Bible Verses About Widows
The subject of widows in the Bible is a tender one, revealing much about God's character and His concern for the vulnerable. From the earliest books of the Old Testament to the writings of the New Testament apostles, the Lord makes it clear that He has a special place in His heart for those who have lost their husbands. This concern is not merely a suggestion, but a recurring command and a measure of true faith, showing us how deeply God values justice, compassion, and the protection of the defenseless. Throughout scripture, we see God as the defender and provider for widows. This isn't just a theological concept; it's a practical call to action for His people. The way a community treats its widows is often presented as a reflection of its spiritual health and its commitment to God's heart. Understanding these verses helps us to see God's unwavering love and His desire for us to embody that love in tangible ways.
"“You shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child."
"He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing."
"“You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow’s clothing as a pledge;"
"A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."
"Yahweh will tear down the house of the proud, but he will establish the widow’s borders."
"learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow."
"Yahweh says: “Execute justice and righteousness, and deliver the plunderer out of the hand of the oppressor. Don’t wrong the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Don’t shed innocent blood in this place."
"I will come near to you to judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against the perjurers, against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me,” says Yahweh of Armies."
"Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which make a quadrans. He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are casting into the treasury, for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”"
"saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God, and didn’t respect man. A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary.’ He wouldn’t for a while, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’ ” The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, and he is patient with them?"
"Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service."
"Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."
"Honor widows who are widows indeed."
"Now she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day."
Frequently asked questions
- The Bible consistently presents God as the protector and advocate for widows. This theme is established early in the Law given to Israel, where specific provisions and commands are made to ensure their well-being. The Old Testament repeatedly warns against oppressing widows, linking such actions to divine judgment.