What the Bible Says About Money

Money is a part of everyone’s lives. Much of our time revolves around earning it, and even when we aren’t working, we’re thinking about how we can spend it.

But what does the Bible say about such a crucial topic? And does it offer any principles that can help us navigate our relationship with money?

Yes! In fact, the Bible offers over 2,300 verses of wisdom on the subject.¹

Let’s see what encouragement and insight the Bible has for Christians by looking at:

• The morality of money
• The ultimate source of wealth
• 7 biblical principles for our relationship with money
  • Reliance on God
  • The blessing of work
  • Stewardship
  • Responsible decision-making
  • Saving
  • Generosity
  • A forgiving attitude

We’ll start with what Scripture has to say about money itself.

Is money good or bad?

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The Bible doesn’t call money good or bad. While money can be used for good or bad, money in itself is something neutral, a tool for obtaining the things we need (Genesis 41:57; Proverbs 31:16).

There are numerous examples of this in Scripture:

Money was used to buy food and water (Genesis 42:1-3; Lamentations 5:4). It was used to hire workers (Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Matthew 20:1-16) and purchase gifts (Matthew 26:6-9). It was used by the poor and the rich (Mark 12:41-44; 2 Samuel 24:21-24), the Jews and the Gentiles (non-Jews) (Matthew 17:24-27; Matthew 22:15-22).

It was used by Jesus Christ and His disciples to pay taxes, spread the Gospel, and support those in need.²

God knows we need money to function in society. In fact, the Bible encourages everyone to work diligently so they can provide for themselves and their families (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12; 1 Timothy 5:8).

So, why are many people convinced that money is bad?

You might have heard people say that “money is the root of all evil,” but really, this is a misquote of the Bible. Scripture makes a fine distinction, telling us that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10).

This love of money—greed—happens when we rely on and value money more than we rely on and value God. We see an extreme example of this when the disciple Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16).

The Bible warns us that this mindset ends in more hardship and takes our minds off the things that really matter.³

It says:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20, NKJV).

The only thing that lasts forever, the only thing that will bring us true happiness, fulfillment, and security is something money can’t ever buy—a relationship with Jesus Christ.⁴

At the same time, God doesn’t tell us to ignore our physical needs. And He doesn’t leave us to depend on our own efforts to survive.

Instead, He provides for us, giving us the abilities and opportunities we need to thrive.

Where does wealth come from?

God created us, and He is the one who has given us the talents, abilities, and resources we need to conduct our daily work. Deuteronomy 8:18 outright reminds us that “it is He who gives you power to get wealth” (NKJV).

This isn’t to say that having wealth is necessarily a sign of God’s favor (just as lacking wealth doesn’t mean God’s upset with you).

The Bible explains that being rich or being poor doesn’t reflect one’s spiritual status. Both the righteous and the wicked can experience times of prosperity and hardship.⁵ Job, despite being faithful to God, lost everything he had (Job 1:1-3, 6). Meanwhile, men like King Ahab and Nabal were incredibly wealthy even though they had turned their backs on God.⁶

In short, following God doesn’t guarantee financial prosperity. It may even result in losing money or experiencing hardships (Luke 9:23-24).

Many of God’s people in the Bible experienced this reality.

In times of difficulty, they sought God before riches, comfort, or safety. Though they knew God was capable of giving them things that could improve their situation, they found more value in their relationship with Him.

They didn’t feel entitled to any special privileges or blessings. Because they had gotten to know God, they were able to have confidence in His will and trust Him to guide them, even if it initially led to more hardship.⁷

That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with praying for blessings and asking for help.

God wants to bless us and give us what we need to live happy, healthy lives (Psalm 35:27).

We know of numerous occasions where God provided for His people:

• He fed the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16:13-16).
• He sent ravens to bring the prophet Elijah bread (1 Kings 17:6).
• He multiplied oil for a poor widow to pay off her debts (2 Kings 4:1-7).
• He turned water into wine for a wedding (John 2:1-10).

But it all comes down to a matter of the heart. Are we relying on God because of who He is? Or do we just want what He can do for us?

When God is our priority, we’re able to view money the way He wants us to.

We’ll look next at some principles He gives us in the Bible.

7 biblical principles for our relationship with money

The Bible provides principles that give us a biblical framework for our relationship with wealth.

These principles show us how to live by faith and be more generous, content, and happy as we honor the Lord with our money.

1. Reliance on God

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It’s easy to look to money for security, but depending on money isn’t always as secure as we think it is.

Some people aren’t able to work at all due to health issues or other personal circumstances.

Others can get laid off, or don’t make enough to make ends meet.

In a survey, 73% of respondents said finances was their #1 source of stress, even over matters involving their family, work, or politics.⁸ Financial stress has also been linked to depression, anxiety,⁹ and physical problems like high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, or heart arrhythmia.¹⁰

In the end, relying on money can be exhausting.

This may be why the New Testament refers to money as “a master” (Matthew 6:24).

