What does the Bible say about money?

The Bible does not call money evil; it warns that “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10) and that no one can serve both God and money.

It also speaks practically: work diligently, avoid debt, give generously and cheerfully, and be content with what you have.

The passages

1. 1 Timothy 6:10

   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.

   KJV

   For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

2. Hebrews 13:5

   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.”

   KJV

   Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

3. Matthew 6:24

   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.

   KJV

   No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

4. Matthew 6:19–21

   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.

   KJV

   Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

5. Proverbs 22:7

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

   KJV

   The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

6. Ecclesiastes 5:10

   He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

   KJV

   He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

7. Luke 12:15

   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.”

   KJV

   And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

8. Proverbs 3:9–10

   Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

   KJV

   Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

9. 2 Corinthians 9:7

   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.

   KJV

   Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

10. Luke 16:10–11

    Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches?

    KJV

    He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

11. Proverbs 13:11

    Dishonest wealth will dwindle, but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.

    KJV

    Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

12. Romans 13:8

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

    KJV

    Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Every passage is quoted in full from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain); tap KJV for the King James Version. Steady quotes the text and does not take sides where churches differ.