What Did Jesus Say About Refugees?

Most Relevant Verses

Translation of Genesis 16:6-8″>Genesis 16:6-8 In response to Sarai’s plea, Abram stated to her, ″Look, your maid is in your hands; do to her what is right in your eyes.″ As a result of Sarai’s severe treatment of her, she escaped from her presence.
Now, the angel of the Lord discovered her by a well of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur, where she was seeking refuge.
As he approached Hagar, Sarai’s maid, he inquired as to her origins and where she intended to travel.

″I’m trying to get away from the company of my mistress Sarai,″ she explained.
Verse page″>Genesis 46:1 as a tool So Israel set out with everything he had and traveled to Beersheba, where he presented sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac, before returning home.
ToolsExodus 12:37-39 verse page″>Exodus 12:37-39 verse page Apart from the children, the sons of Israel traveled by foot from Rameses to Succoth, a distance of about six hundred thousand kilometers.
Along with flocks and herds of livestock, they brought a mixed multitude of people and a big number of animals with them.
They prepared the dough that they had brought with them from Egypt into cakes of unleavened bread that they had brought with them.
Because they had been pushed out of Egypt and were unable to delay, the bread had not been leavened, and they had not made any supplies for themselves.

Verse page″>Ruth 1:1 (ToolsVerse page) There was a famine in the nation during the time when the judges were in charge, and this happened throughout their reign.
Another man from Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the region of Moab with his wife and two boys, who were both born in Bethlehem.
Verses in Matthew 2:13-15″>Matthew 2:13-15 Following their departure, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him, ″Get up!

Get out of here!″ Take the Child and His mother and go to Egypt, where you should remain until I instruct you otherwise.
Herod is on the lookout for the Child in order to destroy Him.″ As a result, Joseph arose early in the morning and brought the Child and His mother away to Egypt, despite the fact that it was still night.
He stayed in the city until Herod’s death in 44 BC.
All of this was done in order to fulfill what had previously been said by the Lord via the prophet: ″Out of Egypt I summoned My Son.″ Acts 18:2 is a verse that may be found on the Verse Page.

And he came upon a Jew named Aquila, who was a native of Pontus who had lately arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla, since Claudius had ordered all Jews to flee the city.He came to them and said, Verse page″>Deuteronomy 23:15-16 is a tool.″You are not permitted to return a slave to his master who has escaped from his master through your hands.He will live among you in your midst, in a location that he will pick in one of your cities that he finds pleasing; you will not abuse him.

He will be a member of your family.
Matthew 25:35″>Verse page″>Matthew 25:35 Due to the fact that I was hungry, and you provided me with food; I was thirsty, and you provided me with something to drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed Me in; Numbers 35:6 on the Verse page″>Numbers 35:6 on the Verse page″>Numbers 35:6 on the Verse page″> The towns that you will grant to the Levites will include the six cities of refuge that you will provide for the manslayer to escape to, as well as an additional forty-two cities that you will give to the Levites.
Verse page″>Joshua 20:1-6 is a tool.
As a result, the Lord spoke to Joshua, telling him, ″Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, so that any man who kills anyone unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood.’″ Then the Lord spoke to Joshua once more, telling him, ″Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Designate Continue reading for more information.

As soon as he reaches one of these cities, he is to stand at the city’s gate and present his case to the elders of that city, who will then take him into the city and provide for him a place to live so that he may become one of their number.Even if the vengeful avenging angel follows him, they will not give up the manslayer to him because he attacked his neighbor without premeditation and did not have any ill will against him.He is to remain in that city until he is called before the congregation for judgment, or until the death of the person who is serving as high priest in those days, whichever comes first.Once this occurs, the manslayer must return to his own city and to his own home, to the city from which he fled.

” Verse page″>Deuteronomy 33:27 (ToolsVerse page) ″The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath Him are the everlasting arms; and He drove away the adversary from in front of you, and He cried, ‘Destroy!’″ (Psalm 91:4) Verse page″>2 Samuel 22:3 is an example of a tool.Protecting me from harm is my God, who is my rock and in whom I take refuge.My shield and the horn of my salvation, my fortress and refuge; My savior, You deliver me from harm.In times of hardship, the Lord will also be a stronghold for the afflicted, as Psalm 9:9 says.ToolsPsalm 59:16 verse page″>Psalm 59:16 verse page But as for me, I will sing of Your strength in the morning; yes, I will joyously sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in my time of need.Verses″>Isaiah 25:4 in the Tools section.

It is because of You that the helpless are defended, the needy are protected in their anguish, they are protected from the storm and from the heat, and their breath is like a rainstorm on a brick wall, because they are ruthless.
Verse page″>Jeremiah 16:19 in the Bible O Lord, you are my strength and my fortress, and you are my refuge in times of trouble.
The nations will come to You from the ends of the earth and declare, ″Our forebears have inherited nothing but deception, futility, and things of no value.″ Verse page″>Nahum 1:7 in the Tools section.
‘The Lord is gracious,’ says the prophet, ‘a sanctuary in times of difficulty,’ and He knows those who seek refuge in Him.
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What Does the Bible Say about Refugees and Foreigners?

