What Does the Bible Say About Money?

What Does the Bible Say About Money?

By the length of this article alone you will see that the Bible has much to say about money. The Bible says plenty about money explicitly, but it also gives us general wisdom and life principles instructing us to handle money well. It addresses the heart dispositions that our financial behavior flows from, like generosity and greed. Most importantly, the Bible gives us insight into how money affects our hearts, and how our hearts determine what we do with our money.

In this article, you’ll discover…

• What the Bible says about saving money, borrowing money, lending money, and the deceitfulness of riches
• 3 principles about money management
• 9 ways God calls us to give
• 7 truths about the love of money
• 10 truths about wealth
• 3 encouragements for those who have a financial need

As you read what the Bible says about money here, remember that the Bible is not fundamentally a self-help book, coaching us all to be financial whizzes. The Bible is the revelation of a person—God himself. It tells us his will for our lives and for the world, which is that we love him with all our hearts, and love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). All of God’s laws, commands, and wisdom regarding finances flow from those two commands.

The only way to live according to God’s will for us—even in the area of our finances—is to admit our spiritual poverty and receive God’s generosity expressed to us in Jesus. God’s Son Jesus paid the debt we owed by suffering the death we deserve because of all the ways we have failed to love God and love others. Jesus suffered the punishment we deserve for our sins—financial sins included. He rose from the dead, breaking the power of sin in our hearts, so that if we trust in him for salvation, we might receive a new heart and his Spirit, which will enable us to love God and others from the heart.

As you explore these Bible verses about money, don’t turn the principles or commands here into a checklist. Rather, let them serve as both a window and a mirror.

Let God’s laws be a window for you into the heart of God. There are many laws about money in the Old Testament, in addition to the laws about money listed here. When God set the people of Israel apart from other nations to be the nation through which he demonstrated the story of redemption, he gave them laws to ensure that their ethical standards reflected the heart of their God—his justice and generosity. If you would like to read these laws, you can find them scattered throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. What God requires of his people reflects his values, desires, and thoughts. As you browse these Scriptures about money, consider what God must be like in light of the ways he calls us to relate to money.

Then, let these Bible verses about money also serve as a mirror—a reflection of what’s true of your life. May you discover first and foremost whether God or money sits on the throne of your heart. And if God sits there, we pray these Bible verses will show you ways God’s Spirit is at work in you already to produce faithfulness, generosity, and love, or ways you can grow in love and faithfulness when it comes to your finances. And if God does not sit on the throne of your heart, may these verses reveal to you that money is a terrible god, and the one true God offers you what you desperately need and could never buy in Jesus Christ—forgiveness, redemption, a reconciled relationship with God, eternal life (1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 1:9; John 3:16).

The following verses about money are categorized. In the Scriptures about money provided here, you’ll learn what the Bible says about saving, managing, giving, borrowing, and lending money. You’ll also learn what the Bible has to say about riches and wealth, paying taxes, and financial need.

What Does the Bible Say About Saving Money?

Here are four Bible verses about saving money from the book of Proverbs. 

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. (Proverbs 13:11 ESV) 

A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. (Proverbs 10:4 ESV) 

Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth. (Proverbs 12:27 ESV)

Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. (Proverbs 23:4 NLT)

Scripture commends diligent work and responsible stewardship of our resources as the best way to save money. It also warns us against wearing ourselves out to get rich, which we may be tempted to do whether we have much or little.

Thus, these Scriptures would say to save money little by little, by diligently stewarding your income. And if you’re worn out, Proverbs prompts you to consider whether it’s because you’re diligently working hard to provide, or because you’re overworking to acquire wealth.

But we urge you, brothers…to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12 ESV)

Here’s one more Scripture that relates to saving money from the New Testament. It tells followers of Jesus to work hard and provide for themselves so that they will not have to depend on others; thus, their responsible living will commend them to outsiders.

Considering your present and future needs and working hard to save money to cover those expenses is one way to express obedience to this command. From 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12 we gather that Scripture commends saving money for the sake of providing for your present and future needs.

What Does the Bible Say About Money Management?

