76 Bible Verses about Widows

He is a father of the fatherless, he is a defender of widows; even God in his holy habitation.

but doeth right unto the fatherless and widow and loveth the stranger, to give him food and raiment.

The LORD careth for the strangers; he defendeth the fatherless and widow. As for the way of the ungodly, he turneth it upside down.

The LORD will break down the house of the proud; but he shall make fast the borders of the widow.

Thou shalt leave thy fatherless children behind thee, and I will keep them, and thy widows shall take their comfort in me.

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people put money into the treasury. And many that were rich, cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury.read more.
For they all did cast in of their superfluity: But she of her poverty, did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

As he beheld, he saw the rich men, how they cast in their offerings into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow, which cast in thither two mites. And he said, "Of a truth I say unto you, this poor widow hath put in more than they all.read more.
For they all have of their superfluity added unto the offering of God: But she, of her penury, hath cast in all the substance that she had."

And it fortuned after that, that he went into a city called Nain, and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. When he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, which was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, "Weep not."read more.
And he went and touched the coffin, and they that bare him stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say unto thee, arise." And the dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

He put forth a similitude unto them, signifying that men ought always to pray, and not to be weary, saying, "There was a Judge in a certain city, which feared not God neither regarded man. And there was a certain widow in the same city, which came unto him saying, 'Avenge me of mine adversary.'read more.
And he would not for a while. But afterward he said unto himself, 'Though I fear not God, nor care for man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her: lest at the last she come, and hag on me.'"

"'Cursed be he that hindereth the right of the stranger, fatherless and widow.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'

Ye shall trouble no widow nor fatherless child: If ye shall trouble them, they shall cry unto me, and I will surely hear their cry; and then will my wrath wax hot and I will kill you with sword, and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless.

For they maintain the barren, and make them that they cannot bear, and unto widows they do no good. They pluck down the mighty with their power, and when they themselves are gotten up, they are never without fear, as long as they live.

They murder the widow and the stranger, and put the fatherless to death.

Woe be unto you that make unrighteous laws, and devise things, which be too hard for to keep: wherethrough the poor are oppressed on every side, and the innocents of my people are therewith robbed of judgment: that widows may be your prey, and that ye may rob the fatherless. What will ye do in time of the visitation and destruction, that shall come from far? To whom will ye run for help? Or to whom will ye give your honour, that he may keep it?read more.
That ye come not among the prisoners, or lie among the dead? After all this shall not the wrath of the LORD cease, but yet shall his hand be stretched out still.

Thus the LORD commandeth: Keep equity and righteousness, deliver the oppressed from the power of the violent: do not grieve nor oppress the stranger, the fatherless nor the widow, and shed no innocent blood in this place. And if ye keep these things faithfully, then shall there come in at the door of this house, kings, to sit upon David's seat: they shall be carried in Chariots and ride upon horses, both they and their servants, and their people. But if ye will not be obedient unto these commandments, I swear by mine own self, sayeth the LORD, this house shall be waste.

thy Prophets that are in thee are sworn together to devour souls, like as a roaring Lion that liveth by his prey. They receive riches and good, and make many widows in thee.

Ye shall trouble no widow nor fatherless child:

Woe be unto you that make unrighteous laws, and devise things, which be too hard for to keep: wherethrough the poor are oppressed on every side, and the innocents of my people are therewith robbed of judgment: that widows may be your prey, and that ye may rob the fatherless.

In thee have they despised father and mother, in thee have they oppressed the stranger, in thee have they vexed the widow and the fatherless.

I will come and punish you, and I myself will be a swift witness against the witches, against the adulterers, against false swearers: yea, and against those that wrongfully keep back the hireling's duty, which vex the widows and the fatherless, and oppress the stranger, and fear not me, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.

And he said unto them in his doctrine, "Beware of the scribes which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the market places, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and to sit in the uppermost rooms at feasts, and devour widows' houses: and that, under a colour of long praying. These shall receive greater damnation."

Then in the audience of all the people, he said unto his disciples, "Beware of the scribes, which desire to go in long clothing: and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and chief rooms at feasts, which devour widows' houses, and that under a colour of long praying: The same shall receive greater damnation."

When thou cuttest down thine harvest in the field and hast forgotten a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again and fetch it: But it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand.

At the end of three years, thou shalt bring forth all the tithes of thine increase the same year and lay it up within thine own city, and the Levite shall come because he hath neither part nor inheritance with thee, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow which are within thy city, and shall eat and fill themselves: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the works of thine hand which thou doest.

