What Does the Bible Say About Foster Care?

Psalm 82:3-4 ESV / 78 helpful votes

Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Mark 9:37 ESV / 74 helpful votes

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Psalm 72:4 ESV / 49 helpful votes

May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!

Matthew 18:5 ESV / 38 helpful votes

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 ESV / 35 helpful votes

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

James 1:27 ESV / 31 helpful votes

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Isaiah 1:17 ESV / 26 helpful votes

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.

Mark 10:14 ESV / 25 helpful votes

But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

1 Samuel 1:27 ESV / 24 helpful votes

For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him.

John 13:34 ESV / 23 helpful votes

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Matthew 25:40 ESV / 19 helpful votes

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Proverbs 22:6 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 31:20 ESV / 17 helpful votes

She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

Psalm 10:14 ESV / 17 helpful votes

But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless.

1 Timothy 1:9-11 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Psalm 72:13-14 ESV / 14 helpful votes

He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.

John 10:11-15 ESV / 13 helpful votes

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Proverbs 31:8-9 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Leviticus 19:33 ESV / 12 helpful votes

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.

Jeremiah 22:16 ESV / 11 helpful votes

He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me? declares the Lord.

Psalm 107:41 ESV / 11 helpful votes

But he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks.

Job 31:18 ESV / 11 helpful votes

(for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow),

Proverbs 29:7 ESV / 9 helpful votes

A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.

Proverbs 17:2 ESV / 9 helpful votes

A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

Exodus 2:1-10 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. ...

John 13:34-36 ESV / 8 helpful votes

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”

Proverbs 31:9 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Psalm 68:6 ESV / 8 helpful votes

God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

Matthew 28:19 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Psalm 127:3 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Hosea 14:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.”

Isaiah 32:7-8 ESV / 5 helpful votes

As for the scoundrel—his devices are evil; he plans wicked schemes to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right. But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.

Deuteronomy 24:7 ESV / 5 helpful votes

“If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Exodus 21:16 ESV / 5 helpful votes

“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

Genesis 2:24 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

1 Corinthians 7:14 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

Luke 4:18 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

Malachi 2:14-15 ESV / 4 helpful votes

But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.

Psalm 44:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah. O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:

39 Bible Verses about Foster Care

Psalm 82:3-4 ESV / 78 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 9:37 ESV / 74 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 72:4 ESV / 49 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 18:5 ESV / 38 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 ESV / 35 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 1:27 ESV / 31 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 1:17 ESV / 26 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 10:14 ESV / 25 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 1:27 ESV / 24 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 13:34 ESV / 23 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 25:40 ESV / 19 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 22:6 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 31:20 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 10:14 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Timothy 1:9-11 ESV / 16 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 72:13-14 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 10:11-15 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 31:8-9 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Leviticus 19:33 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 22:16 ESV / 11 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 107:41 ESV / 11 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Job 31:18 ESV / 11 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 29:7 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 17:2 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 2:1-10 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 13:34-36 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 31:9 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 68:6 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 28:19 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 127:3 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hosea 14:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 32:7-8 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Deuteronomy 24:7 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 21:16 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 2:24 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 7:14 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 4:18 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Malachi 2:14-15 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 44:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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