How does the Bible counsel us to manage our money? Bible verses about money management overlap with Bible verses about saving money. The previous few verses listed speak to how to manage money wisely, as will the rest of the verses in this article, but here are three general principles we can draw from Scripture paired with three verses about money management.

1. God commands us to manage money with integrity and justice.

In the New Testament letter from James, God rebukes rich people who claim to have faith in Jesus about the ways they are unjustly handling their money. You will find many rebukes of the religious leaders in the Old Testament similar to this. In short, God expects us to show integrity in our managing of finances and to do so with justice.

Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. (James 5:4-6 ESV)

2. God reveals that how we manage money reveals what we love. 

In the book of Luke we read some powerful words from Jesus. Jesus tells us that where we invest our treasure reveals what our hearts treasure.

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:32-34 ESV)

3. God calls followers of Jesus to attend to their finances and seek to manage their money well.

In both 1 Timothy 3:5 and in 1 Timothy 5:14, Scripture addresses church elders and widows to “manage their household” well, which would seem to include financial management. Managing whatever wealth God has given you is one way to demonstrate faithfulness, which is a fruit of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? (1 Timothy 3:5 NIV)

So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. (1 Timothy 5:14 NIV)

People manage money all sorts of ways, according to their varying personalities, education, and interests. You can use budgeting apps, financial planners, envelope systems, and balance sheets. These particular decisions are left to our discretion. But as you manage your finances, ask yourself these four questions, inspired by the Scriptures listed above: Am I attending to my finances? If so, am I managing my finances with justice and integrity? If so, what does my budget reveal about my values? Does my budget need any adjusting?

What Does the Bible Say About Giving Money?

The following verses are more broadly about generosity than simply about giving money. The Bible calls us to give. That may mean giving money, or it may mean giving possessions, time, or other resources.

God himself is generous and the Giver of all good things (James 1:17).

As you read these Bible verses about generosity, you’ll discover a few main ideas. God calls us to give generously, especially to those in need, especially to those who are fellow Christians, especially if we have more than we need, and with an especially joyful attitude. Here are nine ways God calls us to give in Scripture.

1. Give to those in need.

The one who oppresses the poor person insults his Maker, but one who is kind to the needy honors him. (Proverbs 14:31 CSB) 

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. (Proverbs 19:17 ESV)

2. Give, especially if you’re wealthy.

As for the rich in this present age…They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19 ESV)

3. Give joyfully.

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35 NIV) 

4. Give willingly. Second Corinthians 8:10-15 is a passage that instructs people to give according to their means.

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. (2 Corinthians 8:12 ESV)

A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him. (Proverbs 28:22 ESV)

5. Give whether you have a lot or a little.

…for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. (2 Corinthians 8:2 ESV)

6. Give to meet the needs of other Christians. Genuine followers of Jesus will show generosity toward one another, especially providing for one another’s needs.

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? (1 John 3:17 ESV)

7. Give quietly. God calls us to give money discreetly, never for attention.

Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:2-4 ESV)

8. Give regularly. God wanted his people to cultivate generous hearts, not to be penny-pinchers, hoarders, or stingy with their harvests, but instead, to always keep the poor in mind and to practice generosity in a practical way every time they reap the harvest. Is there a way in which you’re already exhibiting generosity routinely?

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:9-10 ESV)

9. Give freely. For, you can’t take money with you when you die.

There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. (Ecclesiastes 5:13-15 ESV)

What Does the Bible Say About Borrowing Money?

The common term for borrowing money is debt. Debt comes in all shapes and sizes, from paying a friend back for dinner, to using a credit card, to paying off college loans or a mortgage. What does the Bible say about debt?

Here are four Bible verses about borrowing money that counsel us to avoid debt, pay off our debts promptly, and recognize that entering debt puts you in a vulnerable position. Being in debt is not sinful—it’s alright to have a mortgage or be paying off your car or cell phone—but it is also not the ideal position to be in.

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. (Proverbs 22:7 ESV)

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8 NIV)

Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you? (Proverbs 22:26-27 ESV)

The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives… (Psalm 37:21 ESV)

What Does the Bible Say About Loving Money?

