Millennium Development Goals - Bible Verses
Bible verses related to the Millennium Development Goals (courtesy United Nations Millennium Campaign)
Poverty and Hunger
"For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is a storm against the wall." (Isaiah 25:4)
"If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your light will become like the noonday." (Isaiah 58:10).
"To the extent that you did it (fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, comforted the stranger, clothed the naked, and visited the sick and prisoners) to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to Me." (Matthew 25:40)
"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded." (Luke 12:48).
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to lose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. (Isaiah 58: 6-7, 10)
Aid/Generosity
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” (Matthew 25:35) “Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor.” (Proverbs 22:9)
“If there is a poor man among you...do not be...tightfisted...Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8)
“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you...” (The Bible, Matthew 5:42)
“Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” (Luke 3:11).
“The resident aliens, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, may come and eat their fill so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work that you undertake.” (Deuteronomy 14:28-29)
“Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.” (Deuteronomy 15:11)
“When you gather your crops and fail to bring in some of the grain that you have cut, do not go back for it; it is to be left for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. . . . When you have gathered your grapes once, do not go back over the vines a second time; the grapes that are left are for the foreigners, orphans and widows. Never forget that you were slaves in Egypt; that is why I have given you this command.” (24:19-22 TEV)
“[God] always keeps his promises; he judges in favor of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.” (Psalms 146:6-7 TEV)
“Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:34-46)
Women and Children
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress...” (James 1:27)
“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5)
Advocacy
“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.” (Psalm 82:3)
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9)
“Happy are those who are concerned for the poor; the Lord will help them when they are in trouble.” (Psalms 41:1 TEV)
“How terrible it will be for those who make unfair laws, and those who write laws that make life hard for people. They are not fair to the poor, and they rob my people of their rights. They allow people to steal from widows and to take from orphans what really belongs to them.” (Isaiah 10:1-2 NCV)
“If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry will not be heard” (Proverbs 21:13 TEV) ".. . For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required...” (Luke 12:48) “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love...” (2 Timothy 1:7)