How many times is charity mentioned in the Bible?
The word charity appears 28 times in the King James Version, in 24 verses. It is found in 12 of the 66 books. The World English Bible never uses the word charity.
Charity is the KJV's word for the Greek agape 28 times, most famously in 1 Corinthians 13. The World English Bible says love in those places, so it has no charity count; the love page counts that word. Charitably, used once in Romans 14:15, is a different word and is not counted.
Charity in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of charity counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| charity | 28 | 0 |
| Total | 28 | 0 |
Which books mention charity most
Charity appears in 12 books of the 66 in the King James Version. 1 Corinthians has the most (12), then 1 Timothy (3) and 1 Peter (3).
First and last mention of charity
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
The verse that uses it most is 1 Corinthians 13:4, 3 times:
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Where the two translations differ
24 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 0 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
1 Corinthians 8:1: counted in the KJV only
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
1 Corinthians 13:1: counted in the KJV only
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
Common questions
How many times is charity in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 0 of the 28 uses are in the Old Testament and 28 in the New Testament. Charity appears in 12 books of the 66 in the King James Version. 1 Corinthians has the most (12), then 1 Timothy (3) and 1 Peter (3).
Where is charity first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is 1 Corinthians 8:1: "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." The last is Revelation 2:19.
More word counts: pestilence, Dathan, Jezreel, lily, harlot, Gehazi, Megiddo, Og, or all 635 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-24.