You may have heard someone quote the famous Bible verse that says that the love of money is the root of all evil. Most often, people misquote this verse and say that money is the root of all evil, rather than the love of money. This famous verse is one among several Bible verses about loving money.

Verses about loving money fall into two categories. Some Bible verses are about those who do love money; others are about those who don’t love money. The Bible calls those who love money greedy. The Bible calls those who don’t love money content. In the following list, you’ll find verses about greed and contentment, as well as Scriptures that warn you away from the love of money.

Here are seven truths from Scripture about the love of money.

1. The love of money breeds all kinds of evil and the desire for money can lead you away from God. 

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6:10 ESV)

2. The love of money is an idol—it’s something we serve and worship and devote ourselves to above God.

No servant can serve two masters, for 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 God and money. (Luke 16:13 ESV)

3. The love of money may keep someone from trusting in Jesus and following him.

In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God! (Mark 10:25 NLT)

4. The love of money will be an unsatisfied desire.

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV)

Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business. (Ecclesiastes 4:7-8 ESV)

5. The love of money is sin and a hallmark of the ungodly people in the last days.

For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy… (2 Timothy 3:2 ESV)

6. The love of money disqualifies someone from serving as a church leader.

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (1 Timothy 3:2-3 ESV)

7. Guard against the love of money by cultivating contentment.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13 NIV)

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV)

“What should we do?” asked some soldiers. John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.” (Luke 3:14 NLT)

“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15 NIV)

What Does the Bible Say About Lending Money?

As we survey what the Bible says about lending money, two main principles surface: first, that lending should be motivated by a generous heart, not by personal gain, and second, that a godly person lends even to their enemies.

The first few Bible verses about lending money listed here come from the Old Testament law. These commands are not binding on us, because if we have trusted in Jesus we belong to the new covenant made through Jesus (Hebrews 8:13; Hebrews 9:13; Hebrews 12:24). But they do teach us something important about generosity.

In these verses about lending money, God’s people were commanded not to lend to one another with interest. In fact, in Ezekiel 18:5-9, one description of a righteous person is that they don’t lend with interest.

Why was it wrong to lend with interest?

To lend with interest seems to forfeit generosity. Lending with interest changes the nature of lending and the attitude of the lender. Rather than giving to help someone in need, lending becomes a means of profit. The thought of the lender changes from what I can do for you to what you can do for me.

Thus, a righteous person would not lend with interest, but would just help a person in need out of their own generosity, not thinking about what they lost at present or could gain for the future, but how their means could meet another person’s need.

If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. (Exodus 22:25 ESV)

You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest. (Deuteronomy 23:19 ESV)

You may charge a foreigner interest, but you may not charge your brother interest, that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. (Deuteronomy 23:20 ESV)

Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?…Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever. (Psalm 15:1, 5 NLT)

It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. (Psalm 112:5 ESV)

In the New Testament, we find Jesus’ teaching on lending. In more ways than just letting others borrow from us, Jesus commands that we show generosity to our enemies. Can you think of a scenario where you might be called to lend to your enemies?

But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:39-45 ESV)

And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (Luke 6:33-35 ESV)

What Does the Bible Say About Riches and Wealth?

What do you think the Bible says about riches and wealth? Take a minute to think. How would you answer that question?

People often draw one of two extreme conclusions about what the Bible says about wealth.

Some say that wealth is a sign of God’s blessing and that God wants all of us to be wealthy. They say that the abundant life Jesus promises us (in John 10:10) refers to abundance in our material lives. They encourage us to make a lot of money, because God wants that for us. Thus, if you have a small bank account, you might not be experiencing the life Jesus has for you, and you may need more faith in his generous heart toward you, so they would say.

On the other end of the spectrum, some would say that wealth itself is evil and it’s wrong to be rich. Jesus calls us to a life of sacrifice, they say, and tells us to sell all we have and give to the poor (Mark 10:21). If you have a big bank account, clearly you’re disobeying Jesus’ call to embrace denying yourself for the sake of his kingdom.

