Safeguarding and caring for others is one of the Bible’s fundamental teachings. The Bible calls us accountable for the well-being of those around us, whether they are family, friends, neighbors, or even strangers.
There are various verses in the Old and New Testaments that offer knowledge and instruction on how to safeguard others. These verses lay the groundwork for recognizing the significance of protecting others and providing practical counsel on how to do it.
In this article, we will look at some of the most striking Bible scriptures regarding protecting others and consider what they represent in our modern lives.
Bible Verses About Protecting Others
1. Psalm 18:2
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold.”
2. Proverbs 31:8-9
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.”
3. Jeremiah 22:3
“This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”
4. Psalm 82:3-4
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5. 1 John 3:17-18
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
6. Zechariah 7:10
“Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.”
7. Proverbs 28:27
“Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.”
8. Isaiah 1:17
“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”
9. Philippians 2:4
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
10. Proverbs 31:9
“Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
The Biblical Mandate To Protect Others
11. Proverbs 31:8-9
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
12. Psalm 82:3-4
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
13. Galatians 6:2
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
14. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
15. Romans 12:10-13
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
16. James 2:15-16
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”
17. Hebrews 13:16
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
The Value of Human Life In The Bible
18. Genesis 1:26-27
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
19. Psalm 139:13-16
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
20. Matthew 10:29-31
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
21. Luke 12:6-7
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
22. John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
23. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
24. 1 Peter 1:18-19
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
The Call To Be A Protector Of The Vulnerable
25. Psalm 82:3-4
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
26. Isaiah 1:17
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
27. Micah 6:8
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
28. Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
29. Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
30. James 1:27
“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.”
31. 1 John 3:17
“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?””
Trusting in God’s protection and provision:
32. Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
33. Psalm 46:1-2
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”
34. Psalm 91:1-2
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
35. Psalm 121:7-8
“The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
36. Proverbs 18:10
“The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
37. Isaiah 41:10
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
38. Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The Ultimate Protector And Refuge
39. Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
40. Psalm 18:2
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
41. Psalm 27:1
“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?”
42. Psalm 34:17
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”
43. Psalm 91:14-16
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
44. Isaiah 43:2
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
45. John 10:28-29
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
Protecting Others Is An Act of Love
46. Matthew 22:39
“And the second [commandment] is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
47. John 15:12-13
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
48. Romans 12:10
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
49. 1 Corinthians 16:14
“Do everything in love.”
50. Ephesians 5:1-2
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Examples Of Protection In The Bible
Exodus 1:15-21
The story of the Hebrew midwives who disobeyed Pharaoh’s order to kill all Hebrew male babies and instead protected them.
Exodus 2:1-10
The story of Moses’ mother who placed him in a basket in the Nile River to protect him from Pharaoh’s order to kill all Hebrew male babies.
1 Samuel 17:34-37
The story of David, who protected his father’s sheep from predators such as lions and bears.
Matthew 2:13-15
The story of Joseph, who fled with Mary and Jesus to Egypt to protect them from Herod’s order to kill all male babies in Bethlehem.
Acts 9:23-25
The story of Paul, who was lowered in a basket from a window to escape those who were seeking to kill him.
What Does God Say About Protecting Others
In the Old Testament, God calls upon His people to care for the vulnerable, the poor, and the oppressed. In Exodus 22:22-24, it says, “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. 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.”
This verse teaches that it is essential to protect the vulnerable, and failing to do so will have serious consequences.
In Isaiah 1:17, it says, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of seeking justice and defending those who cannot protect themselves.
In the New Testament, Jesus teaches that protecting others is essential to loving one’s neighbor. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
This verse highlights the importance of caring for others, especially vulnerable ones.
In 1 John 3:16-18, it says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
This verse teaches that true love involves taking action to care for others and being willing to make sacrifices to protect them.
Conclusion
These Bible verses demonstrate that protecting others is a responsibility and a demonstration of love.
As Christians, we are called to look out for the safety and well-being of those around us, just as God watches over us.
We can find comfort and strength in the promises of protection in the Bible and be encouraged to take action to protect and care for others.
