Bible Verses about Poverty
| Jesus replied, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” | Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” |
| I know how to live with little, and I know how to live with plenty. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. | I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. |
| Speak out and pronounce righteous judgments; defend the rights of the wretched and the poor. | Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. |
| Diligent labor always yields profit, but idle conversation only leads to poverty. | All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. |
| Grant justice to the weak and the orphan; defend the rights of the lowly and the poor. | Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. |
| As sorrowful, and yet we are always rejoicing; as poor, and yet we make many rich; as having nothing, and yet we possess everything. | Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. |
| The Lord makes poor and makes rich, he humbles and he also exalts. | The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. |
| He said to them in reply, “Anyone who has two coats must share with the person who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” | John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” |
| Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render fair judgments, and show kindness and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor. Do not plot evil in your heart against one another. | This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ |
| The wealthy man lords it over the poor, and the borrower becomes the slave of the lender. | The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. |
| Who then can separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? | Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? |
| In my anguish I cried out; the Lord heard my plea, and I was saved from all my troubles. | This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. |
| Keep falsehood and lying far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but simply provide me with the food that I need. | Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. |
| A wealthy man pays a ransom to save his life; a poor man never has to worry about such threats. | A person’s riches may ransom their life, but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes. |
| A man’s attraction is his kindness; it is far better to be poor than to be a liar. | What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. |
| Because I delivered the poor who appealed for help and the orphan who had no one to protect him. The blessing of the wretched was given to me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. | Because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them. The one who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing. |
| If I give away everything to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned, but do not have love, I achieve nothing. | If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. |
| The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free. | The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free. |
| The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to announce good news to the oppressed, to strengthen the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to those held in captivity and release to those who have been imprisoned. | The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. |
| Arise, O Lord! Lift up your hand, O God! Do not forget the afflicted. | Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. |
Bible verse of the day
Do not work for food that perishesbut for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For it is on him
that God the Father has set his seal.