man, but has given the debtor's pledge back to him, has robbed none by violence, has given his bread to the hungry and has covered the naked with a garment;

Give to him who asks of you, and you shall not turn away from him who would borrow from you.

Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in Heaven. And come, follow Me.

For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me 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. Then the righteous shall answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You drink?read more.
When did we see You a stranger, and took You in? Or naked, and clothed You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You? And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it to Me. Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they will also answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You? Then He shall answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.

For whoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, truly I say to you, He shall not lose his reward.

He answered and said to them, He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. And he who has food, let him do likewise.

But a certain traveling Samaritan came upon him, and seeing him, he was filled with pity. And coming near, he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, and set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And going on the next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, Take care of him. And whatever more you spend, when I come again I will repay you.

But give alms of such things as you have, and behold, all things are clean to you.

And Zaccheus stood and said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor. And in anything I accused anyone falsely, I restore it fourfold.

And all who believed were together and had all things common. And they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. And continuing with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they shared food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

And the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul. And not one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own. But they had all things common. And the apostles gave witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power. And great grace was on them all. For neither was anyone needy among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold,read more.
and they laid them down at the apostles' feet. And distribution was made to every man according as he had need. And Joses, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which is, being translated, The son of consolation), a Levite, a Cypriot by race, a field being his, selling it, he bore the proceeds and placed them at the apostles' feet.

And in those days, the disciples having multiplied, a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews occurred, because their widows were overlooked in the daily serving.

And in Joppa was a certain disciple named Tabitha (which translated is called Dorcas). She was full of good works and kind deeds which she did. And it happened in those days, becoming sick, she died. And washing her, they laid her in an upper room. And, because Lydda was near Joppa, hearing that Peter is in it, the disciples sent two men to him, begging him not to delay to come to them.read more.
And rising up, Peter went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. And all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them.

one devout and fearing God, with all his household, both doing many merciful deeds to the people, and praying continually to God.

And he was gazing at him, and becoming terrified, he said, What is it, lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your merciful deeds have come up for a memorial before God.

And the disciples, as any were prospered, determined each of them to send for ministry to those brothers who lived in Judea,

For it has pleased those of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints in Jerusalem. Truly it has pleased them, and they are their debtors. For if the nations have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in fleshly things.

And though I give out all my goods to feed the poor, and though I deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, I am profited nothing.

And concerning the collection for the saints, as I charged the churches of Galatia, so also you do. On the first of the sabbaths let each of you put by himself, storing up what ever he is prospered, so that there may be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you shall approve by your letters, I will send them to bring your gift to Jerusalem.

And, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given among the churches of Macedonia; that in much testing of trouble, the overflowing of their joy, and the depth of their poverty, abounded to the riches of their generosity. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability; they gave willingly;read more.
with much beseeching, begging us that they might receive of us the grace and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints. And not as we hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God, for us to call on Titus, that even as he began before, so he would also complete this grace to you also. But even as you abound in everything, in faith, and in word, and in knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love to us; you should abound in this grace also. I do not speak according to command, but through the eagerness of others, and testing the trueness of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, for your sakes He became poor, in order that you might be made rich through His poverty. And in this I give my judgment; for this is profitable for you, who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing a year ago. But now also finish the doing of it, so that, as there was a readiness to will, so also the finishing, giving out of what you have. For if the eagerness is present, it is acceptable according to what one has, and not according to what one does not have. For it is not that others may have ease, but you trouble; but by equality in the present time; your abundance for their need, that their abundance also may be for your need; so that there may be equality; as it is written, "He gathering much, he had nothing left over; and he gathering little did not have less."

Therefore show them a proof of your love and of our boasting toward you in the presence of the churches.

For indeed regarding the ministry to the saints, it is not necessary for me to write to you.