Complete Bible Study Guide
What Does the Bible Say About Poverty?
25 Scripture references with full text and commentary
Understanding Poverty in the Bible
Discover 17 powerful Bible verses about poverty. Study what Scripture teaches about this essential life circumstances topic.
Top 10 Verses About Poverty
- 1Leviticus 25:35
“And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. fallen: Heb. his hand faileth relieve: Heb. strengthen”
KJV - 2
- 3
- 4Proverbs 10:15
“The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.”
KJV - 5Proverbs 15:16
“Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”
KJV - 6
- 7Proverbs 17:5
“Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. unpunished: Heb. held innocent”
KJV - 8
- 9Proverbs 20:13
“Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.”
KJV - 10
Subtopics of Poverty
Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Poverty? (23 Verses)
“And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. fallen: Heb. his hand faileth relieve: Heb. strengthen”
“The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.”
“So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”
“The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.”
“Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”
“Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.”
“Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. unpunished: Heb. held innocent”
“Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.”
“Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.”
“The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.”
“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender . the lender: Heb. the man that lendeth”
“For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”
“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:”
“So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man. an: Heb. a man of shield”
“Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.”
“The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out. own: Heb. eyes”
“He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.”
“The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.”
“Remove far from me vanity and lies : give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: convenient: Heb. of my allowance”
“Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. deny: Heb. belie thee”
“Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. such: Heb. the sons of destruction”
“Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.”
“Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.”
New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Poverty? (2 Verses)
“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.”
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
How to Study What the Bible Says About Poverty
- 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
Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about poverty. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.
- 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
Memorise at least one key verse about poverty 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 poverty 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 poverty needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.
Share what you have learned about poverty 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 poverty, 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 Poverty?
You have studied 25 verses about poverty. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.
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Topics Included
This page consolidates Bible verses from 2 related topics: