Bible Verses About Charity: What Scripture Says About Helping Others
Bible verses about charity show that God calls his people to love their neighbour with practical help, not only kind words. Scripture links charity to feeding the hungry, welcoming strangers and defending the poor (Matthew 25:35-40, Isaiah 58:7). This guide gathers the key NIV verses, explains each one, and shows how Christians can act on them today.
Charity is one of the oldest words in the Christian vocabulary, and one of the most misunderstood. Today it often means a collection tin or a monthly direct debit. In the Bible it means something wider and warmer: love that rolls up its sleeves.
The King James Version of 1 Corinthians 13 uses the word "charity" where modern translations such as the NIV say "love". That overlap is no accident. In Scripture, giving and caring are what love looks like when it meets a real need.
Below you will find the Bible verses about charity that Christians turn to most, grouped by where they appear. Each is quoted from the NIV and followed by a few lines of plain-English comment. Later sections cover where Christians differ, what the official figures say about giving in England, and how to turn a verse into something you actually do this week.
Contents
What the Bible says about charity
Old Testament verses on charity
What Jesus taught about helping others
New Testament letters on charity
Faith and good works: where Christians differ
How people in England give and help today
Putting the verses into practice
Choosing a charity to support
A prayer about charity
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about charity?
The Bible treats care for people in need as part of the character of God, and so as part of the character he wants in his people. Three threads run through Scripture. The law of Moses builds provision for the poor into everyday life. The prophets warn that worship without justice and mercy rings hollow. Jesus and the apostles then place practical love at the centre of what it means to follow him.
Our guide to Bible verses about giving looks mainly at money, offerings and the tithe. This page is about acts of help: food, shelter, clothing, hospitality, visiting and speaking up for people who have no voice. The two belong together, and you may like to read both.
The picture above is an illustration made for this guide, not a photograph of a real event. It shows the kind of quiet, face-to-face help that many of the verses below describe.
What do the Old Testament verses on charity teach?
The Old Testament has more to say about caring for the poor than most readers expect. These verses were first given to a farming nation, so they speak about harvests and lending, yet their principles carry over to any society.
Leviticus 19:9-10 (NIV)
"Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God."
This is called gleaning. Farmers were told not to squeeze every last grape from the field, so that anyone without land could come and gather what was left. Notice that the poor still had to work for their food, which protected their dignity. Notice too the closing line. Charity here is not an optional extra for kind people. It sits under the words "I am the Lord your God".
Deuteronomy 15:7-8 and 15:11 (NIV)
"Do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need."
The order of the words matters. Moses names the heart first ("hardhearted") and the hand second ("tightfisted"). A hard heart leads to a closed fist. Later in the same chapter he adds a reason that this command never expires: "I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land" (Deuteronomy 15:11).
Psalm 41:1 and Psalm 112:5 (NIV)
"Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble." (Psalm 41:1)
"Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice." (Psalm 112:5)
The psalms pair generosity with justice. A person can be generous with a gift and still unfair in business. The psalmist pictures one whole life: open-handed and honest at once. The promises here are about God's care, not a guarantee that giving will make you wealthy.
Proverbs 14:31 and Proverbs 21:13 (NIV)
"Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." (Proverbs 14:31)
"Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered." (Proverbs 21:13)
Proverbs ties the way we treat people to the way we treat God. Kindness to the needy is described as honouring their Maker, and ignoring them as contempt for him. The second verse is a sober warning about closing our ears. It does not say what each person must give, only that turning away has a cost.
Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV)
"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."
Charity is not only about handing something over. This verse widens it to advocacy: using whatever voice, vote or influence you have for people who have none. Many Christian relief agencies see campaigning and giving as two halves of the same work. You can see how one UK agency approaches both in our profile of Christian Aid.
Isaiah 58:7 (NIV)
"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 them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"
Isaiah speaks to people who fasted and prayed but ignored the needy around them. God's answer is blunt: the fast he wants is food shared, shelter offered and clothes given. The final phrase, "your own flesh and blood", reminds us that charity starts close to home, with family and neighbours, before it reaches abroad.