Neither of these conclusions is correct, for neither considers the whole testimony of Scripture. Neither conclusion is founded on wholly accurate premises of God as he reveals himself in the Bible. Neither take into account the facts of history—that God’s people who are faithful to him have both been exceedingly prosperous and in dire need.

The Bible’s true testimony about wealth and riches is a nuanced middle ground. Here’s a brief summary of what the Bible says about wealth.

Everything we have comes from the hand of God. Everything belongs to him. Whatever wealth we have ultimately belongs to God and has come directly or indirectly to us as his gift. Like any other gift, God chooses how to distribute it, according to his wisdom and kindness.

In the Bible, in history, and in your own experience, you will know faithful followers of Christ who are very wealthy. You will also know sincere followers of Christ who are poor. You will know of wicked people with great wealth, and very decent people who are impoverished. What does this say to us? Our wealth is no indicator of God’s favor upon us.

The Bible teaches that God’s favor is communicated to us not primarily in his gifts, but in the gospel—the good news that God loves us because of what Christ has done for us, and not on account of any merit of our own.

At the same time, money—like food or health or sex or any other good thing—can be a great blessing to us. There will be times when God meets our needs or cares for us as a good Father by blessing us financially.

Money may also be a temptation. Like any good thing, money can be a danger to us because we will be tempted to worship it in God’s stead.

God’s promise to his children, to those who have put their faith in Christ, is that he will meet their needs (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:25-33).

So how do we think about riches and wealth as followers of Jesus? We thank God for all that he has given us, asking God to protect our hearts from loving the gifts more than the Giver. We seek him for our needs and share our desires with him, but strive to learn contentment, finding our ultimate joy not in the things of this world, but in the Giver of all good gifts (Philippians 4:12-13).

We’ve summarized for you what the Bible says about wealth and riches, but we want you to see some of these truths for yourself. Below are ten truths about riches and wealth from the Bible, that when taken together, provide a holistic picture of how to relate to money.

1. It is not sinful to be wealthy.

Many faithful believers in Scripture, in history, and in our current age are wealthy. Abraham (Genesis 13:2), Jacob (Genesis 30:43), Job (Job 1:3), Solomon (1 Kings 10:23), Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57), Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2), Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37), and Lydia (Acts 16:14) are some examples of wealthy, godly individuals in the Bible.

2. Wealth is a gift from God, and no person can take ultimate credit for their wealth.

But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. (Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV)

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11 ESV)

3. Wealth is not an indicator of God’s favor.

Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. (Psalm 73:12 ESV)

We cannot trace the cause of some being wealthy and some not to the secret hand of God. Rather, we must take the humble perspective that we are all dealt different “cards” by God, and the rationale behind that “dealing” belongs to God alone and is beyond our searching out and beyond our understanding.

Of course, there are natural causes of our current financial states—we may have worked hard to earn an excellent living and are rich, or squandered money away gambling and are poor. We may be rich because of a wealthy parent we had, or we may be poor because of some natural disaster that consumed our assets. Although we may be able to point to various “causes” of wealth or lack of it, we cannot fully trace out why, in God’s providence, some are rich and some are poor.

4. Enjoy the wealth God has given you with thankfulness in your heart to God for the blessing that it is.

Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 5:19 ESV)

Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. (Ecclesiastes 10:19 NIV)

5. God’s Word does not encourage us to ask him for wealth; rather, the wisdom literature of the Bible encourages us to ask that God would meet our needs.

Two things I ask of you, Lord;
do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
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 30:7-9 NIV)

6. Wealth is fleeting; you can’t take it with you when you die!

Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! (Psalm 39:6 ESV)

7. Wealth is not a trustworthy refuge, nor a good place to put your hope.

The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!” (Psalm 52:6-7 ESV)

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. (Proverbs 11:28 ESV)

8. Economic growth will come with the temptation to put our hope in money.

Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. (Psalm 62:10 NIV)

9. Wealth tempts us toward pride and deceives us into finding our security in money.

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. (1 Timothy 6:17 NKJV)

10. Wealth is no reason to boast. What pleases God most is if we know him through faith in his Son, Jesus.

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV)

What Is the “Deceitfulness of Riches?”

