What is the most famous verse in the Bible?

For more than 30 years I have been speaking to church groups - mostly Lutheran - about hunger and poverty.  Before the Q&A part of my presentation, I noticed that one bible verse would always be quoted before a question was asked. So I changed the way I introduced the topic by asking the question - what is the most famous verse in the bible?

Often people would say - John 3:16. One time a man jumped up and said "God helps those who help themselves!" (I think Ben Franklin said that.)  No one ever quoted Jesus' words about care and concern for the poor. But I could always trust that this one verse would be quoted - hence I called it the most famous verse in the bible.

Actually, this famous verse appears 4 times in scripture. Three times in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John, and once in Deuteronomy. In the Gospel accounts it appears in the story of the anointing at Bethany where a woman anoints Jesus' feet with precious oil. In Luke, there is a story of a woman anointing Jesus' feet with her tears and hair but that is another story.

In the anointing at Bethany, it is believed that Jesus was quoting the verse in Deuteronomy when he responded to the disciples (in John's account, it was Judas alone) complaint that the woman should have taken the money she spent on the expensive oil and given it to the poor.

Have you guessed yet?

The most famous verse in the bible is "the poor you will always have with you."

When I talk to people about the role of the church of Jesus Christ in care and concern for the poor, this famous verse is quoted in a perverse belief that Jesus was condemning the poor to poverty. It is shocking that this belief exists but it does.

Deuteronomy 15:11 reads There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. 


Lutherans in the 21st century will be relevant when we make it clear by our words and actions that care and concern for the poor and oppressed are central to the Good News of Jesus Christ.


In fact the theme of the churchwide assembly of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) is "Freed in Christ to Serve."