30 Bible Verses about Widows

Then He sat down in front of the collection-box and was watching the people as they dropped their money into it. And many rich people were dropping in large sums. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two little copper coins, which make scarcely a cent. And He called His disciples to Him and said, "I solemnly say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all these others who have been putting money into the collection-box.read more.
For all of them put in out of their surplus, but she in her want put in all she had, yes, all she had to live on."

Now He looked up and saw the rich people dropping their gifts into the treasury. Then He saw a poor widow drop in two little coins which make scarcely a cent. And He said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has dropped in more than all of them;read more.
for all the rest of them made their contributions out of their surplus, but she out of her want dropped in all that she had to live on."

Soon afterwards He chanced to go to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a great throng of people were going along with Him. As He approached the gate of the town, look, there was being carried out a dead man, his mother's only son, and she was a widow! A considerable crowd of townspeople were with her. Now when the Lord saw her, His heart was moved with pity for her, and so He said to her, "Stop weeping."read more.
Then He went up and touched the hearse and the bearers stopped; and He said, "Young man, I tell you, arise." Then the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Now He told them the following story to show how necessary it is for people always to pray and never to give up: "Once there was in a city a judge who had no reverence for God nor respect for men. And in that city there was a widow who continued to come to him and say, 'Give me justice and protection from my opponent.'read more.
And he would not for a time, but afterward he said to himself, Though I have no reverence for God nor respect for men, yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will give her justice and protection, so that she may not finally wear me out by her continual coming."

And in His teaching He continued to say: "Beware of the scribes who like to go about in long robes, to be saluted with honor in public places, to be seated in the front seats in the synagogues, to occupy the places of honor at banquets -- men who eat up widows' houses and to cover it up make long prayers. They will get a much heavier sentence!"

While all the people were listening, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes who like to go about in long robes and love to be saluted with honor in public places, to be seated in the front seats in the synagogues, and to occupy the places of honor at banquets -- men who eat up widows' houses and to cover it up make long prayers! They will receive a much heavier sentence."

Always care for widows who are really dependent.

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in the treatment of their own families, and to pay the debt they owe their parents or grandparents, for this is acceptable to God. But a woman who is really a widow and lives alone has fixed her hope on God, and night and day devotes herself to prayers and entreaties, while a widow who gives herself up to luxury is really dead though still alive.read more.
Continue to give these directions so that the people may be without reproach. Whoever fails to provide for his own relatives, and especially for those of his immediate family, has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. No widow under sixty years of age should be put on this roll. A widow must have had but one husband, must have a reputation for doing good deeds, as bringing up children, being hospitable to strangers, washing the feet of God's people, helping people in distress, or devoting herself to any sort of doing good. Keep the young widows off this roll, for when they get to indulging their lower nature in opposition to Christ, they want to marry, and so deserve censure for breaking their previous pledge. Besides, as they get the habit of gadding about from house to house, they learn to be idle, and not only idle but gossips and busybodies, talking of things they ought not to mention. So I would have the younger women marry, have children, and keep house, so as not to give our opponents any occasion for slander. For some widows have already turned aside to follow Satan. If a Christian woman has widowed relatives, she should help them, and let the church be free from the burden, so that it can help the widows who are really dependent.

To unmarried people and to widows I would say this: It would be a fine thing for them to remain single, as I am. But if they do not practice self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burning in the fire of passion.

A religious worship that is pure and stainless in the sight of God the Father is this: To look after orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep one's own self unstained by the world.

There was also a prophetess there, Hannah, a daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher. She was very old; from girlhood she had lived seven years with a husband, and now had been a widow eighty years. She never left the temple, but continued to worship all day and all night with fastings and prayers. Just at that time she came up and began to give thanks to God and to speak about the child to all who were expecting the deliverance of Jerusalem.

But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the heaven was closed for three years and a half, and there was a great famine over all the land, and yet Elijah was not sent to a single one of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.

