The Bible celebrates adoption as a form of love and belonging. Just as God adopted believers into His family, earthly adoption reflects His compassion and willingness to embrace us. These Bible verses about adoption highlight how deeply God values bringing people into His family.
30 Bible Verses About Adoption
1. Ephesians 1:5 (NIV)
- He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
2. Romans 8:15 (ESV)
- For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!
3. Galatians 4:5-6 (NLT)
- …to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts…
4. Psalm 27:10 (NIV)
- Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.
5. John 1:12-13 (NIV)
- Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…
6. Isaiah 1:17 (ESV)
- Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless…
7. James 1:27 (NIV)
- Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…
8. Psalm 68:5-6 (NIV)
- A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…
9. Matthew 18:5 (NIV)
- And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
10. Proverbs 31:8 (NIV)
- Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
11. Jeremiah 3:19 (NIV)
- I myself said, ‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land…
12. John 14:18 (NIV)
- I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
13. Hebrews 2:11 (NIV)
- Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.
14. 1 John 3:1 (NIV)
- See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
15. Isaiah 43:6-7 (NIV)
- Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth…
16. 2 Corinthians 6:18 (NIV)
- I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters…
17. Deuteronomy 14:2 (NIV)
- For you are a people holy to the Lord your God…
18. Romans 8:23 (NIV)
- Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship…
19. Galatians 3:26 (NIV)
- So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.
20. Hosea 14:3 (NIV)
- For in you the fatherless find compassion.
21. Psalm 146:9 (NIV)
- The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow…
22. Proverbs 23:10-11 (NIV)
- Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Defender is strong…
23. Deuteronomy 24:17 (ESV)
- You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless…
24. Exodus 22:22 (ESV)
- You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
25. Psalm 10:14 (NIV)
- But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
26. Zechariah 7:10 (NIV)
- Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.
27. Proverbs 3:27 (NIV)
- Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
28. Isaiah 54:5 (NIV)
- For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
29. 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)
- Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ…
30. Psalm 103:13 (NIV)
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
What Does the Bible Say About Adoption and Orphans?
The Bible contains numerous references encouraging the care and protection of orphans. Adoption reflects God’s love for the fatherless, and throughout Scripture, He emphasizes supporting the vulnerable.
- Deuteronomy 10:18 (NIV): “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you…”
- Exodus 22:22 (ESV): “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.”
Caring for orphans aligns with biblical teachings, as it exemplifies compassion and responsibility. The Scriptures call us to action, urging believers to support orphans by offering a loving family, stability, and security.
Benefits of Adoption in the Bible
Adoption brings spiritual and practical benefits to both the adopter and the adopted. Here are a few benefits illustrated by Bible verses about adoption:
- Inclusion in God’s Family: By being spiritually adopted, believers are part of God’s family, receiving His love and guidance.
- Identity and Purpose: Adoption provides an identity rooted in love, acceptance, and divine purpose. Believers are “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17), receiving the promise of eternal life and blessings.
- A New Relationship with God: Earthly adoption mirrors our relationship with God, emphasizing how we are valued and cherished. Through adoption, the adopted receive the loving care they need, and families grow stronger, knowing they are fulfilling God’s will.
What Does God Think of Adoption?
God’s view of adoption is profound. He adopts us into His family through faith, extending His love and grace to all. As shown in Bible verses about adoption, God treasures adoption as a means of building bonds and offering support.
- Psalm 82:3 (NIV): “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.”
- Hosea 14:3 (NIV): “For in you the fatherless find compassion.”
In the Scriptures, God reveals His heart for adoption through His actions and words, teaching us the importance of love, acceptance, and nurturing relationships.
Conclusion
The beauty of adoption lies in its alignment with God’s heart for love, family, and inclusion. These Bible verses about adoption show that adopting a child mirrors our adoption by God, an expression of unconditional love and grace. Families who choose adoption are participating in a divine plan, blessing the lives of the children they embrace and finding blessings in return.