Ezekiel 16:49 (NIV)
"She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."
Here the prophet describes the failure of Sodom, and the charge is neglect of the poor by people who had plenty. Other passages, such as Genesis 19, describe further sins in the city, so this verse is one part of a larger picture. Yet it is striking that comfort without compassion is named as a sin in its own right.
What did Jesus teach about helping others?
Jesus never gave a tax-style rule for charity. He told stories and made demands on the heart, and he joined himself to people in need. Six passages carry most of his teaching on the subject.
Matthew 25:35-36 and 25:40 (NIV)
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
This is the centrepiece of the whole subject. Jesus describes the final judgement, and the dividing line is not clever theology but whether people fed, welcomed, clothed and visited those in need. Both groups are surprised. Neither realised they were meeting the King.
Christians read "the least of these brothers and sisters of mine" in two ways. Many take it to mean anyone in need, since Jesus identifies with all who suffer. Others note the phrase "of mine" and read it first of all as fellow disciples, especially those who suffer for their faith. Both readings lead to action, and neither gives permission to look away.
Matthew 10:42 (NIV)
"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward."
Charity does not have to be grand. A cup of water is the smallest gift imaginable, and Jesus promises it will not be forgotten. If you feel you have little to give, start here.
Luke 3:11 (NIV)
"Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same."
John the Baptist gave this answer to crowds who asked how to live a changed life. It is refreshingly practical. Look in your wardrobe and your cupboards and ask what you are holding twice.
Luke 10:36-37 (NIV)
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
The parable of the good Samaritan answers the question "who is my neighbour?" by turning it round. The neighbour is whoever shows mercy. In the story the Samaritan gives time, first aid, his own animal and money, and he promises to return and settle any extra cost. Real charity often needs follow-up, not just a single gesture.
Luke 14:12-14 (NIV)
"But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Jesus challenges the habit of inviting only people who can invite us back. Charity, in his picture, is generosity with no return expected. It can be as simple as a seat at your table for someone who would otherwise eat alone.
Mark 14:7 (NIV)
"The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want."
This verse is sometimes quoted as if Jesus shrugged at poverty. Read the second half and the opposite is clear: "you can help them any time you want". He is echoing Deuteronomy 15:11, where the lasting presence of need is the reason to keep giving, not a reason to give up.
Charity is not always a parcel or a payment. For many people in the UK the most valuable thing a neighbour can offer is time and a listening ear, as the illustration above suggests.
What do the New Testament letters say about charity?
After Jesus, the early church turned his teaching into habits. The letters and the book of Acts show ordinary believers sharing food, money, homes and time, and they give us short, memorable instructions that still fit.
Acts 9:36 and Acts 20:35 (NIV)
"In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor." (Acts 9:36)
"It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35)
Dorcas is one of the few women in the New Testament described by what she did: she kept doing good. Paul's remark in Acts 20:35 is a saying of Jesus that appears nowhere else in the Gospels, quoted from memory by the apostle. Both verses suggest that charity shapes the giver as much as the receiver.
Romans 12:13 and Hebrews 13:2 (NIV)
"Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." (Romans 12:13)
"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2)
Hospitality is charity done at home. In the first century an inn could be dirty or dangerous, so welcoming a traveller was a real act of care. Today it might be a spare bed, a Sunday lunch or a lift to an appointment.
Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV)
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
Paul knows that kindness gets tiring. He urges steadiness over bursts of enthusiasm. His order is worth noting: "all people" first, with a special duty to fellow believers. That balance explains why some Christian charities serve everyone while others focus on the church family, as our guide to Barnabas Fund explains.
Hebrews 13:16 and 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)
"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." (Hebrews 13:16)
"Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." (1 Timothy 6:18)
The word "sacrifices" is deliberate. Sharing costs something, and the writer of Hebrews calls it worship. Paul's advice to the wealthy adds that the aim is to be "rich in good deeds", which moves the measure of wealth from the bank to the life.