When faced with difficulties and confusion, the call of the Christ-follower is to seek clarity via God’s holy Word. The two most important channels via which Jesus pulls us into his knowledge are Scripture and prayer. As a result, on World Refugee Day, we look only to the Bible for guidance and solutions. We can get a better understanding of and construct our opinions about persons who are referred to in Scripture as ″the stranger,″ ″the foreigner,″ or ″the alien″ by reading the scriptures that follow, which can be found throughout the Old and New Testaments. When examining the Bible for clarity on an issue about which we may already have an opinion, it is critical to recognize the value of interpreting these words with honesty and integrity. Scripture is God-breathed, and we must allow it to affect us in the same way that prayer does. Remember, as well, to communicate specific scriptures in a trustworthy manner (including this article). Even when verses are taken out of context and presented as if they were stand-alone epigrams, the Bible can and has been abused. Bible Gateway provides a handful of helpful strategies for avoiding this inclination. In the first instance, as you read, click on each link, which will take you to a verse page with different translations running in parallel with one another. Reading versions side by side can help you better understand the text because each translation makes an attempt to capture both the idea and the accurate wording as they were originally written
however, there are some differences, so reading versions side by side can help you better understand the text. Aside from that, you can modify the translations to any combination of up to five distinct versions
First and foremost, please spend some time reading each verse reference in its larger context before moving on. The following verses may be found on Bible Gateway by clicking on the ″View Full Chapter″ icon beside the verse:

To conclude, God clearly has a lot to say regarding refugees and outsiders, and our prayer is that we will be receptive to the messages he is trying to communicate.

1. Matthew 25:35-40

As a result of your kindness, I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me in, I needed clothing and you provided me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you paid me a visit.
When he says this, the righteous will respond, ‘Lord, when have we seen you hungry and fed you, or thirsty and given you something to drink?’ When did we perceive you as a stranger and invite you in, or when did we recognize you as a needy person and clothe you?
When was the last time we saw you sick or in prison and went to see you?’ “ ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,’ the King will respond.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — (New International Version)

2. Leviticus 19:33-34

When immigrants come to your country to live with you, you must not take advantage of them.
Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were a citizen of the country in which they are living.
You must love them as you love yourself because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God, and you must love them as yourself.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — (Common English Bible)

3. Ephesians 2:17-20

And he came and preached peace to you who were far away, as well as peace to you who were close by.″ Because it is through him that we both have access to the Father in one Spirit.
As a result, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s home, which is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone (English Standard Version)

4. 2 Chronicles 6:32-33

Furthermore, concerning a foreigner who is not a member of Your people Israel, but who has traveled from a distant land for the sake of Your great name, Your mighty hand, and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple, hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is Your — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — (New King James Version)

5. Jeremiah 22:3

″Do what is just and right,″ the Lord commands, and ″rescue the downtrodden from the power of the oppressor.″ Refugees, orphans, and widows should not be used or mistreated in any way. In this area, you must not pour the blood of the innocent. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — (Common English Bible)

6. Hebrews 13:2

Do not forget to extend hospitality to strangers; some people have unwittingly hosted angels as a result of their kindness. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — (New Living Translation)

7. Isaiah 21:14

Residents of the Tema region, provide water to those who are thirsty and bread to others who have fled. — (English Standard Version)

8. 3 John 5-6

The things that you do for your brothers and for strangers, Beloved, you do sincerely; and those who have witnessed thy compassion before the church have testified to it: You will succeed in your endeavors if you bring forward those who are of a godly disposition on their journey: — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — (King James Version)

9. Ezekiel 24:26-27

On that day, a refugee will come to you so that you can be the first to hear the news of the disaster. It is on that day that your lips will be opened to the refugee, and you will speak instead of remaining mute. They will recognize you as a sign from the Lord, and they will know that I am the Lord. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — (Common English Bible)

10. 1 Chronicles 29:14-16

I’m not sure what to make of myself and who I’m making of my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this?
Everything originates from you, and we have only given you what we have taken from your possession.
We are aliens and strangers in your eyes, just as all of our forefathers and foremothers were.

Our days on this planet are like a shadow, and there is no hope for them.
Lord our God, all of this abundance that we have supplied for the construction of a temple dedicated to your Holy Name has come from your hand, and it is entirely yours to keep.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — (New International Version) When you become a member of Bible Gateway Plus, you may conduct biblical word studies as well as other types of topical study.
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What did Jesus say about foreigners?

If a foreigner comes to live with you in your country, you must not treat him unfairly. ″The foreigner who comes to live with you will be treated as if he were one of your citizens, and you will love him as if he were one of your own, since you were strangers in the country of Egypt″ (Lev. 19:33-34).

What did Jesus say about persecution?

″People detest you because you are following the Son of Man,″ Jesus says in the Gospel of Luke, and he compares his disciples’ suffering to the suffering of former prophets (6:22-23 NRSV). ″Do not be afraid of those who murder the body and after that can do nothing more,″ Jesus adds later in the parable (12:4 NRSV).

What does Jesus say is most important?

It translates as ″Hear, O Israel,″ which means ″Listen, O Israel,″ in the original Hebrew. As a result, Jesus tells the young instructor, ″The most essential of them is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.’″ Respect and adore the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your intellect, and with all of your strength.

What does the Bible say about strangers and foreigners?

Every believer is a stranger on this planet. According to Moses, the Israelites were not to sell any of the land permanently since the land belonged to God and they were simply strangers who happened to be living there (Leviticus 25:23). Consider how gently God treats us, the strangers who have come to live in his earth.

What does the Bible say about welcoming foreigners?

The verse from Matthew 25:31-40, which is the most often cited text in the New Testament, which Christians read in continuity with the Hebrew Bible or ″The Old Testament,″ is the most frequently cited section in the New Testament that deals with welcoming the foreigner.
″I was hungry, and you fed me; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me,″ says the narrator.

What is persecution in Christianity?

