Job 31:16

As it is written, “He has scattered abroad. He has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.”

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous thrive.

“You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

Among these nations you will find no ease, and there will be no rest for the sole of your foot; but Yahweh will give you there a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and pining of soul.

So are the paths of all who forget God. The hope of the godless man will perish,

I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears.

Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan

I will cut off all the horns of the wicked, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.

The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.

We all roar like bears and moan bitterly like doves. We look for justice, but there is none, for salvation, but it is far off from us.

“Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘You shall tell the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: “Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has come out to help you, will return to Egypt into their own land.

Don’t oppress the widow, nor the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’

I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the perjurers, and against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and who deprive the foreigner of justice, and don’t fear me,” says Yahweh of Armies.

and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.

Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings;

Now she who is a widow indeed and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.

You will father sons and daughters, but they will not be yours, for they will go into captivity.

“By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out. They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.

Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty.

Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.

The shepherds will have no way to flee. The leader of the flock will have no escape.

It will no longer be the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing iniquity to memory, when they turn to look after them. Then they will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.” ’ ”

It is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her servants moan as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts.

But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.

They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

The word of God increased and the number of the disciples greatly multiplied in Jerusalem. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him.

Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise.

“ ‘If your brother has become poor, and his hand can’t support himself among you, then you shall uphold him. He shall live with you like an alien and a temporary resident.

You shall surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his garment and bless you. It shall be righteousness to you before Yahweh your God.

When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

The king of Egypt didn’t come out of his land any more; for the king of Babylon had taken, from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates, all that belonged to the king of Egypt.

For, behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.

I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers.

But the eyes of the wicked will fail. They will have no way to flee. Their hope will be the giving up of the spirit.”

“Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who will strike hands with me?

He who denounces his friends for plunder, Even the eyes of his children will fail.

For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,

My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.

The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.

All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.

Wait for Yahweh, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

My heart throbs. My strength fails me. As for the light of my eyes, it has also left me.

Blessed is he who considers the poor. Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.

But the king shall rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by him will praise him, for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be silenced.

But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox. I am anointed with fresh oil.

Give us help against the enemy, for the help of man is vain.

Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever.

Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul.

The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hope of the wicked will perish.

There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.

There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and don’t withhold.

Don’t exploit the poor, because he is poor; and don’t crush the needy in court;

They will be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

But those of those who escape, they will escape and will be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, everyone in his iniquity.

and have sold the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem to the sons of the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their border.

Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.

He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.

Jesus said these things, then lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you;

But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I.

And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.

Do all things without complaining and arguing,

circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;

For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Your sons and your daughters will be given to another people. Your eyes will look, and fail with longing for them all day long. There will be no power in your hand.

So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.

For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.

They turn the needy out of the way. The poor of the earth all hide themselves.

I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail looking for my God.

He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.

My eyes fail for your word. I say, “When will you comfort me?”

My eyes fail looking for your salvation, for your righteous word.

I chattered like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security.”

Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.

As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;

They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.

Honor widows who are widows indeed.