James 2:15-16 and 1 John 3:17-18 (NIV)
"Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, Go in peace; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?" (James 2:15-16)
"If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" (1 John 3:17)
"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:18)
These are the sharpest verses on charity in the New Testament. James and John both press the same point: warm words that change nothing are worth nothing. They are not saying that love is earned by giving. They are saying that real love cannot stay in the head.
1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV)
"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."
This is the safeguard against proud giving. Charity without love, done to be admired, profits the giver nothing. It also explains why the old word "charity" and the word "love" share the same Bible verse in older translations.
Again, this is an illustration made for the guide. It shows ordinary neighbours giving time, tools and a hot drink, which is charity in its simplest form.
Faith and good works: where do Christians differ on charity?
Christians agree that believers should help the needy. They differ on how charity relates to salvation and on how it should be organised. Knowing the differences helps you read the verses fairly.
Protestant and evangelical view. Salvation is a gift received by faith, and charity is its fruit. Ephesians 2:8-10 says we are saved by grace "not by works", yet "created in Christ Jesus to do good works". The Church of England's Article XII takes this line: good works follow justification and cannot take away sin. You can read it on the Church of England website.
Catholic view. The Catechism calls works of mercy "charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities" (paragraph 2447). It lists feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked and visiting the sick and prisoners. It also says that attending to those in need can be a debt of justice as well as a gift. Read the text on the Vatican website.
Orthodox and many other traditions. They treat almsgiving, together with prayer and fasting, as part of one rhythm of faithful living, with charity inseparable from worship.
Believers also disagree about who should be helped first, whether the church, the state or private charities should lead, and how much to give. The Bible does not settle these questions with a formula. It does leave no doubt that the question "should we help?" has been answered.
James 2:17 puts the common ground in one line: "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Whatever tradition you belong to, a faith that never reaches out is incomplete.
How do people in England give and help today?
The Bible's call to charity meets a country with a strong giving habit and some worrying trends. Here are four figures from official sources, with their limits.
Giving money. In the Community Life Survey 2024/25, 67% of adults in England said they had given money to charity in the previous four weeks. That is a drop from 82% in 2013/14, though the rate has been steady at 66% to 67% since 2021/22 (GOV.UK, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, updated 31 July 2026).
Regular volunteering. 17% of adults took part in formal volunteering at least once a month, and 28% at least once in the last year. Christian adults were more likely than average to volunteer monthly, at 20% (same survey).
Informal help. 44% of adults helped a neighbour or friend who was not a relative, for example with shopping or childcare, at least once in the last year (same survey).
The charity sector. The Charity Commission reports 171,112 charities on the register for England and Wales at the end of March 2026. A big number is a reason to choose with care, not a reason to give up.
These figures come from a survey of people in England and a register covering England and Wales, so they are not a count of all Christians or of the whole UK. They show that most adults give something, that fewer give time, and that younger adults give less often: only 48% of those aged 16 to 24 gave money in the four weeks before the survey, against 80% of people aged 65 to 74.
How can you put Bible verses about charity into practice?
Verses only change us when we do something with them. Try one of these small steps each week and see which fits your season of life.
Look at what you hold twice. Luke 3:11 starts with a second shirt. Pick out a coat, some spare clothes or tins from the cupboard and take them to a local food bank or charity shop.
Share a meal. Luke 14:12-14 invites you to eat with people who cannot repay you. Ask a lonely neighbour, a newcomer to your church or a student away from home.
Give time. Many people feel they have no money to spare but can give an hour. Offer to drive, shop, visit or sit with someone who is unwell, as Matthew 25:36 describes.
Make a regular gift. A small monthly gift to one charity you have checked often does more good than many scattered ones. See our guide to biblical stewardship for planning.
