Amidst the rush for getting ahead and competition, kindness stands out as a warm light of hope and togetherness. God’s teachings encourage us to make kindness a part of every day. These 160 Bible verses about kindness explore kindness deeply, showing it’s not only the right thing to do but also something God deeply desires for us.
Kindness as a Reflection of God’s Love
- Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
- Colossians 3:12 – “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
- Luke 6:35 – “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
- Romans 2:4 – “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?”
- Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
- Titus 3:4-5 – “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
- Psalm 145:17 – “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.”
- Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
- 2 Peter 1:7 – “And to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”
- 1 John 3:18 – “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Demonstrating Kindness to Others
- Hosea 11:4 – “I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.”
- Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
- Proverbs 31:26 – “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
- Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15 – “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.”
- Proverbs 12:25 – “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
- Luke 6:31 – “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
- Galatians 6:10 – “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
- 1 Peter 3:9 – “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
- Proverbs 11:17 – “Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.”
Kindness in Speech and Actions
- Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
- Proverbs 15:1 – “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
- James 3:5 – “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.”
- Proverbs 16:24 – “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
- 1 Peter 4:8 – “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
- Proverbs 21:21 – “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.”
- James 1:19 – “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
- Proverbs 3:3-4 – “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”
- Colossians 4:6 – “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
- Philippians 2:3-4 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
The Blessings of Kindness
- Joel 2:13 – “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
- Psalm 41:1-3 – “Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.”
- Luke 14:13-14 – “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.”
- Proverbs 14:21 – “It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.”
- Psalm 112:5 – “Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.”
- Proverbs 11:25 – “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 – “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
- Proverbs 3:27-28 – “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’—when you already have it with you.”
- Matthew 25:40 – “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'”
- Acts 20:35 – “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Kindness as Wisdom
- Proverbs 31:20 – “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”
- Proverbs 11:16 – “A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:2 – “David thought, ‘I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.’ So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David’s envoys came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him,”
- Proverbs 19:22 – “What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.”
- Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 – “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”
- Proverbs 15:4 – “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”
- Isaiah 58:7 – “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?”
- Proverbs 28:27 – “Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.”
- Job 6:14 – “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”
- Proverbs 14:31 – “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
Kindness in Community and Relationships
- Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:4 – “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”
- Ephesians 4:2 – “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
- 1 Peter 3:8 – “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”
- Galatians 5:13 – “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
- 1 John 4:11 – “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
- 2 Samuel 9:1 – “David asked, ‘Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?'”
- Philippians 2:1-2 – “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”
- Romans 12:15 – “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
- Acts 28:2 – “The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.”
Kindness Toward Oneself and Personal Growth
- 1 Samuel 20:14-15 – “But show me unfailing kindness like the Lord’s kindness as long as I live, so that I may not be killed, and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”
- 2 Samuel 9:3 – “The king then asked, ‘Is there not someone of the house of Saul to whom I can show the kindness of God?’ Ziba answered the king, ‘There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.'”
- Psalm 23:6 – “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
- Psalm 117:2 – “For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.”
- Psalm 119:76 – “May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.”
- Proverbs 3:3 – “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”
- Isaiah 54:8 – “In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.”
- Isaiah 54:10 – “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”
- Hosea 2:19 – “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.”
- Zephaniah 3:17 – “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Kindness as a Covenant and Promise
- Genesis 24:49 – “Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”
- Ruth 1:8 – “Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me.'”
- Ruth 2:20 – “The LORD bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.’ She added, ‘That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.'”
- Ruth 3:10 – “‘The LORD bless you, my daughter,’ he replied. ‘This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.'”
- 1 Kings 2:7 – “‘But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.'”
- Ezra 9:9 – “Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.”
- Psalm 31:21 – “Praise be to the LORD, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege.”
- Psalm 36:7 – “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”
- Psalm 42:8 – “By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.”
