Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Charity?

15 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Charity in the Bible

Discover 15 powerful Bible verses about charity. Study what Scripture teaches about this essential government & society topic.

15
Total Verses
3
Old Testament
12
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Charity

  1. 1
    Deuteronomy 15:7
    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:
    KJV
  2. 2
    Proverbs 19:17
    He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. that which: or, his deed
    KJV
  3. 3
    Proverbs 21:13
    Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
    KJV
  4. 4
    Matthew 5:42
    Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
    KJV
  5. 5
    Matthew 6:1
    Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. alms: or, righteousness of your: or, with your
    KJV
  6. 6
    Luke 6:38
    Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
    KJV
  7. 7
    Luke 12:33
    Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
    KJV
  8. 8
    Luke 21:1
    And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
    KJV
  9. 9
    Acts 20:35
    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.
    KJV
  10. 10
    1 Corinthians 13:4
    Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, vaunteth: or, is not rash
    KJV

Subtopics of Charity

Enjoined
Explained

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Charity? (3 Verses)

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:
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. that which: or, his deed
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Charity? (12 Verses)

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. alms: or, righteousness of your: or, with your
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
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.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, vaunteth: or, is not rash
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; in the truth: or, with the truth
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

How to Study What the Bible Says About Charity

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about charity. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about charity and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about charity is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on charity needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about charity with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about charity, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Charity?

You have studied 15 verses about charity. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about charity?
Discover 15 powerful Bible verses about charity. Study what Scripture teaches about this essential government & society topic. The Bible contains 15 key verses about charity spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about charity are there?
There are 15 key Bible verses about charity compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about charity?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about charity is Deuteronomy 15:7 — "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 ..."
Where in the Bible does it talk about charity?
Charity is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 15 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

Continue Studying Charity

Topics Included

This page consolidates Bible verses from 2 related topics:

charity