The Bible warns us about the deceitfulness of riches. The most direct warning like this comes from Jesus, but there are plenty of other indirect warnings about the deceitfulness of riches in the Bible.

Jesus explicitly uses the phrase “the deceitfulness of riches” in his parable about a farmer who sowed seed on four kinds of ground. In the story, the seed represents God’s Word, and the ground represents different people’s hearts. Jesus explains that some seed fell on thorny soil, meaning that there are some people who will “hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Mark 4:18-19 ESV).

Jesus says here that the deceitfulness of riches will choke out God’s Word in some people’s lives. They may hear God’s Word, but it doesn’t take root and bear fruit in their lives. Deception chokes out God’s Word.

If riches are deceitful it means they lie to us somehow. So, how do riches deceive us?

• Riches tempt us to find our ultimate joy and hope in things here on earth rather than in God and the intangible riches we have in Jesus (Philippians 3:8).
• Riches make us feel important, tempting us to look down on people with less (1 Timothy 6:17).
• Riches make us feel secure, tempting us to be self-sufficient and to put our hope and joy in our wealth rather than in God (1 Timothy 6:17).

Can you think of any ways that riches or wealth might be deceptive? How are we liable to be deceived by wealth?

Now, how might we avoid being deceived by riches? What would it look like to responsibly guard against being deceived by our riches?

A primary way to avoid allowing the love of riches to sink into our hearts is to increasingly seek and know Jesus, who is the truth (John 14:6) and whose Spirit leads us into the truth (John 16:13). As we discover the greater intangible riches given to us in Christ, the allure of the riches offered to us by the world will diminish.

If your heart seems captivated with a desire for wealth, confess that to the Lord. Ask him to reveal to you the deceitfulness of riches and to replace your desire for wealth with a desire for him, and for the treasures of heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).

What Does the Bible Say About Paying Taxes?

Some might be surprised to learn that there are a couple Bible verses about paying taxes. One passage is an interaction between Jesus and the religious leaders of his time. In Matthew 22:16-22, the leaders ask Jesus whether to pay taxes. In his response, Jesus has a deeper point to make, but he says yes, pay your taxes. This account appears in three of the four gospels (Matthew 22:16-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:19-26).

Also in Romans 13:3-7, Scripture clearly tells us to pay taxes to our governments, and to submit to governing authorities as good citizens in this way.

Thus, the Bible’s take on taxes is that we ought to pay them.

What Does the Bible Say About When I Need Money?

Maybe you’re curious about what the Bible says about money because you are hoping that God will meet your financial needs.

Here are three encouragements from Scripture for the believer in Jesus who might be anxious about money right now. Remember that God’s promises are for God’s children—those who have put their faith in Jesus (John 1:14).

1. God will meet your needs.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 ESV) 

2. As you seek God’s kingdom rather than stress over your finances, God will provide.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

3. God will never forsake those who belong to him by faith in Jesus.

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. (Psalm 37:25-26 ESV)

The Things That Money Can’t Buy

We end this article with a party for you who have made it this far! Here’s a playlist of songs for you that reflect a biblical perspective on money.

These songs will reveal one of the greatest truths that comes out of Scripture related to money: There are things money can’t buy. Worth and value aren’t always measured in dollars and pounds and pesos and euros. There are many things in life that are exceedingly precious and don’t have a price tag. The greatest among those unbuyable gifts is love.

Scripture says this:

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised. (Song of Solomon 8:7 ESV)

Love isn’t buyable; it’s free. That is true of the love of God for you. It is a gift that he has offered you freely. That love is an infinitely high, deep, and wide kind of love (Ephesians 3:18-19). It cost him something—it cost Jesus’ life itself, his own life laid down for you on the cross—but it was a price he willingly paid (John 10:17-18). “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 ESV).

Jesus made us a promise, a covenant, the Bible calls it, that whoever believes in him will be saved from the punishment we deserve for our sin and will be brought instead into a loving relationship with God. Rescue from sin, full forgiveness, and the joy of knowing God from now until eternity are priceless gifts that only God can give (Philippians 3:8). He has offered himself to us freely (Romans 6:23). Will you receive God’s gift today?