Bible Verses About Money and Finances

The Bible contains over 2,000 verses about money and possessions - more than faith and prayer combined. Scripture provides comprehensive guidance for earning, spending, saving, and giving money according to God's principles.

9 Verses

1. 1 Timothy 6:10

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Paul identifies money's spiritual danger - not money itself but loving it. Barnes' commentary notes this doesn't mean money causes ALL evil, but excessive desire for wealth causes people to "wander away from the faith" and be "pierced through" with many sorrows. Gill suggests the warning applies when money is loved "above God" and becomes a form of idolatry. Meyer describes how "the denial of faith necessarily implies the denial of blessedness." The verse warns that pursuing money can corrupt spiritual commitments and create internal emotional suffering (BibleHub Commentaries).

2. Matthew 6:24

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
Jesus teaches that divided loyalty is impossible when interests are "directly contrary to each other." Commentaries emphasize that humans will inevitably "hate the one and love the other." The issue isn't possessing wealth, but allowing wealth to become "an object of thought and pursuit" that competes with God. The verse emphasizes "singleness of the Christian character" - one cannot have partial allegiance but must choose complete devotion to either God or worldly pursuits (BibleHub Commentaries).

3. Proverbs 22:7

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."
Solomon observes economic power dynamics. Matthew Poole notes the rich can rule "with rigour and tyranny, taking advantage of his necessities." Gill's commentary explains the borrower is "forced to be subject to him, and comply with his humours," losing financial and personal autonomy. The Pulpit Commentary suggests the proverb implies "everyone should strive and labour to obtain a competency, and thus avoid the evils of impecuniosity." The underlying message warns about the potential loss of freedom and dignity from financial dependency (BibleHub Commentaries).

4. Malachi 3:10

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."
God challenges Israel to "prove me now herewith" by bringing full tithes. The "whole tithe" was for "food in my house" supporting priests and Levites. If people obey, God promises to "open the windows of heaven" with blessing so abundant there will be "not room enough to receive it." Matthew Henry notes "God notices what returns our hearts make to the calls of his word." The promise includes abundant rain, crop protection, and prosperity that makes other nations recognize Israel's blessing (BibleHub Commentaries).

5. Luke 16:11

"So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"
Jesus connects earthly stewardship with spiritual responsibility. "Unrighteous mammon" refers to worldly wealth that belongs to the fallen order. If someone cannot manage earthly resources faithfully, they cannot be trusted with "true riches" - eternal treasures and spiritual responsibilities. This parable of the shrewd manager teaches that money management is training ground for greater spiritual stewardship. How we handle temporal wealth reveals character for kingdom responsibilities (BibleHub Commentaries).

6. Philippians 4:19

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."
Paul promises divine provision as reward for the Philippians' generosity. Barnes notes this follows "the general principle that God would regard their offering with favor." God will "supply all your need" - both spiritual and temporal. Gill explains believers need "fresh discoveries of God's love," "supplies of grace," and "manifestations of pardoning grace." The provision comes "according to his riches in glory" - Meyer interprets this as God supplying "in conformity with His being so rich." The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes provision comes "through union with" Christ Jesus (BibleHub Commentaries).

7. 1 Timothy 6:6-8

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."
Paul contrasts godly contentment with greedy gain-seeking. "Godliness with contentment" is itself "great gain" - true wealth comes from spiritual satisfaction, not material accumulation. Since "we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out," accumulation is futile. "Food and clothing" represents basic necessities. The context addresses false teachers motivated by financial gain. Contentment is a learned attitude independent of circumstances. True wealth consists in wanting what we have rather than having what we want (BibleHub Commentaries).

8. Proverbs 21:5

"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."
Solomon contrasts careful planning with hasty shortcuts. "The plans of the diligent lead to profit" shows cause-effect relationship between deliberate preparation and abundance. "Haste leads to poverty" warns against shortcuts that bypass proper process. The parallel structure emphasizes certainty: diligence produces abundance as surely as haste produces poverty. This principle appears throughout Proverbs, correlating wealth with character. True prosperity flows from patient, persistent effort guided by wise planning rather than get-rich-quick schemes (BibleHub Commentaries).

9. 2 Corinthians 9:7

"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Paul establishes principles for biblical giving. "Each should give what you have decided in your heart" - giving should be predetermined internally, not from external pressure. "Not reluctantly or under compulsion" - giving should be voluntary, not forced or cause sadness. "God loves a cheerful giver" - the Greek "hilaros" (source of "hilarious") means joyful, glad giving pleases God most. The context involves raising funds for Jerusalem's poor Christians. This establishes freedom in giving where amount, attitude, and motivation matter more than obligation (BibleHub Commentaries).

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