This page gives you Bible verses about compassion, each with a short explanation of what it says and how to carry it into an ordinary day. It is written for Christians who want to understand why God calls us to be moved by the suffering of others, and who want practical ways to live that out. The verses below come from both the Old and New Testaments, because compassion runs from the first pages of Scripture to the last. Taken together, they show that God himself is compassionate, and that his people are invited to reflect that same heart toward neighbors, strangers and even enemies.
Verses on God’s Own Compassion
Before we are told to show compassion, we are shown what compassion looks like in God. These passages describe his character, and they give us the foundation for everything that follows. When you know how deeply God cares, your own tenderness toward others starts to feel less like a burden and more like a family resemblance.
Exodus 34:6
The LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, “The LORD! The LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth…
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This is one of the Bible’s clearest self-descriptions of God, spoken to Moses after Israel’s sin with the golden calf. Notice that compassion comes first in the list of his qualities. Today, when you feel frustrated with someone who has let you down, pause and remember that God’s first instinct toward a failing people was mercy, and ask him to shape yours the same way.
Psalm 103:13
Like a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
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The psalmist compares God’s compassion to a father’s tenderness toward his children. The image is personal and familiar. This week, think of one young person or child in your life, and let this verse remind you that a patient, attentive response is how God himself treats those who are small and weak.
Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is because of the LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. 23 They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
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These verses come from a book written in grief over the ruin of Jerusalem, yet they name God’s compassions as new every morning. If you wake up discouraged, read this before you check your phone. Then, when you meet someone who seems worn out by yesterday, you can offer them the same fresh start you have just received.
Verses for Caring for the Poor and Needy
Scripture repeatedly ties compassion to concrete action on behalf of people with little. These verses are less about feelings and more about what you do with your money, your time and your attention. They challenge the habit of assuming that others’ needs are someone else’s responsibility.
Deuteronomy 15:7-8
7 If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; 8 but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks.
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Moses instructs Israel not to harden their hearts or close their hands toward a poor brother. The command assumes that the temptation to hold back is real. When you are tempted to ignore a request for help, ask yourself whether you are willing to open your hand as well as your heart.
Proverbs 19:17
He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD; he will reward him.
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This proverb says that kindness to the poor is a loan made to the Lord, who repays it. It reframes generosity as an act of trust rather than loss. Consider setting aside a small amount each month for someone in need, and treat it as an investment you are entrusting to God.
Isaiah 58:10
And if you pour out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then your light will rise in darkness, and your obscurity will be as the noonday…
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Isaiah describes a fast that pleases God: sharing bread with the hungry and satisfying the afflicted. Religious observance is tied directly to practical mercy. Look for one way this week to feed, house or visit someone who is struggling, and count it as worship.
James 2:15-16
15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled”; and yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
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James points out how empty it is to offer a blessing to a cold and hungry person without giving them anything they need. Faith that never acts is hollow. When you see a real need in front of you, give what you can, even if it is only a meal or a ride.
Verses for Showing Mercy to Those Who Hurt Us
Compassion is hardest when the person who needs it is the one who wronged us. These passages do not pretend that forgiveness is easy, but they root it in the mercy we have already received. They are useful when you are nursing a grudge or feel that someone does not deserve a kind word.
Ephesians 4:32
And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
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Paul connects our kindness and forgiveness toward others to the forgiveness we have received in Christ. The measure he sets is not how much the other person has earned. Before you respond to a hurtful comment today, remember the debt you were forgiven and let that shape your tone.
Colossians 3:12-13
12 Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.
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Paul lists compassion, kindness and patience as garments to be put on, almost like choosing what to wear each morning. Forgiveness follows as part of the same wardrobe. Try this practical step: each morning, name one of these qualities you intend to clothe yourself with before you walk into your day.
Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you…
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Jesus teaches his followers to pray for those who persecute them. This is not a call to pretend the harm did not happen, but to bring the offender before God rather than letting bitterness grow. When resentment rises, say a short prayer for that person’s good, even if the words feel forced at first.
Verses on Following Jesus’ Example of Compassion
The Gospels show Jesus moved by the crowds, the sick and the grieving. These verses point to his example and to the standard he sets for those who follow him. They invite you to look at ordinary interruptions as opportunities to notice someone as Jesus did.
Matthew 9:36
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.
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Seeing the crowds, Jesus was moved with compassion because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. His compassion starts with seeing clearly. Next time you are in a crowded place, such as a store or a waiting room, try to notice the tired faces around you rather than only your own schedule.
Mark 1:41
Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.”
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A leper approaches Jesus, and Jesus is moved to touch him before he heals him. The touch crossed a boundary that others would have kept. Think about a person society tends to avoid, and consider one small act of physical or social welcome toward them this week.
Luke 10:33-34
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, 34 came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
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In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the man who stops is the one the original listeners least expected to show mercy. He bandages wounds, pays for lodging and returns to follow up. Compassion in this story is both immediate and sustained. When you help someone, think about whether you can follow through, not just in the moment but over the days that follow.
How to Use These Verses
Reading a list of verses once is rarely enough to change how you treat people. Many believers find it helpful to choose just one or two passages each week and write them on an index card or a note on their phone. Keep the card where you will see it during a predictable stress point, such as the commute, the lunch break or the moment before you open a difficult email.
Pray the verses back to God rather than only reading them. Ask him to show you where your compassion is thin, and to give you eyes to see the person in front of you. Over time, you may notice that the verses begin to surface on their own when someone needs a kind word, and that is often how Scripture does its deepest work.
A Short Prayer for Compassion
Father, you are rich in mercy, and you have met me in my failures with patience and tenderness. Soften my heart where it has grown hard and open my hands where they have stayed closed. Help me to notice the people you place in my path, especially those who are overlooked, tired or hurting. When I am tempted to judge or withhold kindness, remind me of the grace I have received. Let my compassion be practical and steady, rooted in your love rather than my mood. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
