“Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless." Exodus 22:22-24 NIV
“Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
"Let thy widows trust in me."
—Jeremiah 49:11
—Jeremiah 49:11
“Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth." Isaiah 54:4-5 NIV
"He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing." Deuteronomy 10:18 NKJV
"…the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands." Deuteronomy 14:29 NIV
"When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands." Deuteronomy 24:19 NKJV
"Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen!" Deuteronomy 27:19 NKJV
"And you sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless. That is why snares are all around you, why sudden peril terrifies you, why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you." Job 22:9-11
"You have sent widows away empty, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. Therefore snares are all around you and sudden fear troubles you, or darkness so that you cannot see; and an abundance of water covers you." Job 29:11-13 NKJV
"Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — His name is the Lord— and rejoice before Him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." Psalm 68:4-5 NIV
"The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; but the way of the wicked He turns upside down." Psalm 146:9 NKJV
"The Lord tears down the proud man's house but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact." Proverbs 15:25 NIV
"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17 NIV
"But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
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 12:42-44 NIV
"There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying." Luke 2:36-37 NIV
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Important Guidelines for Widows
from the book of Timothy:
from the book of Timothy:
"Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need." I Timothy 5:3-9, 16
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"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." James 1:27 NIV
