Sunday, September 6, 2009

What does the Bible say about poverty and health care?

Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
Leviticus 19:15

The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
1 Samuel 2:7

But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.
Psalm 10:14

"Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise," says the LORD.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."
Psalm 12:5

My whole being will exclaim,
"Who is like you, O LORD?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them."
Psalm 35:10

For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
Psalm 72:12-14

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 82:3-4

... For he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
Psalm 107:9

I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor
and upholds the cause of the needy. Psalm 140:12

He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free, Psalm 146:7

A poor man's field may produce abundant food,
but injustice sweeps it away.
Proverbs 13:23

The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.
He who despises his neighbor sins,
but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.
Proverbs 14:20-21

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Proverbs 14:31

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,
and he will reward him for what he has done.
Proverbs 19:17

What a man desires is unfailing love;
better to be poor than a liar.
Proverbs 19:22

If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,
he too will cry out and not be answered.
Proverbs 21:13

Rich and poor have this in common:
The LORD is the Maker of them all.
Proverbs 22:2

A generous man will himself be blessed,
for he shares his food with the poor.
Proverbs 22:9

... For drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Proverbs 23:21

He who works his land will have abundant food,
but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
Proverbs 28:19

If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.
Eccles. 5:8

... But with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Isaiah 11:4

He defended the cause of the poor and needy,
and so all went well.
"Is that not what it means to know me?"
declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 22:16

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
Ezekiel 16:49

For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink ... He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Matthew 25:42, 45

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything -- all she had to live on."
Mark 12:43-44

The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.
Mark 14:7

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed....
Luke 4:18

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
James 2:5

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I grew up in Chautauqua County, NY. I graduated from Edinboro University of Pennyslvania in 1981 with a BFA in Jewelry and Metalworking. I have been married 31 years. I currently run a small business with my husband. We both enjoy the outdoors and animals a great deal and live on a tiny farm in Western, NY.