And rejoice before the LORD thy God: both thou, thy son, thy daughter, thy servant and thy maid, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, the fatherless and the widow that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to make his name dwell there.

Hinder not the right of the stranger nor of the fatherless, nor take widow's raiment to pledge.

When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, the year of tithing - and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, and they have eaten in thy gates and filled themselves

Study to do righteously, and help the oppressed. Avenge the fatherless and defend the cause of widows. Come, let us show each his grief to other and make an atonement, saith the LORD.

Honour widows which are true widows.

If any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to rule their own houses godly, and to recompense their elders. For that is good and acceptable before God. She that is a very widow, and friendless, putteth her trust in God, and continueth in supplication and prayer night and day: but she that liveth in pleasure, is dead even yet alive.read more.
And these things command, that they may be without fault. If there be any that provideth not for his own, and namely for them of his household, the same denieth the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Let no widow be chosen under sixty years old, and such a one as was the wife of one man, and well reported of in good works: if she have nourished children, if she have been liberal to strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have ministered unto them which were in adversity, if she were continually given unto all manner good works. The younger widows refuse. For when they have begun to wax wanton, to the dishonour of Christ, then will they marry, having damnation, because they have broken their first faith. And also they learn to go from house to house idle, yea not idle only, but also trifling and busybodies, speaking things which are not comely. I will therefore that the younger women marry and bear children, and guide the house, and give none occasion to the adversary to speak evil. For many of them are all ready turned back, and are gone after Satan. And if any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them minister unto them, and let not the congregation be charged: that it may have sufficient for them that are widows indeed.

I say unto the unmarried men, and widows: it is good for them if they abide even as I do, but and if they cannot abstain, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn.

Pure devotion, and undefiled before God the father, is this: To visit the friendless, and widows in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted of the world.

And thou shalt rejoice in that thy feast; both thou and thy son, thy daughter, thy servant, thy maid, the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow that are in thy cities.

But Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from after thee. For whither thou goest, I will go. And where thou dwellest, there I will dwell. Thy people are my people, and thy God is my God. Where thou diest, I will die, and there will be buried. The LORD do so and so to me, except that death only depart thee and me asunder."

And Elijah said unto her, "Fear not, but go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first of all, and bring it out to me, and afterward make for thee and thy son. For thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, 'The pitcher of meal shall not be wasted, neither shall thy oil cruse be without oil, until the LORD have sent rain upon the earth.'"

that drive away the ass of the fatherless; that take the widow's ox for a pledge;

He that should have been lost, gave me a good word, and the widow's heart praised me.

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher: which was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity. And she had been a widow about four score and four years of age, which went never out of the temple, but served God there with fasting and prayer night and day. And the same came forth that same hour, and praised the Lord, and spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

But I tell you of a truth, Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when heaven was shut three years and six months, when great famishment was throughout all the land; And unto none of them was Elijah sent, save into Zarephath besides Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

And it fortuned after that, that he went into a city called Nain, and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. When he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, which was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, "Weep not."read more.
And he went and touched the coffin, and they that bare him stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say unto thee, arise." And the dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on them all. And they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet is risen among us, and God hath visited his people." And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Jewry, and throughout all the regions which lie round about.

In those days, as the number of the disciples grew, there arose a grudge among the Greeks against the Hebrews, because their widows were despised in the daily ministration.

There was at Joppa a certain woman, which was a disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: the same was full of good works and alms deeds, which she did. And it chanced in those days that she was sick and died. When they had washed her and laid her in a chamber - Because Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there - they sent unto him, desiring him that he would not be grieved to come unto them.read more.
Peter arose and came with them: And when he was come, they brought him into the chamber, and all the widows stood round about him weeping and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. And Peter put them all forth and kneeled down and prayed and turned him to the body, and said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her the hand and lift her up, and called the saints and widows and showed her alive.

Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

Therefore shall the LORD have no pleasure in their young men, neither favour their fatherless and widows. For they are all together hypocrites and wicked, and all their mouths speak folly. After all this shall not the LORD's wrath cease, but yet his hand shall be stretched out still.

I will make their widows more in number than the sands of the sea. Upon the mothers of their children, I shall bring a destroyer in the noonday. Suddenly and unawares, shall I send a fear upon their cities.

We are become careful and fatherless, and our mothers are as the widows.