Soon afterwards He chanced to go to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a great throng of people were going along with Him. As He approached the gate of the town, look, there was being carried out a dead man, his mother's only son, and she was a widow! A considerable crowd of townspeople were with her. Now when the Lord saw her, His heart was moved with pity for her, and so He said to her, "Stop weeping."read more.
Then He went up and touched the hearse and the bearers stopped; and He said, "Young man, I tell you, arise." Then the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. So awe seized them all, and they began to praise God, saying, "A great prophet has appeared among us!" and, "God has visited His people!" This story about Him spread all over Judea and all the surrounding country.

In those days, as the number of the disciples was increasing, complaint was made by the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.

At Joppa there was a woman, a disciple, whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek means Dorcas, that is, Gazelle. She had filled her life with good deeds and works of charity, which she was always doing. Just at that time it happened that she had been taken ill and had died. They washed her body and laid her out in a room upstairs. As Joppa was near Lydda, the disciples heard that Peter was there, and sent two men to him, begging him to come to them without delay.read more.
So Peter at once got up and went with them. When he reached there, they took him to the room upstairs, and all the widows took their stand around him, crying and showing him the shirts and coats that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Then Peter put them all out of the room, knelt down and prayed, and, turning to the body, said, "Tabitha, get up!" Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and lifted her to her feet, and calling in the Lord's people and the widows, he gave her back to them alive.

"Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man's brother died leaving a wife but no child, the man must marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother.

"Teacher, Moses wrote for us a law that, if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no child, the man should take the widow and raise up a family for his brother.

To the same degree in which she has lived in splendor and luxury, give her torture and tears. Because she is always boasting in her heart, 'I sit enthroned as queen; I am not a widow, I shall never experience any sorrow' --

Then a poor widow came and dropped in two little copper coins, which make scarcely a cent.

She was very old; from girlhood she had lived seven years with a husband, and now had been a widow eighty years. She never left the temple, but continued to worship all day and all night with fastings and prayers.

As He approached the gate of the town, look, there was being carried out a dead man, his mother's only son, and she was a widow! A considerable crowd of townspeople were with her.

And in that city there was a widow who continued to come to him and say, 'Give me justice and protection from my opponent.'

So Peter at once got up and went with them. When he reached there, they took him to the room upstairs, and all the widows took their stand around him, crying and showing him the shirts and coats that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

Then a poor widow came and dropped in two little copper coins, which make scarcely a cent. And He called His disciples to Him and said, "I solemnly say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all these others who have been putting money into the collection-box. For all of them put in out of their surplus, but she in her want put in all she had, yes, all she had to live on."

There was also a prophetess there, Hannah, a daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher. She was very old; from girlhood she had lived seven years with a husband, and now had been a widow eighty years. She never left the temple, but continued to worship all day and all night with fastings and prayers.

Always care for widows who are really dependent. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in the treatment of their own families, and to pay the debt they owe their parents or grandparents, for this is acceptable to God. But a woman who is really a widow and lives alone has fixed her hope on God, and night and day devotes herself to prayers and entreaties,read more.
while a widow who gives herself up to luxury is really dead though still alive. Continue to give these directions so that the people may be without reproach. Whoever fails to provide for his own relatives, and especially for those of his immediate family, has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. No widow under sixty years of age should be put on this roll. A widow must have had but one husband, must have a reputation for doing good deeds, as bringing up children, being hospitable to strangers, washing the feet of God's people, helping people in distress, or devoting herself to any sort of doing good. Keep the young widows off this roll, for when they get to indulging their lower nature in opposition to Christ, they want to marry, and so deserve censure for breaking their previous pledge. Besides, as they get the habit of gadding about from house to house, they learn to be idle, and not only idle but gossips and busybodies, talking of things they ought not to mention. So I would have the younger women marry, have children, and keep house, so as not to give our opponents any occasion for slander. For some widows have already turned aside to follow Satan. If a Christian woman has widowed relatives, she should help them, and let the church be free from the burden, so that it can help the widows who are really dependent.