Jesus taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). "When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God" (Deuteronomy 8:10). "Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving" (1 Timothy 4:4). And Jesus said, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35).
Food shows up on nearly every page of the Bible, from the garden in Genesis to the marriage supper in Revelation. Scripture treats eating as a gift from God, a reason for gratitude, a way to welcome others, and a picture of the deeper hunger only Christ can fill. These twelve King James verses are good for saying grace, writing on a family recipe card, or reading around the Thanksgiving table. For gratitude more broadly, see Bible verses about thanksgiving; for going without food to seek God, see fasting.
God provides our food
1. Genesis 1:29
"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."
The first food in the Bible is a gift: God gives every seed-bearing plant and fruit tree, and says, to you it shall be for meat (meaning food).
2. Psalms 104:14-15
"He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart."
God makes grass grow for cattle and plants for people, bringing food out of the earth, along with wine that gladdens, oil, and bread that strengthens. God meant food to bring gladness.
3. Psalms 145:15-16
"The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing."
The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Many families pray this verse before meals: every creature is fed from God's open hand.
4. Matthew 6:11
"Give us this day our daily bread."
Give us this day our daily bread. Jesus teaches us to ask for food one day at a time. Even a full pantry is a daily answer to prayer, which keeps us humble and grateful.
Giving thanks at the table
5. Deuteronomy 8:10
"When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee."
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD. Moses warned that full stomachs can lead to forgotten hearts. Thanking God after a meal, not only before, is an old and good habit.
6. 1 Timothy 4:4-5
"For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."
Every creature of God is good if it is received with thanksgiving, sanctified by the word of God and prayer. Saying grace is a small act that turns an ordinary meal into worship.
7. Mark 6:41
"And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all."
Before feeding five thousand, Jesus looked up to heaven and blessed the five loaves and two fishes. If the Son of God gave thanks before eating, so can we.
8. Acts 2:46
"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,"
The first believers broke bread from house to house and ate with gladness and singleness of heart. Shared meals were central to early church life. An open table is still one of the best ways to love people.
Sharing bread and the bread of life
9. Proverbs 22:9
"He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor."
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. Notice the eye comes first: generosity begins with noticing who is hungry.
10. Isaiah 58:7
"Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?"
God says true fasting includes dealing thy bread to the hungry and bringing the poor into your home. Food drives, a plate for a neighbor, and an extra seat at Thanksgiving are all ways to live this verse.
11. Matthew 4:4
"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
Hungry after forty days in the wilderness, Jesus answered the tempter from Deuteronomy: man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. We need Scripture as truly as we need food.
12. John 6:35
"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
I am the bread of life. The day after feeding the crowd, Jesus pointed beyond the loaves to Himself. Ordinary bread satisfies for a few hours; He satisfies the hunger of the soul forever.
A short prayer
Lord, thank You for our daily bread and for the hands that prepared it. Bless this food and the people at this table. Make us generous with what You have given, and remind us that You are the bread of life. In Jesus' name, amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Get our free Thanksgiving gratitude printable · Download our free SOAP study page · Get the SOAP Bible Study Journal
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about food?
Food is God's good gift (Genesis 1:29; Psalm 104:14-15), to be received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4-5), enjoyed in fellowship (Acts 2:46), and shared with the hungry (Isaiah 58:7). Jesus also taught that "man shall not live by bread alone" (Matthew 4:4).
Does the Bible say what Christians can and cannot eat?
Under the new covenant, foods are not unclean for believers: Peter heard, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" (Acts 10:15), and Paul says nothing is to be refused if received with thanks (1 Timothy 4:4). Romans 14 asks us to respect others' convictions, and to "do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
What Bible verse is good for a Thanksgiving dinner?
Deuteronomy 8:10 and Psalm 145:15-16 are ideal for the Thanksgiving table. Our free Thanksgiving printable has a 7-day KJV gratitude plan for the week before.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about thanksgiving · Bible verses about gratitude · Bible verses about fasting · Bible verses about giving · Bible verses about health · Bible verses about communion · Bible verses about hunting
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