Bible Verses About Poverty

The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.

Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.

6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:

Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:

He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord.

And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the Lord lighteneth both their eyes.

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.

Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.

All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.

Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.

The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.

And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:

The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.