Jesus talked about money more than almost any other subject — more than heaven, more than prayer, more than most of the topics that fill the average Sunday sermon. That was not an accident. He understood that money has a unique capacity to become the thing a person’s life organizes itself around without them ever consciously deciding that was the plan. The slow accumulation of financial decisions made from fear, from greed, from insecurity, from the genuine human desire for security that tips, almost imperceptibly, into an arrangement where money holds the place that God was always meant to occupy. Scripture does not condemn wealth. It does not glorify poverty. It consistently, practically, and sometimes uncomfortably addresses the condition of the heart that handles both.
That’s exactly what this collection of Bible verses about money is here to speak into. You’ll find the best Scripture verses on earning honestly, giving generously, saving wisely, avoiding the love of money while using money well, contentment in seasons of plenty and seasons of lack, and the financial posture of someone whose security is ultimately grounded in God rather than a bank balance. Read them before major financial decisions. Read them when money stress is loudest and the fear about provision is shaping choices it probably should not be shaping. Scripture has wisdom for every financial situation a person will ever face — and it was never meant to stay theoretical. It was meant to change how you actually handle the money in your actual life.
JUMP TO:
What Money Actually Is — and Who It Actually Belongs To
- “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” — Psalm 24:1 (NIV)
- “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,” declares the Lord Almighty.” — Haggai 2:8 (NIV)
- “For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” — Psalm 50:10 (NIV)
- “The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.” — Leviticus 25:23 (NIV)
- “Who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?'” — Romans 9:20 (NIV)
- “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant.” — Deuteronomy 8:18 (NIV)
- “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” — Deuteronomy 8:17–18 (NIV)
- “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” — 1 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)
- “What do you have that you did not receive?” — 1 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)
- “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” — James 1:17 (NIV)
- “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” — 2 Corinthians 9:10 (NIV)
- “‘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.'” — Malachi 3:10 (NIV)
- “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” — Proverbs 3:9–10 (NIV)
- “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.” — Leviticus 27:30 (NIV)
- “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Wealth and honor come from you.” — 1 Chronicles 29:11–12 (NIV)
- “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” — 1 Chronicles 29:14 (NIV)
The Love of Money — Why the Bible Is Blunt About This One
- “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.” — 1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)
- “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.” — Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
- “You cannot serve both God and money.” — Luke 16:13 (NIV)
- “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.'” — Luke 12:15 (NIV)
- “And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.'” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”‘” — Luke 12:16–20 (NIV)
- “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” — Luke 12:21 (NIV)
- “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” — Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NIV)
- “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” — 1 Timothy 6:9 (NIV)
- “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” — Proverbs 23:4–5 (NIV)
- “A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live.” — Proverbs 15:27 (NIV)
- “Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household.” — Proverbs 15:27 (ESV)
- “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap.” — 1 Timothy 6:9 (NIV)
- “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” — Proverbs 13:11 (NIV)
- “The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.” — Proverbs 28:25 (NIV)
- “Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.” — Proverbs 10:2 (NIV)
- “The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.” — Proverbs 10:16 (NIV)
What Jesus Said About Money — He Talked About It More Than Almost Anything Else
- “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:19–21 (NIV)
- “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
- “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” — Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
- “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” — Matthew 6:25 (NIV)
- “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” — Matthew 6:26 (NIV)
- “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” — Luke 12:27 (NIV)
- “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” — Luke 6:38 (NIV)
- “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” — Matthew 19:24 (NIV)
- “When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'” — Luke 18:22 (NIV)
- “Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on.'” — Mark 12:43–44 (NIV)
- “No one can serve two masters.” — Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
- “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” — Luke 12:15 (NIV)
- “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” — Luke 16:10 (NIV)
- “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” — Luke 16:11 (NIV)
- “You cannot serve both God and money.” — Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
- “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” — Luke 6:20 (NIV)
Contentment — the Wealth Most People Never Find on a Balance Sheet
- “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.” — 1 Timothy 6:6–8 (NIV)
- “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'” — Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
- “I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” — Philippians 4:11–12 (ESV)
- “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
- “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” — Psalm 23:1 (NIV)
- “A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.” — Psalm 37:16 (NKJV)
- “Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.” — Proverbs 15:16 (NIV)
- “Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.” — Proverbs 16:8 (NIV)
- “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.” — Proverbs 17:1 (NIV)
- “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.” — Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NIV)
- “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” — Ecclesiastes 1:14 (KJV)
- “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” — Proverbs 23:5 (NIV)
- “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” — Proverbs 30:8–9 (NIV)
- “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” — Psalm 37:25 (ESV)
- “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” — 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)
- “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment.” — 1 Timothy 6:6 (ESV)
Generosity — What the Bible Says Happens When You Give
- “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.” — 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
- “God loves a cheerful giver.” — 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
- “Give, and it will be given to you.” — Luke 6:38 (NIV)
- “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” — Proverbs 11:24 (NIV)
- “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” — Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)
- “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” — Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)
- “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.” — Proverbs 28:27 (NIV)