Persecution of Christians refers to brutal treatment that continues over time, often because of one’s faith or belief. Christian missionaries were tasked by Jesus with spreading the gospel, despite the fact that they were aware that they would be putting themselves in danger. … One such example is the bombing of Christian churches in various locations throughout the globe.

What are the reasons for persecution?

Persecution may be established by the infliction of hardship, harassment, incarceration, internment, fear, or agony, among other elements. However, not every suffering will inevitably result in persecution. The victim’s suffering must be severe enough to warrant the use of a torture device.

What are some examples of persecution?

Among the many forms of persecution are the expropriation or destruction of property, the inciting of hate, the detainment and incarceration of individuals as well as beatings, torture, murder, and executions. When it comes to religious freedom, religious persecution might be regarded the polar opposite of it.

What is God’s number one rule?

Accounts from the New Testament ″Teacher, which of the Ten Commandments of the Law is the most important?″ ″You should love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,″ he instructed him. This is the first and most important commandment of all. Then there’s the second, which says, ″You shall love your neighbor as yourself.″

What are the most powerful Bible verses?

It is impossible for the LORD’s constant love to fade away, and his mercies will never be exhausted
they are fresh every morning, and wonderful is your faithfulness. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 is a biblical passage. As a result, we are not discouraged. …
1 Peter 5:7 (New International Version). Because he genuinely cares about you, you may place all of your fears on him.
1 Corinthians 15:58 is a biblical passage. ., as well as 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

What is the most encouraging Bible verse?

Philippians 4:6–7 (New International Version) (NIV) Avoid being concerned about anything; instead, give your desires to God in every situation via prayer and supplication, accompanied by gratitude. And the peace of God, which surpasses every comprehension, will protect your hearts and minds as you trust in the finished work of Christ.

What Bible says about Israel?

The most frequently cited passage is 2 Chronicles 6:5-6, in which God is quoted as saying, ″Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have chosen no city in all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name may be there, and I have chosen no man as prince over my people Israel; but I have chosen a man as prince over my people Israel.″

What is a sojourner?

A sojourner is a person who briefly dwells in a particular location.

What does the Bible say about building walls?

God gave Nehemiah the task of erecting a wall around Jerusalem in order to safeguard its residents from invasion by enemies. As you can see, God is not opposed to the construction of walls! That vast undertaking, according to the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, was accomplished in an astonishingly short period of time – only 52 days.

Eight Words from Jesus in a World with Refugees

I used to live in Syria.
I am heartbroken about the devastation and deaths that go place there on a daily basis.
Since 2012, I’ve been residing in a nearby nation, where I’m working to give Syrian refugees reason to be hopeful.

We provide them with essentials like as blankets, heaters, food boxes, and diapers, among other things.
Every day, I am struck with the tremendous needs that we are unable to satisfy on our own.
Many of the folks I know are either planning a trip to the West or have already done so.
They are wishing for a brighter future for themselves.
Jesus invites us to follow him on his journey.
Sometimes it is obvious how we should go, and other times it is not.

In order to better understand what it means to follow Jesus in light of the present refugee crisis, it is worthwhile to go through at least eight things that Jesus demands from people who follow him in the first place.
May he provide us everyone insight in determining how to best put them into practice.

1. “Love God, and therefore love the things he loves.”

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, according to the commandment.
In Matthew 22:37–38, Jesus describes the great and first commandment as follows: ″This is the great and first commandment.″ God’s love indicates a fondness for the things that he enjoys.
The book of Deuteronomy 10:18 states that God ″executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, providing him with food and clothes.″ God also loves the sojourner, according to this verse.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that the very next verse states, ″Therefore, love the sojourner″ because ″you too were sojourners in the country of Egypt″ (Deuteronomy 10:19).

2. “Love your neighbors, as you love yourselves.”

″You are to love your neighbor as yourself,″ the Bible says (Matthew 22:39).
But who is my next-door neighbor?
According to Luke 10:29, Jesus was confronted with this same question.

He answered with the parable of the Good Samaritan, in which he taught us that our neighbor is anybody who is in need, including our adversaries, and that we should treat everyone as our neighbor (as Jews and Samaritans were).

3. “Do for others what you want them to do for you.”

″Whatever you would like people to do to you, do the same to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets,″ says the Prophet Muhammad (Matthew 7:12).
Jesus did not advise that we should perform such acts for others that we would like to have performed for ourselves.
″Do to yourself whatever you hope others would do to you,″ he advises.

If there is anything that you would like others to do for you, you should go out of your way to make it happen.
Suppose you were a refugee leaving a conflict zone.
Would you want another country to provide you with a safe haven?

4. “Do not expect (or demand) greater security, comfort, or treatment than I had.”

″A scribe approached him and said, ‘Teacher, I will accompany you wherever you go.’ Jesus told him, ″Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’ (Matthew 8:19–20; Mark 6:19–20; Luke 6:19–20).
″Neither a pupil nor a servant is superior to their instructor or superior to their master.
It is sufficient for the pupil to emulate his or her instructor, and for the servant to emulate his or her master.

They have already maligned the owner of the house by calling him Beelzebul; imagine how much more they will defame those in his household″ (Matthew 10:24–25).

5. “Do not fear.”

Immediately following Jesus’ warning that we should not anticipate better treatment than he received, he encourages us to have no fear. Therefore, you should have no fear of them…. In addition, do not be afraid of those who can murder the body but are unable to kill the soul. It is better to be afraid of him who has the power to destroy both soul and body in hell″ (Matthew 10:26–28).

6. “Deny yourselves, and lose your lives.”