When brethren dwell together and one of them die and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not be given out unto a stranger: but her brother-in-law shall go in unto her and take her to wife and marry her. And the eldest son which she beareth, shall stand up in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out in Israel. But and if the man will not take his sister-in-law, then let her go to the gate unto the elders and say, 'My brother-in-law refuseth to stir up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not marry me.'read more.
Then let the elders of his city call unto him and commune with him. If he stand and say, 'I will not take her,' then let his sister-in-law go unto him in the presence of the elders and loose his shoe off his foot and spit in his face and answer and say, 'So shall it be done unto that man that will not build his brother's house.' And his name shall be called in Israel, the unshoed house.

Then said Judah unto Onan, go in to thy brother's wife and marry her, and stir up seed unto thy brother.

And it is true that I am of thy next kin: howbeit, there is one nigher than I.

And moreover, Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, do I take unto me to wife to stir up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that his name be not put out from among his brethren, and from the gate of his city: ye are witnesses this day."

"Master, Moses wrote unto us, if any man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children: that then his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

saying, "Master, Moses wrote unto us, 'if any man's brother die having a wife; And the same die without issue: that then his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.'

"'He shall take a maiden unto his wife: but no widow nor divorced nor polluted whore. But he shall take a maiden of his own people to wife,

They shall marry no widow, neither one that is put from her husband: but a maiden of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that hath had a priest before.

{Aleph} Alas, how sitteth the city so desolate, that some time was full of people? How is she become like a widow, which was the lady of all nations? How is she brought under tribute, that ruled all lands?

Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded. Be not ashamed, for thou shalt not come to confusion. Yea, thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the dishonour of thy widowhood. For he that made thee, shall be thy LORD and husband, whose name is the LORD of Hosts: and thine avenger shall be even the holy one of Israel, the LORD of the whole world.

And as much as she glorified herself and lived wantonly, so much pour ye in for her of punishment, and sorrow, for she said in her heart, 'I sit, being a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow.'

And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she remained with her two sons

"Up, and get thee to Zarephath a city of Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain thee."

And there cried a certain woman of the wives of the children of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, "Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD. And the creditor is come to fetch my two sons, to be his bondmen."

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

And she had been a widow about four score and four years of age, which went never out of the temple, but served God there with fasting and prayer night and day.

When he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, which was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her.

And there was a certain widow in the same city, which came unto him saying, 'Avenge me of mine adversary.'

Peter arose and came with them: And when he was come, they brought him into the chamber, and all the widows stood round about him weeping and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them.

In the time when the judges judged, there fell a dearth in the land. Wherefore a certain man of Bethlehem Judah went for to sojourn in the country of Moab with his wife and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, and his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion and they were Ephraimites, out of Bethlehem Judah. And when they came into the land of Moab, they continued there. And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she remained with her two sonsread more.
which took them wives of the nations of the Moabites: the one's name Orpah and the other's Ruth. And when they had dwelled there about a ten years, Mahlon and Chilion died also; even both two of them, so that the wife was left desolate of her two sons and of her husband thereto.

And when David was come to his house to Jerusalem, he took the ten wives his concubines that he had left behind him to keep the house, and put them in ward and ministered all things unto them: but lay no more with them. And so they were enclosed unto the day of the death of them, and lived a widow's life.

Look, whom he leaveth behind him, they shall die and be buried, and no man shall have pity of his widows.

Make thy moan as a virgin doth that girdeth herself with sack, because of her bridegroom.

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury. For they all did cast in of their superfluity: But she of her poverty, did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher: which was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity. And she had been a widow about four score and four years of age, which went never out of the temple, but served God there with fasting and prayer night and day.

Honour widows which are true widows. If any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to rule their own houses godly, and to recompense their elders. For that is good and acceptable before God. She that is a very widow, and friendless, putteth her trust in God, and continueth in supplication and prayer night and day:read more.
but she that liveth in pleasure, is dead even yet alive. And these things command, that they may be without fault. If there be any that provideth not for his own, and namely for them of his household, the same denieth the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Let no widow be chosen under sixty years old, and such a one as was the wife of one man, and well reported of in good works: if she have nourished children, if she have been liberal to strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have ministered unto them which were in adversity, if she were continually given unto all manner good works. The younger widows refuse. For when they have begun to wax wanton, to the dishonour of Christ, then will they marry, having damnation, because they have broken their first faith. And also they learn to go from house to house idle, yea not idle only, but also trifling and busybodies, speaking things which are not comely. I will therefore that the younger women marry and bear children, and guide the house, and give none occasion to the adversary to speak evil. For many of them are all ready turned back, and are gone after Satan. And if any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them minister unto them, and let not the congregation be charged: that it may have sufficient for them that are widows indeed.