What Does the Bible Say About Immigrants?

Immigration is one of the most debated topics in the world today. Families move across borders for work, safety, or a fresh start. Governments argue over laws and policies. In the middle of all this, Christians often ask a simple question: what does the Bible actually say about immigrants?

The Bible speaks about immigrants, often called “foreigners” or “strangers,” more than almost any other social topic. From the law of Moses to the words of Jesus, Scripture is clear: God’s people are commanded to love the foreigner. This is not a suggestion or a minor theme. It is a repeated command rooted in who God is and in Israel’s own story of being strangers in Egypt.

If you are an immigrant, a refugee, or someone who feels like an outsider, know this: you are welcome to come to Christ. The gospel is for every nation, tribe, and tongue. God’s heart has always been for the stranger, and His church should reflect that heart.

What does the Old Testament say about immigrants?

The Old Testament uses the Hebrew word ger, often translated “foreigner,” “stranger,” or “sojourner.” These were people living among Israel who were not native-born Israelites. God gave specific laws about how they were to be treated.

One of the clearest commands is found in Exodus:

You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt. — Exodus 22:21 (BSB)

Notice the reason God gives. Israel was to treat foreigners well because they themselves had been foreigners. They knew what it felt like to be outsiders, to be oppressed, to have no rights. God was saying: remember where you came from, and let that shape how you treat others.

Leviticus repeats this command with even more detail:

When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. — Leviticus 19:33-34 (BSB)

This is striking. God commands His people to love the foreigner “as yourself” — the same words Jesus later used for the second greatest commandment. The foreigner was not to be merely tolerated or kept at a distance. They were to be loved.

Deuteronomy adds another layer. God Himself is described as the one who defends the foreigner:

He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. So you also must love the foreigner, since you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt. — Deuteronomy 10:18-19 (BSB)

God’s character is to care for the vulnerable, including the foreigner. And because God does this, His people are to do the same. The command is not based on the foreigner’s worthiness or legal status. It is based on God’s own love and on Israel’s memory of their own story.

Numbers 15 goes even further, describing equal treatment under the law:

The assembly is to have the same statute both for you and for the foreign resident; it is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD. — Numbers 15:15 (BSB)

In Israel’s legal system, the foreigner was to be treated with the same justice as the native-born. This did not mean there were no distinctions at all — foreigners could not own land in the same way, and some religious ceremonies required circumcision for full participation. But the basic principle was clear: equal justice, equal dignity, equal protection under the law.

What does the New Testament say about immigrants?

The New Testament continues this theme. Jesus Himself was a refugee. Shortly after His birth, His family fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s violence (Matthew 2:13-15). The Son of God experienced what it means to be a stranger in a foreign land.

Jesus also taught that how we treat the stranger is how we treat Him:

For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in. — Matthew 25:35 (BSB)

In this passage, Jesus identifies Himself with the stranger. To welcome the stranger is to welcome Christ. To neglect the stranger is to neglect Christ. This is a serious and beautiful truth.

The book of Hebrews echoes this command:

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. — Hebrews 13:2 (BSB)

Hospitality in the ancient world was not optional. It was a matter of survival for travelers and strangers. The early church was known for caring for outsiders, widows, orphans, and foreigners. This was a mark of genuine faith.

Paul also uses the language of citizenship and belonging in a powerful way. Writing to Gentile believers, he reminds them:

remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. — Ephesians 2:12 (BSB)

But then he continues:

Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household. — Ephesians 2:19 (BSB)

In Christ, the dividing wall between insider and outsider is broken down. Those who were far off have been brought near. The church is a new community where every believer, regardless of nationality, is a full citizen and a member of God’s family.

How should Christians treat immigrants today?

The Bible’s command is clear: love the foreigner. This means Christians should treat immigrants with dignity, kindness, and justice. It means refusing to exploit them, speak of them with contempt, or treat them as less than human. Every immigrant is made in the image of God and loved by Him.

This does not mean the Bible answers every question about immigration policy. Christians can and do disagree about what laws a country should have, how borders should be managed, and what requirements should apply to those who enter. These are matters of prudential judgment, not direct biblical commands. Faithful Christians may hold different views on these questions while agreeing on the clear biblical command to love the foreigner.

What the Bible does not leave open is the heart attitude. We are not to fear, despise, or mistreat immigrants. We are to love them as ourselves. We are to remember that we too were once strangers — strangers to God’s covenant, aliens and foreigners, until Christ brought us near.

What about the stranger in our midst?

Beyond the question of immigration policy, there is a personal question: how do you treat the immigrant you encounter? The foreigner at your child’s school, the refugee family at your church, the international student in your neighborhood — these are not abstractions. They are people made in God’s image.

Scripture calls us to hospitality. That word literally means “love of strangers.” It is not about entertaining friends. It is about opening our homes, our tables, and our lives to those who are different from us.

This can be costly. It can be inconvenient. It may require learning a new language or navigating cultural differences. But this is what God’s people have always been called to do. And He promises to be with us.

What hope does the gospel offer to immigrants?

The gospel is good news for every nation. Jesus died for people from every tribe, tongue, and people group. The Great Commission sends us to all nations. The vision of heaven is a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the throne (Revelation 7:9).

If you are an immigrant, you are not an afterthought in God’s plan. You are part of the fulfillment of His promise to bless all nations through Abraham’s seed. The church should be a place where you are welcomed, not as a stranger, but as a brother or sister in Christ.

And if you are not an immigrant, remember: you too were once a stranger. You were far off, without hope and without God. But Christ brought you near by His blood. That grace should make us the most welcoming people on earth.

How do we apply this?

The Bible’s teaching on immigrants is not complicated. Love the foreigner. Treat them with justice and kindness. Remember your own story of being a stranger. Welcome them as Christ welcomed you.

This does not settle every political debate. But it does settle the posture of your heart. It calls you to examine your words, your attitudes, and your actions toward those who are different from you.

Start with prayer. Ask God to give you His heart for the stranger. Then look for opportunities to show hospitality. Support ministries that serve refugees and immigrants. Befriend the international family in your neighborhood. Speak well of immigrants, even when others do not.

And if you are struggling with fear or resentment, bring that to God. He is patient and kind. He will shape your heart if you let Him.

The church is meant to be a foretaste of heaven — a place where every nation and language is welcomed. May that be true of us.

Common questions

Does the Bible say anything about immigration laws?

The Bible does not give a specific immigration policy for modern nations. It does command God’s people to treat foreigners with justice and love. Christians can disagree on policy details while agreeing on the clear command to love the foreigner.

Why does the Old Testament repeat the command to love foreigners so often?

Because Israel was once a foreigner in Egypt. God repeatedly reminds them of their own story of being strangers and oppressed. That memory was meant to shape how they treated others.

Is it wrong for a country to have borders?

The Bible does not condemn borders or national identity. Israel had borders and laws about who could enter. The question is not whether borders exist, but whether people are treated with dignity and justice.

How can I practically love immigrants in my community?

Start with prayer and then look for simple ways to show hospitality. Learn names, offer help, invite someone to a meal, support ministries that serve refugees, and speak well of immigrants in your conversations.