30 Bible Verses about Widows

Sitting down opposite the treasury, he watched the people putting their money into the treasury. A number of the rich were putting in large sums, but a poor widow came up and put in two little coins amounting to a halfpenny. And he called his disciples and said to them, "I tell you truly, this poor widow has put in more than all who have put their money into the treasury;read more.
for they have all put in a contribution out of their surplus, but she has given out of her neediness all she possessed, her whole living."

Looking up he saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and noticed a poor widow putting two little coins in. He said, "I tell you plainly, this poor widow has put in more than them all;read more.
for these people all contributed out of their surplus, but she has given out of her neediness all her living."

It was shortly afterwards that he made his way to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. Just as he was near the gate of the town, there was a dead man being carried out; he was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the town were with her. And when the Lord saw her, he felt pity for her and said to her, "Do not weep."read more.
Then he went forward and touched the bier; the bearers stopped, and he said, "Young man, I bid you rise." Then the corpse sat up and began to speak; and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

He also told them a parable about the need of always praying and never losing heart. "In a certain town," he said, "there was a judge who had no reverence for God and no respect even for man. And in that town there was a widow who used to go and appeal to him for 'Justice against my opponent!'read more.
For a while he would not, but afterwards he said to himself, 'Though I have no reverence for God and no respect even for man, still, as this widow is bothering me, I will see justice done to her ??not to have her for ever coming and pestering me.'

And in the course of his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes! They like to walk about in long robes, to get saluted in the marketplaces, to secure the front seats in the synagogues and the best places at banquets; they prey upon the property of widows and offer long unreal prayers. All the heavier will their sentence be!"

And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, "Beware of the scribes! They like to walk about in long robes, they are fond of getting saluted in the market-places, of securing the front seats in the synagogues and the best places at banquets; they prey upon the property of widows and offer long unreal prayers. All the heavier will their sentence be!"

Widows who really need it must be supported from the funds.

(When a widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn that the first duty of religion is to their own household, and that they should make some return to those who have brought them up. In God's sight this is an acceptable thing.) The really forlorn widow has her hope fixed on God, night and day she is at her prayers and supplications; whereas the widow who plunges into dissipation is dead before ever she dies.read more.
So lay down the following rules, to prevent any reproach being incurred. Whoever does not provide for his own relatives and particularly for his own family, has repudiated the faith: he is worse than an infidel. No one under sixty is to be put on the church's list of widows; and she must have been only once married, she must have a reputation for good service, as a woman who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved distress, and interested herself in all good works. Refuse to put young widows on the list, for when their wanton desires alienate them from Christ, they want to marry and thus are guilty of breaking their first troth to Him. Besides, they become idle unconsciously by gadding about from one house to another ??and not merely idle but gossips and busybodies, repeating things they have no right to mention. So I prefer young widows to marry again, to bear children, to look after their households, and not to afford our opponents any chance of reviling us. As it is, some widows have already turned after Satan. ??16 Any believer, man or woman, who has widowed relatives, must give them relief; the church is not to be burdened with them; she has to relieve the widows who really need relief.

To the unmarried and to widows I would say this: it is an excellent thing if like me they remain as they are. Still, if they cannot restrain themselves, let them marry. Better marry than be aflame with passion!

Pure, unsoiled religion in the judgment of God the Father means this: to care for orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself from the stain of the world.

There was also a prophetess, Hannah the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher; she was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her girlhood and having been a widow for eighty-four years. She was never away from the temple; night and day she worshipped, fasting and praying. Now at that very hour she came up, and she offered praise to God and spoke of him to all who were on the outlook for the redemption of Jerusalem.

I tell you for a fact, In Israel there were many widows during the days of Elijah, when the sky was closed for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land: yet Elijah was not sent to any of these, but only to a widow woman at Zarephath in Sidon.

It was shortly afterwards that he made his way to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. Just as he was near the gate of the town, there was a dead man being carried out; he was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the town were with her. And when the Lord saw her, he felt pity for her and said to her, "Do not weep."read more.
Then he went forward and touched the bier; the bearers stopped, and he said, "Young man, I bid you rise." Then the corpse sat up and began to speak; and Jesus gave him back to his mother. All were seized with awe and glorified God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said, "God has visited his people." And this story of Jesus spread through the whole of Judaea and all the surrounding country.

During these days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists began to complain against the Hebrews, on the ground that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

At Joppa there was a disciple called Tabitha (which may be translated Dorcas, or 'Gazelle'), a woman whose life was full of good actions and of charitable practices. She happened to take ill and die at this time, and after washing her body they laid it in an upper room. When the disciples heard that Peter was at Lydda (for Joppa is not far from Lydda), they sent two men to beg him to "Come on to us without delay."read more.
So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him up to the room, where all the widows stood beside him crying as they showed him the garments and dresses that Dorcas used to make when she was with them. Peter put them all outside; then he knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body said, "Tabitha, rise." She opened her eyes, and on seeing Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand, raised her, and, after calling the saints and the widows he presented her to them alive.

"Teacher," they said, "Moses has written this law for us, that if a man's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother is to take the woman and raise offspring for his brother.

"Teacher," they said, "Moses has written this law for us, that if a man's married brother dies and is childless, his brother is to take the woman and raise offspring for his brother.

As she gloried and played the wanton, so give her like measure of torture and tears. Since in her heart she vaunts, 'A queen I sit, no widow I, tears I shall never know,'

but a poor widow came up and put in two little coins amounting to a halfpenny.

and having been a widow for eighty-four years. She was never away from the temple; night and day she worshipped, fasting and praying.

Just as he was near the gate of the town, there was a dead man being carried out; he was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the town were with her.

And in that town there was a widow who used to go and appeal to him for 'Justice against my opponent!'

So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him up to the room, where all the widows stood beside him crying as they showed him the garments and dresses that Dorcas used to make when she was with them.

but a poor widow came up and put in two little coins amounting to a halfpenny. And he called his disciples and said to them, "I tell you truly, this poor widow has put in more than all who have put their money into the treasury; for they have all put in a contribution out of their surplus, but she has given out of her neediness all she possessed, her whole living."

There was also a prophetess, Hannah the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher; she was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her girlhood and having been a widow for eighty-four years. She was never away from the temple; night and day she worshipped, fasting and praying.

Widows who really need it must be supported from the funds. (When a widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn that the first duty of religion is to their own household, and that they should make some return to those who have brought them up. In God's sight this is an acceptable thing.) The really forlorn widow has her hope fixed on God, night and day she is at her prayers and supplications;read more.
whereas the widow who plunges into dissipation is dead before ever she dies. So lay down the following rules, to prevent any reproach being incurred. Whoever does not provide for his own relatives and particularly for his own family, has repudiated the faith: he is worse than an infidel. No one under sixty is to be put on the church's list of widows; and she must have been only once married, she must have a reputation for good service, as a woman who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved distress, and interested herself in all good works. Refuse to put young widows on the list, for when their wanton desires alienate them from Christ, they want to marry and thus are guilty of breaking their first troth to Him. Besides, they become idle unconsciously by gadding about from one house to another ??and not merely idle but gossips and busybodies, repeating things they have no right to mention. So I prefer young widows to marry again, to bear children, to look after their households, and not to afford our opponents any chance of reviling us. As it is, some widows have already turned after Satan. ??16 Any believer, man or woman, who has widowed relatives, must give them relief; the church is not to be burdened with them; she has to relieve the widows who really need relief.