When Jesus informed his followers that anybody who wants follow him must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow him,″ they were taken aback.″ For whomever seeks to save his or her life will lose it, but whoever loses his or her life for the sake of mine or theirs will find it.
For what does it benefit a man if he gets the whole world but loses his soul in the process?
If not his soul, then what is a man to give in exchange for his soul?″ (Matthew 16:24–26) Jesus urges us to die to ourselves on a regular basis for the benefit of others.

It is pointless to have a secure nation if we lose our souls as a result of our own selfishness (by making safety our highest good).

7. “Love your enemies.”

It is critical that we be aware of who our adversaries are.
ISIS, not Syrian refugees, is the organization that seeks to murder and destroy.
While ISIS is our adversary, Jesus is unambiguous about how we should respond to them, even if they are our enemies.

The saying goes, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ You may have heard this before.
Rather, I urge you to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be adopted as sons of your heavenly Father.
Because he causes his sun to rise on the bad and the good, and showers rain on the just and the unjust, he is the source of all good and evil.
Because, if you love people who love you, what recompense do you get in return?
Even the tax collectors don’t behave in the same manner, do they?
And, if you just welcome your brothers, what distinguishes you from the rest of the world?

Do not even the Gentiles behave in this manner?
As a result, you must strive to be perfect in the same way that your heavenly Father is perfect.″ (See Matthew 5:43–48.) In fact, this is precisely what Jesus accomplished.
According to Romans 5:8–10, ″God demonstrates his love for us by sending his Son to die for us while we were still sinners….

For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, now that we are reconciled, will we be saved through his life.″

8. “Walk in my steps.”

It is important for everyone of you to consider not just your own interests, but also the interests of others.
Think about it and share it with one another because you have the same mentality as Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but humbled himself by taking on the form of a servant and being born in the image of mankind.
And as a result of being discovered in human form, he humbled himself by becoming submissive even to the point of death, including death on the cross.

(1 Thessalonians 2:4–8)

What does the Bible say about immigrants and refugees?Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral

More information may be found at Saint Mark’s Proclamation of Support for Refugees and Immigrants |
The Church Council of Greater Seattle has published a white paper titled Sanctuary in Faith Community (PDF) Refugees should be treated as you would like to be treated.
When a foreigner comes to live among you in your country, do not treat them unfairly.

The foreigner who has taken up residence among you must be treated as if he or she were one of your own.
Because you were foreigners in Egypt, you needed to love them as much as you did yourselves.
(See Leviticus 19:33-34 for further information.) Leave the food for the poor and the foreigner to someone else.
Harvesting your land’s harvest should not extend to the extreme limits of your field, nor should it be used to gather the gleanings of your land’s crop.
Avoid going through your vineyard a second time or picking up any grapes that have fallen off the vine.
Leave them to the plight of the poor and foreigners.

(19:9–10) Leviticus 19:9–10 God is fond of the foreigner who has taken up residence among you.
He fights for the rights of the fatherless and the widow, and he cares for the foreigners who live among you by providing them with food and clothes.
And you are to be kind to those who are outsiders, since you were once aliens in your own country, Egypt.

(See Deuteronomy 10:18-19 for further information.) Do Not Discriminate Against a Foreigner Do not persecute a foreigner; you are familiar with what it is like to be a foreigner since you were foreigners in Egypt at one point.
Exodus 23:9 explains that Do not deny justice to foreigners who live among you.
In that case, I’ll be here to put you on trial.″ The Lord Almighty says, ″Do not be afraid of me; I will quickly testify against sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers, against those who rob laborers of their pay, who mistreat the widows and the fatherless, and who deprive foreigners among you of justice,″ and he adds, ″Do not be afraid of me.″ Malachi 3:5 (Malachi 3:5) What the Foreigner Requests of You ″As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name-for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm-when they come and pray toward this temple, then they will hear from heaven, your dwelling place-do whatever the foreigner requests of you.″ Please do everything the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth will know your name and fear you, just as they do your own people Israel, and so that they will recognize that the home I am building bears your Name.
(8:41–44; 1 Kings 8:43–44) Leave your front door open for the passing traveler.

There was never a need for a stranger to spend the night on the street since my door was always open to the traveling public (Job, speaking of his devotion to God) (Job 31:32) Inviting a Stranger into Your Home As a result of your kindness, I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me in, I needed clothing and you provided me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you paid me a visit.(Matthew 25:25-36; Mark 10:25-36; Luke 10:25-36) Every one of us was baptized by a single Spirit.Just as a body, though one, has many parts, yet all of those parts come together to create one body, so it is with Christ: he is one body made up of many parts.After all, we were all baptized into one body by one Spirit, whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free, and we were all given the same Spirit to drink from in order to create one body.

Even yet, the body is not made up of a single component, but rather of several.
(See 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 for further information.) Love Your Neighbor as Much as You Love Yourself Because following this one commandment, ″Love your neighbor as yourself,″ satisfies the requirements of the entire law.
(Galatians 5:14) The Bible says: Please Show Mercy to Your Neighbor.
″And who do you consider to be my neighbor?″ he inquired of Jesus.

″A man was traveling down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was ambushed by thieves,″ Jesus explained.″ They stripped him of his clothing, beat him, and then fled, leaving him half-dead on the street a short time later.In the meantime, a priest happened to be traveling down the same route, and when he noticed the man, he passed him by on the opposite side of the road.In the same way, a Levite, upon arriving at the location and spotting him, passed by on the other side.

