In the biblical context, the term "immigrants" often refers to "sojourners," "foreigners," or "strangers" who reside temporarily or permanently in a land not their own. The Bible provides numerous references to immigrants, offering guidance on how they should be treated and the responsibilities they bear.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament frequently addresses the presence and treatment of immigrants within Israel. The Hebrew word "ger" is often translated as "sojourner" or "foreigner." The Israelites themselves were once sojourners in Egypt, a fact that God repeatedly reminds them of, urging them to treat foreigners with compassion and justice. In Exodus 22:21 , God commands, "You must not exploit or oppress a foreign resident, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt."

Leviticus 19:33-34 further emphasizes this point: "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." This passage highlights the expectation that the Israelites extend love and fair treatment to immigrants, reflecting God's own character and commands.

The Mosaic Law also provided specific protections and rights for immigrants. For example, in Deuteronomy 24:19-21 , the Israelites are instructed to leave behind gleanings in their fields for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, ensuring that the vulnerable, including immigrants, have access to sustenance.

New Testament Context

The New Testament continues the theme of compassion and justice for immigrants. Jesus Himself was a refugee, as recorded in Matthew 2:13-15 , when Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt with the infant Jesus to escape King Herod's decree. This event underscores the vulnerability and need for protection that immigrants often face.

In the teachings of Jesus, the call to love one's neighbor extends to all people, including immigrants. The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) illustrates the importance of showing mercy and kindness to those who are different from us, regardless of their nationality or status.

The early church also grappled with issues of inclusion and diversity, as seen in Acts 10, where Peter is led by God to welcome Gentiles into the faith. This event marks a significant shift in understanding the scope of God's kingdom, emphasizing that it transcends ethnic and national boundaries.

The Apostle Paul, in his letters, often speaks to the unity of believers, regardless of their background. In Ephesians 2:19 , he writes, "Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household." This passage highlights the spiritual inclusion of all believers, symbolically extending the concept of citizenship to include those who were once outsiders.

Theological Implications

The biblical narrative consistently portrays God as a protector and advocate for the marginalized, including immigrants. The call to love and care for immigrants is rooted in the character of God and His commands to His people. The treatment of immigrants serves as a reflection of one's faithfulness to God's covenant and a demonstration of His love and justice in the world.

Throughout Scripture, the presence of immigrants serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human life and the ultimate citizenship that believers hold in the kingdom of God. The biblical mandate to care for immigrants challenges believers to reflect God's love and justice in their interactions with all people, recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of every individual created in the image of God.Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Topicalbible.org

Genesis 12:1
Now the LORD had said to Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you:
Topicalbible.org

1616. ger -- a sojourner
... Word Origin from gur Definition a sojourner NASB Word Usage alien (40), aliens
(11), foreigners (1), immigrants (1), sojourner (5), sojourners (2), stranger (25 ...
/hebrew/1616.htm - 6k

Monos
... among them. The island on which we landed is used, from time to time,
as a depot for coolie immigrants when first landed. There ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter vi monos.htm

Germantown, Pennsylvania.
... Wohlwuenscher, Jews, heathen, etc." (Jacobs, 191.) Concerning the thrifty character
and all-round good citizenship of the German immigrants in Pennsylvania ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bente/american lutheranism/germantown pennsylvania.htm

Further Activity and Death of Muhlenberg.
... papers in the Halle 'Reports.' The entire field is surveyed, the history of German
immigration traced, and the religious condition of the immigrants described. ...
/.../bente/american lutheranism/further activity and death of.htm

Chatter xviii. The Great Immigration.
... Up to the year 1820 the recent immigration had been inconsiderable. In the ten years
1820-29 the annual arrival of immigrants was nine thousand. ...
/.../a history of american christianity/chatter xviii the great immigration.htm

The Training of a Statesman.
... the minds of the Egyptians. They both looked down upon and feared the
nomad immigrants on their eastern border. In the light of ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study viii the training of.htm

Mongrel Religion
... convince the consciences of some here present that they themselves are guilty, and
that of them it might be said, as of these Assyrian immigrants, "They feared ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 27 1881/mongrel religion.htm

From Abraham to Egypt.
... The pyramids were already old and a great stone wall had long ago been built across
the isthmus of Suez to prevent the immigrants and enemies of the north from ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter iv from abraham to.htm

A Decade of Controversies and Schisms.
... It represented in its ministry and membership the two most masterful races on the
continent, the New England colonists and the Scotch-Irish immigrants; and the ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter xvii a decade of.htm

Tendencies Toward a Manifestation of the Unity of the American ...
... The strong vitality of the new nation is proved by its assimilating to itself an
immense mass of immigrants from all parts of Europe, and by expanding itself ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter xxii tendencies toward a.htm

In the Matter of their Origins, as These are Somewhat Obscure and ...
... Tim??us tells us that immigrants from Asia, under the leadership of Tyrrhenus, who,
in a contest about his native kingdom, had succumbed to his brother ...
/.../tertullian/the shows or de spectaculis/chapter v in the matter.htm

Immigrants (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Immigrants (1 Occurrence). Ezekiel 14:7 For everyone
of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn ...
/i/immigrants.htm - 6k

Immersion

/i/immersion.htm - 14k

Imminent (3 Occurrences)

/i/imminent.htm - 7k

Rhodes (2 Occurrences)
... The most ancient cities of Rhodes were Ialysus, Ochyroma, and Lindus. The oldest
inhabitants were immigrants from Crete. Later came the Carians. ...
/r/rhodes.htm - 13k

Bithynia (2 Occurrences)
... its mouth. The earliest discernible Bithynians, however, were Thracian
immigrants from the European side of the Reliespont. The ...
/b/bithynia.htm - 11k

Adin (2 Occurrences)
... placed in the midst of the narrative concerning Zerubbabel, but its title and Its
contents show that it also includes the later Jewish immigrants into Palestine ...
/a/adin.htm - 9k

Shiloah (1 Occurrence)
... the valley and on the hill slopes opposite, but a southern part has recently been
built in an extremely primitive manner by Yemen Jews, immigrants from South ...
/s/shiloah.htm - 17k

Shelah (18 Occurrences)
... the valley and on the hill slopes opposite, but a southern part has recently been
built in an extremely primitive manner by Yemen Jews, immigrants from South ...
/s/shelah.htm - 24k

Siloah (1 Occurrence)
... the valley and on the hill slopes opposite, but a southern part has recently been
built in an extremely primitive manner by Yemen Jews, immigrants from South ...
/s/siloah.htm - 17k

Siloam (4 Occurrences)
... the valley and on the hill slopes opposite, but a southern part has recently been
built in an extremely primitive manner by Yemen Jews, immigrants from South ...
/s/siloam.htm - 21k

How should a Christian respond to illegal aliens/illegal immigrants? | GotQuestions.org

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What does the Bible say about illegal immigration? | GotQuestions.org

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