Speak up. Proverbs 31:8-9 asks us to use our voice. Write to your MP, sign a petition or support a campaign on behalf of people who cannot be heard.
Keep it quiet. Jesus said giving should be done in secret (Matthew 6:2-4). Do good without posting about it.
Small, steady steps beat grand plans you cannot sustain. If you are weary, return to Galatians 6:9 and remember that the harvest comes "at the proper time".
How do you choose a charity to support?
Giving to a charity means trusting people you may never meet, so it helps to choose with open eyes. Our guides to Tearfund, World Vision UK and Christian Aid show how to read one organisation in detail. Our list of 10 trusted Christian charities is a good place to compare several.
A few questions work for any charity:
Is it on the official register? Search by name or number on the Charity Commission register for England and Wales.
Can you read its accounts and see a clear description of what it does with gifts?
Does it say plainly who it serves and whether it works with people of all faiths?
Does it treat the people it helps with dignity in its stories and photographs?
If you give money, Gift Aid is worth knowing about. GOV.UK explains that charities can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give at no extra cost to you, provided you have paid enough tax to cover it. Gifts of time, and gifts you simply hand over, are just as real in the eyes of the Bible, whether or not any tax relief applies.
A short prayer about charity
Lord Jesus, you were hungry, thirsty and a stranger, and you told us that whatever we do for the least, we do for you. Open my eyes to the person in front of me. Loosen my grip on what I hold. Teach me to give quietly, to speak up bravely and to keep going when I am tired. Let my love be more than words. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about charity?
The Bible says charity is love in action. It commands care for the poor, strangers, widows and orphans (Deuteronomy 15:7-8, Isaiah 58:7) and teaches that serving people in need is serving Christ (Matthew 25:40).
What is the most important Bible verse about charity?
Many Christians point to Matthew 25:40 in the NIV: "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Others choose 1 John 3:18, which says to love "with actions and in truth".
Is charity the same as giving?
They overlap but are not identical. Giving usually means money or goods. Biblical charity also includes time, hospitality, visiting the sick and speaking up for justice, so it is wider than a donation.
Does the Bible say charity begins at home?
The phrase is not in the Bible. Yet Isaiah 58:7 mentions "your own flesh and blood" and Galatians 6:10 puts the family of believers beside "all people". Scripture asks for both nearby and distant care, not one in place of the other.
Do Christians have to give to charity to be saved?
No. Ephesians 2:8-9 says salvation is by grace through faith and is not earned by works. Yet Ephesians 2:10 says we are made to do good works, and James 2:17 warns that faith without action is dead. Charity is the fruit of faith, not its price.
Should Christians only help other Christians?
Galatians 6:10 gives a special duty to fellow believers but tells us to do good to everyone. Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:36-37) shows help crossing every boundary. Some charities serve Christians in particular, and that can be a legitimate focus, but the Bible does not limit kindness to the church.
How can I help if I have little money?
Give time, skills and presence. Matthew 10:42 values even a cup of cold water, and the widow in Luke 21 gave two small coins. You can volunteer, visit, listen, share a meal or write a letter, and none of these needs spare cash.
Key takeaways
Bible verses about charity treat practical help as the proof of love (1 John 3:18, James 2:15-16).
Jesus joins himself to people in need, so serving them is serving him (Matthew 25:35-40).
The Old Testament builds provision for the poor into daily life, from gleaning to open-handed lending.
Christians agree that faith leads to action but differ on how works relate to salvation and who should lead.
In England, 67% of adults gave money in a four-week period, while fewer give time (GOV.UK, 2024/25).
Small, steady, quiet acts count, and a cup of cold water is not forgotten (Matthew 10:42).
References and further reading
Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV), copyright Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reviewed on 22 October 2026. For this guide we checked every NIV quotation against the text on Bible Gateway and read the GOV.UK Community Life Survey, the Charity Commission figures and the Catechism section named above.
Keep reading: What does the Bible say about giving?, tithing in the Bible and what the Bible says about money.
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