- “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” — Proverbs 22:9 (NIV)
- “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” — 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)
- “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” — 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)
- “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” — 2 Corinthians 9:9 (NIV)
- “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” — 1 Timothy 6:18 (NIV)
- “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” — 1 Timothy 6:19 (NIV)
- “For the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” — 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)
- “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.” — Galatians 2:10 (NIV)
- “Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” — Hebrews 13:16 (NIV)
Wisdom With Money — the Proverbs Nobody Memorizes but Everyone Needs
- “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” — Proverbs 21:5 (NIV)
- “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” — Proverbs 13:11 (NIV)
- “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.” — Proverbs 13:22 (NIV)
- “Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.” — Proverbs 22:26–27 (NIV)
- “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” — Proverbs 22:7 (NIV)
- “Whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” — Proverbs 13:11 (NIV)
- “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” — Proverbs 10:4 (NIV)
- “He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.” — Proverbs 12:11 (NIV)
- “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” — Proverbs 10:22 (NIV)
- “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” — Proverbs 13:11 (ESV)
- “Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.” — Proverbs 20:18 (NIV)
- “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” — Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)
- “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.” — Proverbs 21:20 (NIV)
- “Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds.” — Proverbs 27:23 (ESV)
- “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.” — Proverbs 27:23–24 (NIV)
- “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” — Proverbs 27:1 (NIV)
Debt, Work, and Provision — the Practical Verses That Actually Help
- “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.” — Psalm 37:21 (NIV)
- “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another.” — Romans 13:8 (NIV)
- “Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” — Romans 13:7 (NIV)
- “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” — Colossians 3:23–24 (NIV)
- “Whoever does not work should not eat.” — 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NCV)
- “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” — 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NIV)
- “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” — 1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV)
- “Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.” — Proverbs 12:24 (NIV)
- “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” — Proverbs 14:23 (NIV)
- “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” — Proverbs 6:6–8 (NIV)
- “How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest — and poverty will come on you like a thief.” — Proverbs 6:9–11 (NIV)
- “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” — Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)
- “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” — Proverbs 14:23 (ESV)
- “She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.” — Proverbs 31:16 (NIV)
- “She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.” — Proverbs 31:18 (NIV)
- “The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.” — Proverbs 16:26 (NIV)
Money and the Poor — the Verses the Church Doesn’t Read Enough
- “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” — Proverbs 14:31 (NIV)
- “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” — Proverbs 31:8–9 (NIV)
- “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord.” — Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)
- “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” — 1 John 3:17 (NIV)
- “Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” — Isaiah 58:7 (NIV)
- “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear.” — Isaiah 58:8 (NIV)
- “He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.” — Proverbs 28:27 (ESV)
- “Blessed are those who consider the poor; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.” — Psalm 41:1 (NIV)
- “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” — James 1:27 (NIV)
- “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” — Matthew 25:35 (ESV)
- “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” — Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
- “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” — Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
- “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” — Proverbs 19:17 (ESV)
- “Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.” — Proverbs 22:22–23 (NIV)
- “Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.” — Deuteronomy 24:17 (NIV)
- “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap.” — Psalm 113:7 (NIV)
Trusting God With Your Finances — When the Numbers Don’t Add Up
- “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
- “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” — Psalm 23:1 (NIV)
- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)
- “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” — Psalm 37:25 (ESV)
- “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink.” — Matthew 6:25 (NIV)
- “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” — Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
- “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” — Matthew 6:34 (NIV)
- “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” — Psalm 55:22 (NIV)
- “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” — Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
- “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed.” — 2 Corinthians 9:10 (NIV)
- “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” — Luke 12:24 (NIV)
- “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” — Matthew 6:8 (NIV)
- “The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” — Psalm 34:10 (ESV)
- “No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” — Psalm 84:11 (NIV)
- “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” — Psalm 84:11 (NIV)
- “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:19 (ESV)
The Eternal Perspective — What Outlasts Every Balance Sheet
- “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” — Matthew 6:19 (NIV)
- “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” — Matthew 6:20 (NIV)
- “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” — 1 Timothy 6:7 (NIV)
- “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” — Job 1:21 (NIV)
- “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” — Mark 8:36 (NIV)
- “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” — 1 Timothy 6:19 (NIV)
- “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” — Proverbs 22:1 (NIV)
- “Riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.” — Proverbs 27:24 (NIV)
- “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.” — Proverbs 11:28 (NIV)
- “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” — 1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)
- “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” — 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)
- “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” — 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)
- “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” — 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)
- “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.” — Luke 12:33 (NIV)
- “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
- “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” — Revelation 22:20–21 (NIV)