However, a good Samaritan happened to pass by where the man was and, upon seeing him, he felt compassion for him.He went to him and treated his wounds with oil and wine, then left him to rest.Then he loaded the guy onto his own donkey and transported him to an inn, where he was cared for.The next day, he went to the bank and withdrew two denarii, which he delivered to the innkeeper.’Take good care of him,’ he said, adding, ‘and when I return, I will compensate you for any further expenses you may have incurred.’ How do you know which of the following three was a neighbor of the man who was robbed?″The one who had pity on him,″ the expert in the law said.

″Go and do likewise,″ Jesus instructed him.
(Luke 10:29-37; abridged version)

What does Scripture Say about Refugees?

A lot of people are disagreeing over what to do with Syrian refugees who have fled their homeland.
Terrorism is a source of concern for many individuals.
Others are appalled by the seeming lack of sympathy that terror appears to elicit.

Many people believe that our government should be more welcoming to immigrants.
Many people want it to be closed down.
Some individuals wish for our country to be a reflection of Christian beliefs.
Others, however, do not.
Furthermore, these lines are not drawn in a consistent manner.
Recent Christian writings haven’t given much attention to what the Bible truly says about a believer’s approach to refugees and immigrants, which is something I think is important.

I’ve seen mocking allusions to Mary and Joseph as rejected travelers, as well as memes depicting the Good Samaritan and the Good Samaritan.
I’ve heard Christians make ardent calls for compassion, as well as warnings against it from other Christians.
The Bible, on the other hand, does not explicitly state that Christians must respond to migrants in a certain way.

Take, for example, the Law of the Old Testament.
NASB Deuteronomy 10:10 17 Indeed, the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords; he is supremely powerful and magnificent; he is the big, the mighty, and the amazing God who does not show favoritism nor accept bribes.
18 It is He who brings justice to the orphan and the widow, and it is He who demonstrates His love for the stranger by providing him with food and clothes.
19 So express your affection for the stranger, because you yourselves were aliens in the country of Egypt.

Leviticus 19:33-34 is a passage from the Old Testament.ESV number 33 ″When a stranger comes to live with you in your country, you must not treat him unfairly.34 Your foreigner who sojourns with you shall be treated like one of your own people, and you shall love him as one of your own, for you were strangers in Egypt when I brought you out of there: I am the Lord your God.God commanded His children to show hospitality and solidarity to refugees and immigrants – in other words, anyone who was not a native of their lands – because they, too, had been strangers in Egypt and should be familiar with the particular struggles that come with being forced to flee one’s home country.

However, these commandments are taken from the Old Testament Law, and New Testament Christians are no longer subject to the Law of Moses.
It is apparent from both Jesus and the Apostle Paul that Jesus fulfilled the Law, and as a result, we are no longer bound by its commands or the consequences it requires of those who violate them.
Christians, on the other hand, do not believe in murder, deception, adultery, or gossip.
Every year, we still set out a day to worship the Lord, and we continue to provide a percentage of our income to help support our local churches.

What is it about Old Testament thinking that persists in New Testament practices?Because the instructions from the Old Testament continue into the New Testament.In spite of the fact that Jesus claims to have fulfilled both the righteous instructions in the Law and the punishment for those who violate them, He continued to teach about what righteousness in the New Covenant looks like, which is sometimes strikingly similar to what righteousness in the Old Covenant looked like.Is there any hint from Jesus’ statement that He fulfilled the Old Testament Law as to how He wants us to think about aliens and immigrants after His death and resurrection, particularly in light of His death and resurrection?

Is Jesus’ message limited to the fact that we are no longer bound by the Old Testament’s prohibitions on strangers and immigrants?In other words, does He teach that the essential concept remains valid?In the Gospels, Jesus really provides a clear solution to this problem for us.I was hungry, and you fed Me; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was ill, and you visited Me; I was in jail, and you visited Me.″ ″Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and offer you anything to drink?″ the righteous will respond.And when did we view You as a stranger and let You in, or when did we see You as a nude person and dress You?When did we first see you unwell or in jail and decide to visit you?’ As a result, the King will respond by telling them that ″to the degree that you did it to one of My brethren, even the most insignificant among them, you did it to Me.’″ (Matthew 25:35-40, New American Standard Bible) The implications for stranger care appear to be amplified by Jesus’ words.

He elevates the deed to something that is done for a greater good than simply Him.
It is now something that is done DIRECTLY TO HIM (or HER).
He also offers a bleak appraisal of individuals who choose to abstain from this practice: 42 ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels,’ He will say to those on His left, 42 ″for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me.″ 44 ″Lord, when have we seen You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail and did not take care of You?″ they will ask.
″Lord, when have we seen You and did not take care of You?″ they will say.
When they ask Him why He did it to them, He will respond, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, since you did not do it to one of the least of them, you did not do it to Me.’ The teachings of Jesus are reinforced by the author of Hebrews.
″Be mindful of the need to extend hospitality to strangers, for it is through this practice that some individuals have unwittingly extended hospitality to angels.″ (Hebrews 13:2 New International Version) Finally, we may make the case for compassion toward refugees on the basis of the Greatest Commandment or as an extension of Christian pro-life beliefs in general.

If we apply the Golden Rule to a refugee, we may argue that they should be treated the way we would like to be treated, or we could argue that embracing migrants has political value and would ultimately be the ruin of ISIS’ best tactic.However, the reality of the issue is that, as Christians, we shouldn’t be required to make any such arguments since we are compelled by something far more fundamental: the Bible itself.Moreover, God adds that when we provide humanitarian assistance to refugees, it is the same as providing direct assistance to Him.

That is really significant!Similarly, the Bible provides clear instructions on how to treat migrants as it does on the killing of unborn children in the womb.Fornication, dishonesty, and intoxication are all openly addressed in the same way that immigrants are welcomed into the country.When God’s children care for the displaced, they are obeying Him, and when they do not, they are disobeying Him.

