Bible Verses About Money

“The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.”

The psalmist begins with a claim of ownership: the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord. What we hold is on loan, which changes how we hold it.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Jesus contrasts treasure that can be lost with treasure that cannot, and says where your treasure is shows where your heart is. He is talking about direction of the heart more than about a bank balance.

“No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

No one can serve two masters, and Jesus names money as a rival for the loyalty that belongs to God. The point is service: wealth is a fine tool and a terrible master.

“Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?” And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.””

Asked to settle a family inheritance dispute, Jesus warns against every kind of greed. A person's life, he says, is not measured by how much they own.

“Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, so we cannot carry anything out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”

Paul says godliness with contentment is real gain, and that it is the love of money, not money itself, that becomes a root of many evils. Some who chased riches wounded themselves along the way.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?””

Freedom from the love of money rests on a promise: God will not leave his people. Security comes from his presence, not from savings.

“I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Paul writes from prison that he has learned to be content in plenty and in need alike. Contentment here is a skill practiced over time, not a personality trait.

“Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.”

A wise man asks God for neither poverty nor riches, only enough. He sees dangers at both ends: forgetting God when full, and being tempted to desperate choices when empty.

“One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

Generosity runs against ordinary arithmetic: those who give freely can end up richer in what matters, and those who refresh others are refreshed. It is a pattern of life, not a guaranteed payout.

“Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.”

Kindness to the poor is treated as a loan to the Lord, who promises to repay it. Caring for those in need is regarded as caring for God's own concern.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Paul asks the Corinthians to give as they have decided in their hearts, not reluctantly or under pressure. God, he says, is able to supply what makes generous giving possible.

“In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’””

Paul recalls a saying of Jesus that giving brings more happiness than receiving. It is a reminder that generosity blesses the giver too.

“The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

Careful planning tends toward abundance, while hurry tends toward loss. Scripture values patience and diligence with resources.

“Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it? Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’”

Jesus uses the image of a builder who counts the cost before starting, so as not to leave a half-finished tower. Thinking ahead is treated as ordinary wisdom.

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.”

The proverb observes that borrowers become servants to lenders. It is a sober note on the weight debt can place on freedom.

“Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”

Paul says to owe nothing to anyone except the ongoing debt of love. Many Christians read this as a call to pay what is owed promptly and honorably; others note it does not forbid all borrowing.