Introduction
Adoption and foster care are stories of welcome. A child is received into a home, and a family learns to love in new ways. They are also stories of loss and tenderness, because every child arrives with a history. The Bible speaks about all of this with great compassion. These 20 verses, quoted from the World English Bible, are grouped into five themes: adopted into God's family, belonging, caring for children without parents, a love that chooses, and hope for the road ahead. Use them for a placement day, a card for adoptive or foster parents, or a quiet prayer. Read one verse at a time, and let it speak to your heart.
Adopted into God's Family
1. Ephesians 1:5
"having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,"
Paul says that God planned in love to adopt us as his children through Jesus Christ. Adoption is not a plan B in God's heart; it is his joyful plan. Every child brought into a family by adoption can hear in this verse that being chosen and welcomed is something God himself delights in. Read all of Ephesians 1.
2. Romans 8:15
"For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”"
We did not receive a spirit of slavery that leads back to fear, but the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, Abba, Father. For a child who has known insecurity, this is profound: you can call God Father without fear. Adoptive parents can be a small picture of that safe love every day. Read all of Romans 8.
3. Galatians 4:5
"that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children."
God sent his Son so that we might receive adoption as his children. In biblical times, an adopted child had full legal rights as an heir. That is the picture Paul has in mind: not a guest, but a full member of the family. Remind your child, in age-appropriate words, that they belong fully. Read all of Galatians 4.
4. 1 John 3:1
"See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him."
See what great love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and so we are. The love in adoption and the love of God both start with the giver. Your child does not earn their place; they receive it. This verse is a joyful declaration to put on a card or on a bedroom wall. Read all of 1 John 3.
Belonging
5. Psalm 27:10
"When my father and my mother forsake me, then Yahweh will take me up."
Even if my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me in. This verse is deeply tender for children who have experienced separation. It does not make light of the pain. It says that God is a refuge and that he receives those who have been left. Share it gently, when the child is ready. Read all of Psalm 27.
6. Isaiah 43:1
"But now Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel, says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine."
God says, I have called you by name; you are mine. This was first spoken to Israel, yet it describes how God sees each person he made. A child who has moved between homes can hold on to this: you are known, called by your name and wanted. Say their name in prayer and tell them they are loved. Read all of Isaiah 43.
7. Psalm 68:5
"A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."
God is described as a father to the fatherless, a defender of the weak, who watches over children who lack parents. That is comforting for children, and it is a quiet calling for adults. Foster and adoptive parents carry out God's own heart when they open their homes to a child in need. Read all of Psalm 68.
8. Ephesians 2:19
"So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God,"
You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but members of God's household. Every child longs to hear this at home: you are not a visitor here. Make space at the table, in the family photographs and in daily rhythms. Belonging is built in small, repeated moments, and God sees each one. Read all of Ephesians 2.
Caring for Children Without Parents
9. James 1:27
"Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."
Pure religion before God is to visit orphans and widows in their trouble. James places care for children without parents at the heart of faithful living. This does not mean everyone must adopt, but everyone can pray, give, volunteer or support a foster family. Ask how you can take part. Read all of James 1.
10. Psalm 82:3
"“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed."
Defend the weak and the fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. This is a call to protect children who cannot speak for themselves. It might mean welcoming a child into your home, or offering practical help to those who do. Compassion for the vulnerable always begins with seeing them. Read all of Psalm 82.
11. Isaiah 1:17
"Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Defend the fatherless. Plead for the widow.”"
Learn to do good, seek justice, defend the fatherless. God asks his people to act, not just to feel. Churches can support foster families with meals, childcare, training or prayer. A single act of practical kindness can make a heavy week lighter for a family that is loving a child through hard transitions. Read all of Isaiah 1.
12. Deuteronomy 10:18
"He executes justice for the fatherless and widow and loves the foreigner in giving him food and clothing."
God executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, giving food and clothing. His love is practical. He sees the child who is far from home and provides. When we serve a child's daily needs, such as meals, clothes and a safe bed, we join in what God himself is already doing. Read all of Deuteronomy 10.
A Love That Chooses
13. John 15:16
"You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you."
Jesus says, You did not choose me, but I chose you. His love comes before our response. Adoption works the same way: the parents choose the child before the child can do anything to deserve it. If your child ever wonders why they were chosen, you can tell them that love chooses freely and keeps choosing. Read all of John 15.
14. 1 John 4:19
"We love him, because he first loved us."
We love because God first loved us. That sentence explains how foster and adoptive parents find the strength to love a child who may not be able to love back right away. They draw on God's love, which never runs out. Rest in that love when the days are hard. Read all of 1 John 4.
15. Zephaniah 3:17
"Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing."
The Lord your God is with you, a mighty one who saves; he will rejoice over you with singing and calm you with his love. Picture God delighting over a child the way a parent delights over their baby. This verse is a lovely lullaby for any child, and a reminder to parents that God rejoices over them too. Read all of Zephaniah 3.
16. Romans 5:8
"But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God's love does not wait until we are ready or deserving. It moves first. When a child seems unready to receive love, remember this: your steady love, offered before they can respond, mirrors the way God loves us. Read all of Romans 5.
Hope for the Road Ahead
17. Matthew 18:5
"Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,"
Jesus says that whoever welcomes one such child in his name welcomes him. Every foster or adoptive home becomes a place where Christ is received. On days when the work feels unnoticed, remember that Jesus sees every meal, every bedtime story and every patient answer, and counts them as done to him. Read all of Matthew 18.
18. Mark 10:16
"He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them."
Jesus took the children in his arms, laid his hands on them and blessed them. This is a picture of tenderness. Blessing a child can be a bedtime habit: place a hand on their shoulder and pray over them. They will remember the warmth and the words long after the details fade. Read all of Mark 10.
19. Psalm 127:3
"Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward."
Children are a heritage from the Lord, a reward and a gift. For adoptive and foster families, every child who joins the home is received as this kind of gift, with their own story and dignity. Thank God for the child in your care, and ask him to guide you in raising them with wisdom and love. Read all of Psalm 127.
20. Philippians 4:19
"My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
God will supply all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. Foster and adoptive parenting brings real needs: time, money, patience, healing and wisdom. Bring them one by one to God in prayer, and look for his provision through your church family, your community and unexpected help. Read all of Philippians 4.
Further reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about adoption?
The Bible uses adoption as a picture of how God receives us as his children, as in Ephesians 1:5 and Romans 8:15. It also commands care for children without parents, as in James 1:27. Adoption is both a spiritual truth and a practical act of love.
What Bible verse is good for a foster parent?
James 1:27 honors those who care for children in need, and Matthew 18:5 says that welcoming a child in Jesus' name is welcoming him. Galatians 6:9 and Philippians 4:19 also encourage. Add a personal note of thanks for their open home.
How can I talk to an adopted child about being chosen?
Use simple, honest words suited to their age, and let them ask questions. You can share that love chose them, as John 15:16 describes God's love, while also respecting their feelings about their birth family. If sadness or anger arises, welcome it, and seek the help of a trusted counselor if needed.