The good news is that Christ took the punishment for our sin of turning away from the refugee and removed the bonds of sin and fear that compel us to overlook these Scriptures.
We now have the ability to obey because of Christ’s sacrifice.
Following up on my last piece, I’d like to encourage anyone who are feeling disappointed by the present position taken by the outspoken church on this matter.
Once again, we have excellent news in the person of Jesus.
God is sanctifying His bride, and He is empowering Her to develop in righteousness as a result of this process.

People’s lives are being transformed by Jesus, who is not only attracting them to Himself but also altering them.The Holy Spirit is sanctifying His Church via His grace, and He is transforming Her into something more and more like Himself day by day – including the Church’s welcoming of refugees.As far as I can tell, Christians, both internationally and locally, desire to minister to refugees in greater numbers than they do not, notwithstanding the noisy minority.In fact, Christians and Christian groups provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of refugees every day of the year.At the end of time, Jesus will show His Bride in all her splendor, adorned with the righteousness of the saints.As for the pieces of art that will decorate her wedding gown, I think that among them will be thousands upon thousands of glasses of cool water that will be handed to the destitute refugee in the name of Christ.

Proverbs 19:17 (NASB) The Lord will recompense whomever is kind to the needy, and he will reward him for his act.After I tweeted this, a friend pointed me that some Christians are concerned that these guidelines on how to care for immigrants would only be followed by people who have Christian views.However, Jesus also provides us with the parable of the Good Samaritan, which makes it clear that obedience to such precepts is not contingent on one’s race or religious affiliation.In reality, the Good Samaritan appears to have no prior knowledge of the character of the person whom he has aided at all times.Once again, Scripture is unambiguous in regards to our responsibilities.

What Does the Bible Say About Refugees?

Allow for the continuation of brotherly love. Do not be afraid to provide hospitality to strangers, as some have done so unwittingly in the past, so entertaining angels.

Leviticus 19:33-34 ESV / 65 helpful votes

″When a stranger comes to live with you in your country, you must not treat him unfairly. Your foreigner who sojourns with you shall be treated like one of your own people, and you shall love him as one of your own, for you were strangers in Egypt when I brought you out of there: I am the Lord your God.

Matthew 25:35 ESV / 53 helpful votes

Because I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, and so on and so on

Proverbs 14:31 ESV / 35 helpful votes

Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Creator, but he who is helpful to the needy praises him by doing so himself.

Deuteronomy 23:15-16 ESV / 27 helpful votes

″You shall not hand over to his master a slave who has escaped from his master and is now in your possession. ″ He will live among you, in your midst, at the location of his choosing within one of your towns, or anywhere he chooses to live. You are not permitted to mistreat him.

Matthew 5:47 ESV / 22 helpful votes

And, if you just welcome your brothers, what distinguishes you from the rest of the world? Do not even the Gentiles behave in this manner?

Deuteronomy 10:19 ESV / 22 helpful votes

As a result, love the sojourner, for you yourselves were sojourners in the country of Egypt.

John 15:12 ESV / 21 helpful votes

This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you. ″

Luke 10:34-37 ESV / 20 helpful votes

He rushed to him and bandaged his wounds with oil and wine, which he had poured on himself.
Then he placed him on his own pony and transported him to an inn where he was taken care of.
″Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will reimburse you when I return,″ he said to the innkeeper the next day as he took out two denarii from his pocket.

Which of these three, do you believe, proved to be a neighbor to the man who was taken hostage by the robbers?″ ″It was the one who showed him kindness,″ he explained.
And Jesus answered to him, ″Go, and do likewise.″ And he left.

Matthew 5:46 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Because, if you love people who love you, what recompense do you get in return? Even the tax collectors don’t behave in the same manner, do they?

Proverbs 31:8-9 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Please open your mouth for the mute and for the rights of all those who are in need of assistance. Open your tongue, make moral judgments, and protect the rights of the poor and the needy in society.

Matthew 2:13 ESV / 13 helpful votes

In the midst of their journey, Joseph was visited by an angel of the Lord in a dream who told him to rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt where they would stay until he was told to return. Herod was on his way to look for the infant with the intention of destroying him.

Leviticus 19:34-35 ESV / 9 helpful votes

I, the Lord your God, command you to regard the foreigner who comes to live with you as a native among you, and you must love him as you love yourself, because you were strangers in the country of Egypt when you came to live there. You will not make a mistake in your judgment, in your measurements of length, weight, or amount.

2 Kings 8:1 ESV / 8 helpful votes

For the next seven years, according to Elisha, the lady whose son he had brought back to life would have to ″arise, flee with your household, and dwell wherever you can,″ for ″the Lord has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.″

1 Peter 5:7-9 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Because he genuinely cares about you, you may place all of your fears on him. Keep a level head and keep an eye out for danger. A roaring lion stalks the streets looking for someone to eat, and that is exactly what your opponent the devil is doing. Resist him, solid in your faith, and mindful of the fact that your brotherhood is experiencing the same types of suffering all across the world.

Numbers 15:16 ESV / 6 helpful votes

″There must be one law and one rule for you and for the outsider who sojourns with you,″ says the Lord.

Exodus 22:21 ESV / 6 helpful votes

″You shall not harm or persecute a sojourner, for you also were sojourners in the land of Egypt.″

Romans 5:8 ESV / 4 helpful votes

God, on the other hand, demonstrates his love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Zechariah 7:9-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

The Lord of hosts commands, ″Render true judgements, show compassion and love to one another, do not harass widows, fatherless children, sojourners, or the destitute, and do not plan evil against one another in your hearts.″

Matthew 25:1-46 ESV / 1 helpful vote

″Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom,″ says the Lord Jesus.
Five of them were naive, and five of them were astute.
Because when the ignorant took their lights, they did not take any oil with them, whereas the wise brought flasks of oil with them when they took their lamps.

