Acts 6:1

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

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

Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Let brotherly love continue.

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,

Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;

In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.