- Psalm 63:3 – “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”
Kindness in Forgiveness and Reconciliation
- Matthew 6:14-15 – “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
- Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
- Luke 17:3-4 – “So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
- Ephesians 4:31-32 – “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
- Mark 11:25 – “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
- 2 Corinthians 2:7-8 – “Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.”
- Matthew 18:21-22 – “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”
- Luke 23:34 – “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”
- Acts 7:59-60 – “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep.”
- 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Kindness in Leadership and Authority
- 2 Samuel 22:26 – “To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless.”
- Psalm 101:1 – “I will sing of your love and justice; to you, LORD, I will sing praise.”
- Proverbs 20:28 – “Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure.”
- Proverbs 29:14 – “If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever.”
- Jeremiah 22:3 – “This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”
- Nehemiah 9:17 – “They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,”
- Titus 1:7-9 – “Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.”
- 1 Peter 5:2-3 – “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
- Hebrews 13:17 – “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”
- Isaiah 63:7 – “I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.”
Kindness in Times of Hardship
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
- Psalm 34:18 – “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
- Isaiah 25:4 – “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall.”
- Psalm 72:12-14 – “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.”
- Proverbs 31:8-9 – “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.”
- Isaiah 58:10 – “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.”
- Luke 10:33-34 – “But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.”
- James 2:15-16 – “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?”
- 1 John 3:17 – “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?”
- Proverbs 28:8 – “Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.”
Kindness and Spiritual Growth
- Galatians 6:1 – “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”
- Ephesians 4:15-16 – “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
- Philippians 1:9-10 – “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”
- Colossians 3:12-14 – “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
- 2 Peter 1:5-7 – “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”
- James 3:13 – “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”
- 2 Timothy 2:24-25 – “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.”
- 1 Peter 2:1-3 – “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
- Titus 3:1-2 – “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:2 – “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”
Kindness and the Prophetic Call to Love
- Zechariah 7:9-10 – “This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.'”
- Micah 7:18-19 – “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”
- Hosea 6:6 – “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”
- Isaiah 1:17 – “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
- Jeremiah 9:23-24 – “This is what the LORD says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD.”
- Zechariah 7:9 – “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to each other.'”
- Amos 5:24 – “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
- Isaiah 58:6-7 – “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose 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 them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
- Jeremiah 22:16 – “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.”
- Malachi 3:5 – “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,’ says the LORD Almighty.”
Kindness in Creation and Care for the Earth
- Genesis 2:15 – “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
- Psalm 104:24 – “How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”
- Psalm 145:9 – “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”
- Psalm 65:9-10 – “You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops.”
- Proverbs 12:10 – “The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”
- Job 12:7-10 – “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”
- Leviticus 25:4 – “But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.”
- Deuteronomy 22:6-7 – “If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.”
- Jonah 4:11 – “And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
- Romans 8:19-21 – “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”
Kindness as an Act of Faith
- Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
- James 2:14-17 – “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 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? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
- Galatians 5:6 – “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
- 1 Timothy 6:18-19 – “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
- Hebrews 13:16 – “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
- Matthew 25:34-40 – “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 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.'”
- Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
- Acts 4:32-35 – “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:11 – “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
- 1 John 3:16-18 – “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 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? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Kindness, Economic Justice, and Generosity
- Leviticus 19:9-10 – “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 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.”
- Deuteronomy 15:7-8 – “If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.”
- Proverbs 19:17 – “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
- Proverbs 22:9 – “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”
- Amos 5:11-12 – “Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins—you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate.”
- Luke 12:33-34 – “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
- Acts 2:44-45 – “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”
- 2 Corinthians 8:9 – “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
- 1 Timothy 5:8 – “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
- James 1:27 – “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Conclusion
Through these 160 Bible verses about kindness, we discover why God calls us to be kind, how this call challenges and enriches our lives, and the impact it can have on our world. In embracing kindness, we participate in a divine legacy of love, contributing to a more compassionate, understanding, and connected world.