Because the bridegroom was running late, everyone felt weary and fell asleep.

Enter a Verse Reference (e.g., John 3:16-17)

If you don’t know the exact section you’re searching for, you may use the Bible’s online search function to hunt for terms.

Bible Verses About Immigration

The entire planet now spoke in a single language and shared a common tongue.
2 As people made their way eastward, they came to a plain in Shinar and decided to settle there.
Then they called out to one another, ″Come, let’s create some bricks and bake them completely.″ They utilized brick instead of stone for the foundation, and tar for the mortar.

They then said: ″Come, let us construct ourselves a city, with a tower reaching to the skies, so that we can create a name for ourselves; otherwise, we shall be dispersed across the entire globe.″ 5 However, the LORD descended to observe the city and the tower that the people were constructing.
6 God responded by saying, ″If they have begun to do this as a single people speaking the same language, then nothing they choose to do would be difficult for them.″ 7 ″Come, let us go down and confound their language so that they would not be able to communicate with one another.″ 8 As a result, the LORD scattered them over the entire world, and they stopped construction on the city.
9 This is why it was given the name Babel: because it was there that the LORD confounded the languages of the entire world.
The LORD then spread them over the face of the entire earth from that location.
10 This is the story of Shem’s ancestors and descendants.
Shem became the father of Arphaxad two years after the flood, when he was 100 years old, which occurred two years after the deluge.

He lived for 500 years after becoming the father of Arphaxad, and he had several sons and daughters throughout that time.
12 After 35 years, Arphaxad became the father of Shelah, who was born to Arphaxad.
13 And after becoming the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived for 403 years and had many more sons and daughters with various women.

14 When Shelah reached the age of 30 years, he was recognized as the biological father of Eber.
He lived a total of 403 years after becoming the father of Eber, during which time he had many additional sons and daughters.
16 When Eber reached the age of 34, he was recognized as the father of Peleg.
17 In addition, Eber lived 430 years after becoming the father of Peleg, during which time he had many additional sons and daughters.

18 After Peleg had lived for 30 years, he became the father of Reu, who was born to him.After becoming the father of Reu, Peleg lived another 209 years and fathered a total of nine further sons and daughters.20 When Reu reached the age of 32, he was recognized as the father of Serug.207 years passed after he became the father of Serug, during which time he had many more sons and daughters of his own.

22 After Serug had lived for 30 years, he was recognized as the biological father of Nahor.
21 Serug lived 200 years after becoming the father of Nahor, and he had additional sons and daughters throughout that time as well.
24 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he was recognized as Terah’s paternal grandfather.
25 Nahor lived for 119 years after becoming the father of Terah, during which time he had many additional sons and daughters.

26 When Terah reached the age of 70, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran, among other children.27 This is the story of Terah’s ancestors, according to her.Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.Terah was also the father of Haran.

And as a result, Haran was adopted as Lot’s father.28 Haran died at Ur of the Chaldeans, in the country of his birth, while his father Terah was still living.Abram and Nahor were both married at the age of 29.The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah; she was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of both Milkah and Iskah.The names of Abram’s and Nahor’s wives were Sarai and Milkah, respectively.30 Sarai was now a childless woman since she had been unable to conceive.

31 When Terah gathered his family, which included his son Abram, his grandson Lot, son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans on their journey to Canaan.
However, when they arrived at Harran, they decided to stay.
32 Terah had a long life of 205 years, and he passed away at Harran.

Was Jesus a refugee?

Answer to the question According to Merriam-Webster, a refugee is ″a person who flees to a foreign nation or authority in order to escape danger or persecution.″.
As a rule, refugees are compelled to flee their home nation because of imminent violence intended against them.
According to that wide definition, it appears that Jesus and His parents would have qualified for refugee status for a period of time.

There is, however, a distinction between the meaning of refugee in a dictionary and its use as a political term in today’s world.
The following is recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, according to the New Testament: ″Joseph had a dream in which an angel of the Lord visited him.
Get up,’ he commanded, ‘take the infant and his mother, and flee to Egypt with your life.″ Keep standing where you are until I tell you, since Herod is on the lookout for the infant in order to murder him.’ As a result, he rose early in the morning, grabbed the kid and his mother, and fled to Egypt, where he remained until Herod’s death.
As a result, everything the Lord had prophesied through the prophet was fulfilled: ″Out of Egypt I called my son.″″ (See Matthew 2:13–15.) As far as the modern world is concerned, Jesus was not a ″refugee″ in any meaningful sense.
For starters, Jesus’ family never actually left the Roman Empire; rather, they just moved from one section of Roman territory to another region of Roman territory during their flight.
That would be analogous to someone lawfully relocating from one state to another inside the United States in order to escape the jurisdiction of the governor of the first state in question.

Luke makes it clear that Joseph and Mary went out of their way to uphold Roman law by complying with the census (Luke 2:1–5), and this is supported by the text.
Everything they did was within the law.
Jesus and His family fled to Egypt in order to avoid King Herod’s murderous intentions, but they had a plan, and they had supplies and assistance to help them get through.

Because of the presents from the magi, they were able to fund their entire trip on their own.
Furthermore, their stay in Egypt was brief.
The family stayed in the city until Herod’s death, at which point they returned to their home in Galilee (Matthew 2:19–21).
Because of these specifics, there is no genuine analogy to the current, impoverished refugee who requests permission to join a new nation in order to avert some sort of catastrophe.

