"Bear ye one another's burdens" (Galatians 6:2). "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men" (Galatians 6:9-10). Jesus said serving the hungry, thirsty, stranger, and sick is serving Him (Matthew 25:35-40). "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Do not withhold good when it is in your power (Proverbs 3:27).
Helping other people is love with work boots on—bearing burdens, meeting needs, and doing good when you can. These twelve King James passages focus on serving the needy and practical help. This is not the "love thy neighbour" commandment study (see loving thy neighbor) and not a giving/tithing page (see giving); it is hands-on help.
Bear burdens; do good
1. Galatians 6:2
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Help is burden-bearing—shared weight, not lecture-only.
2. Galatians 6:9-10
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."
Let us not be weary in well doing... as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Opportunity is a door; walk through it.
3. Hebrews 13:16
"But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
To do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Doing good is worship that pleases God.
4. Proverbs 3:27
"Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it."
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Delayed help when you can act now is a kind of withholding.
As unto Christ
5. Matthew 25:35-40
"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat... Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Helping people is meeting Christ in disguise.
6. Acts 20:35
"I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."
It is more blessed to give than to receive. Paul quotes Jesus on the happiness of open-handed help.
7. James 2:15-17
"If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and you only say Depart in peace... faith without works is dead. Words without aid are empty.
8. 1 John 3:17-18
"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
Who so hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion... let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. Compassion must open the hand.
Mercy for the needy
9. Proverbs 19:17
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again."
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. Helping the poor is treated as a loan God repays.
10. Isaiah 58:10
"And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:"
If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity. Costly empathy brings light.
11. Philippians 2:4
"Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Help starts with noticing someone else's need.
12. Romans 12:13
"Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Meet necessities; open your door—help is practical and personal.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, You cared for the hungry, the sick, and the overlooked. Make me quick to bear others' burdens, to do good when I have opportunity, and to love in deed and in truth. Keep me from empty words when help is in my power. In Your 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about helping others?
Bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), do good as you have opportunity (Galatians 6:10), help "the least of these" as unto Christ (Matthew 25:35-40), and love in deed and truth (1 John 3:18).
Where does the Bible say it is more blessed to give?
Acts 20:35: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
How is helping different from tithing or neighbour-love commands?
This page stresses practical aid to people in need. For cheerful giving and offerings, see giving; for the love-thy-neighbour commandment focus, see loving thy neighbor.
What if I cannot fix someone's whole problem?
Do the good in your power (Proverbs 3:27), share burdens (Galatians 6:2), and meet necessities you can (Romans 12:13). Faithfulness is not the same as fixing everything.
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 loving thy neighbor · Bible verses about giving · Bible verses about love · Bible verses about humility · Bible verses about gratitude
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