We should remember that Jesus was a persecuted and destitute man, and we should think about how we treat individuals who are displaced and disadvantaged in the light of this.However, for the sake of authenticity, it should be noted that Jesus was not what one would consider a ″refugee,″ either then or now.Return to the previous page: Questions regarding Jesus Christ Was Jesus a refugee in some way?

Franklin Graham said immigration is ‘not a Bible issue.’ Here’s what the Bible says.

Some prominent members of the church community, notably Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., have spoken out in support of President Trump’s immigration ban, despite the fact that many religious organizations oppose the measure.
Evangelist Franklin Graham, in an attempt to justify the prohibition from a religious standpoint, claimed, ″That is not a Bible issue.″ He couldn’t be more completely incorrect.
It is quite clear in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament about how we are to treat others who are not our family members or friends.

The Bible continually emphasizes that it is the citizen’s obligation to guarantee that the immigrant, the foreigner, and the refugee are recognized, welcomed, and cared for throughout the books of both testaments, whether in story, legislation, prophecy, poetry, or parable.
It is what God desires for us to accomplish, but it also acknowledges that we were once immigrants — and that we continue to be immigrants.
″Like my forefathers, I am an immigrant who has taken up residence with you,″ Psalm 39 declares.
When you consider that nearly 80 percent of Americans, according to some studies, believe that the Bible is divinely inspired, what this culturally foundational document says about immigration, foreigners, and the treatment of the stranger — defined in biblical terms as any person who dwells in a land without being a citizen of that land — should not simply be a matter of historical record, but should also inform us today, too.
It is the tale of immigrants and outsiders that tells the story of the Bible.
When Abraham travels from his country to Canaan, a region that has already been settled by other people, the book of Genesis chronicles his trip and the account of how he and his family find their way in a territory and civilization that is not their own, where there is no inheritance or lineage.

The myth of Israel’s exodus underlines their position as foreigners in a land that is not their own.
This attitude underpins Pharaoh’s oppression of the Israelites, which sounds eerily familiar: ″The Israelite people are too numerous for us,″ he tells his subjects, ″let us deal shrewdly with them so that they do not increase, otherwise in the event of war they will join our enemies in fighting against us.″ Pharaoh had mastered the art of governing via terror.
Israel flees Egypt as refugees and comes up against nations that, either out of fear or pure intransigence, refuse to let them pass, forcing them to go through the harsh desert of the Sinai Peninsula.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus and his family flee to Egypt as political refugees during the time of the New Testament.
The book of Ruth is perhaps the most well-known biblical account on this subject.
An important narrative in Ruth is about an immigrant from another country who comes to Israel and works as a field laborer, hoping for a better life.
Moreover, it is this stranger who turns out to be the ancestor of King David, and through him, the ancestor of Jesus Christ.

The treatment of strangers is addressed in the same way in all three of the primary legal books of the Hebrew Bible, which are found in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, respectively.If a foreigner comes to live with you in your country, you must not treat him unfairly.″The foreigner who comes to live with you will be treated as if he were one of your citizens, and you will love him as if he were one of your own, since you were strangers in the country of Egypt″ (Lev.19:33-34).

The Golden Rule – ″Love your neighbor as yourself″ — applies equally to strangers as to one’s own neighbors.
It is said in Deuteronomy that ″you must not usurp the rights of the outsider,″ a statement that presumes that the stranger does, in fact, have rights.
The books of Romans and Hebrews exhort Christians who follow Jesus to ″show hospitality to strangers,″ as the Bible puts it.
The prophets were likewise aware of the predicament of the refugee, as was the rest of society.

Lawyers who found themselves in foreign airports over the weekend should find Isaiah’s rhetoric to be particularly resonant: ″Give guidance, provide counsel…Allow Moab’s outcasts to find refuge in you; act as a safe haven for them.″ Another promise of the Bible is that one day the lines between citizen and stranger will be erased.When that day comes, the promised land will be divided ″for yourselves and for the strangers who dwell among you, who have begotten children with you″ — a sort of biblical Dream Act, thanks to the prophet Ezekiel.Caring for the stranger is not only something we should do; the Bible implies that it is also something God does on our behalf.

In the book of Deuteronomy, it reads, ″He loves the stranger, giving him food and clothes.″ Nonetheless, we must not rely solely on God to provide for the needs of strangers, as Deuteronomy states: ″You must love the foreigner as yourself.″ Nothing in either testament is more compelling or clear on this subject than Jesus’ vision of the final judgment in Matthew 25, in which the righteous and the accursed will be separated according to how they treated him: ″I was a stranger, and you welcomed me″ for the righteous; ″I was a stranger, and you did not welcome me″ for the accursed.In response to the judge’s question about whether they had ever treated Jesus in this manner, Jesus says, ″Just as you did to the least of them, you did to me.″ Dr.Joel Baden is a professor of Hebrew Bible at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut.Author of ″The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero,″ he is also a historian.You may see a video of his presentation on immigration by clicking here.

What the Bible Says about Nations and States

When contemplating a Christian perspective on nation-states, we must first realize that they are a very recent historical phenomenon.
People groupings and political forces would have been familiar concepts to the biblical authors; but, they would have been unfamiliar with the notion of contemporary, democratically oriented nation-states.
Then we may start looking at what the Bible says about the place of nations (people groupings) and states (political organizations in general), the historical antecedents to modern nation-states, in the scheme of things.

There are three important issues to consider when examining the method in which the biblical text refer