You may think you’re in charge of your money. But if your financial fears overcome you and harm your health, the money is really ruling you. The love of money can overtake us and affect our quality of life.

Our dedication to earning money can also compete with our dedication to serving God (1 Timothy 6:6-10; Matthew 13:22). The Bible demonstrates this in the story of the rich young ruler, who refused to part with his possessions to follow Jesus (Matthew 19:16-24).

The ruler’s dependence on his wealth kept him from trusting in God.

He said he wanted to follow Jesus, but he didn’t trust God to take care of him.

After the rich young ruler went away, Jesus warned, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24, NKJV).

It isn’t that there’s something wrong with being rich, but in this context, Jesus was referring to someone who had allowed his riches to take first place ahead of God’s call.

With great wealth comes an even greater responsibility to keep that wealth in its rightful place. After all, the more money we have, the easier it is to get what we want, and the easier it is to become entitled, growing attached to our possessions and relying on our own abilities.¹¹

God wants us to depend on Him because He’s the only one we can truly count on (1 Timothy 6:17).

When we trust Him, we don’t have to live in fear because we recognize His care for us and the value of eternity over our earthly belongings. Jesus reminds us:

“Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33, NKJV).

2. The blessing of work

God provides for us in a variety of ways, but one of the greatest ways He does this is by granting us the power to work.

When we recognize that this ability comes from God, we rely not on our own wavering success but on His steadfast goodness.

While God has been known to freely extend blessings to those in need, He calls us to work for our needs as a means of giving us a more fulfilling life (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20). Even in the perfection of the world at Creation, He gave Adam and Eve a task to name the animals and care for the garden (Genesis 2:15-20).

Work continues to be a blessing to us today. Through it, we’re able to experience fulfillment and satisfaction, provide for our families, and keep our communities running.¹²

It also teaches us the value of money, helping us to be more mindful of how we spend it.

3. Stewardship

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When we think of the money we earn as our own, we naturally take on a possessive (and oftentimes, obsessive) attitude towards it. But when we remember that our money belongs to God (Haggai 2:8), we see it as less of something we earned and more as something we’re blessed and honored to have.

This mindset helps us cultivate an attitude of gratitude instead of greed so that we reject the temptation to make money our master.

The Bible encourages this mindset by calling us to return a tithe, one tenth of our income, to God (Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:10). In doing so, we acknowledge that our money ultimately belongs to Him and that we’re simply stewards, or caretakers, of it.

4. Responsible decision-making

Advertisements in stores, on TV, or even on the back of products we’ve already bought all tell us one message: our lives will be better if we just buy one more thing.

God never intended us to live this way. He knows we can live a happier life when we’re content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:11-13).

Of course, that doesn’t mean we should never purchase anything we need. And there isn’t anything wrong with buying things we want from time to time either.

It’s about the direction of our spending. God doesn’t want us to get so caught up in buying what we want that we aren’t able to help people in need or provide for our necessities (Luke 16:11; 1 Corinthians 4:2).

The Bible encourages us not to be impulsive, but to instead carefully consider what to spend our money on (Proverbs 21:5; Luke 14:28).

The same principle also applies to taking a loan. Though taking a loan isn’t sinful or wrong in and of itself, the Bible does warn about the dangers of debt when it points out that the “borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7, NKJV).

Sometimes, though, we end up in debt due to circumstances outside of our control, such as medical emergencies. These situations can feel incredibly discouraging. But even when situations are unideal and we’re struggling to pay off debt, God’s love for us and our identity in Him doesn’t change. He’s still with us and wants to guide us in our decisions.

5. Saving and investment

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In the Old Testament, Joseph advised the Pharaoh of Egypt to save a portion of each year’s harvest for a coming famine (Genesis 41:34-36). This decision to store food didn’t just save Egypt from starvation; it also helped feed people from neighboring countries, like Joseph’s family (Genesis 41:57; Genesis 42:1).

The principle still applies today: saving money allows us to be better prepared for the future (Proverbs 6:6-8; 21:20), whether it may involve unexpected life circumstances or a large purchase.

However, even as God wants us to save our money, He doesn’t want us to become too dependent on it.

When we rely on our money, it’s easy to be tempted to hoard it instead of using it when we should. This concept is best illustrated in the parable of the rich fool who stored all his riches (Luke 12:13-21). Rather than using his harvest for good, he was allowing it to go to waste.

Meanwhile, the Bible speaks positively of those who invest their money, like the woman of Proverbs 31 who makes a profit by buying a field and selling its crops (Proverbs 31:16).

Investing is also praised in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-29).

When a master entrusts his three servants with different sums of money, the first two invest the money to earn their master a profit, while the last servant only buries it in the ground. When the master returns, he is pleased by the servants who invested his money and helped it grow, but angry with the one who only saved it and failed to increase its worth.

The underlying issue here isn’t just increasing the value of an investment; it’s about putting money to good use.

When the rich young ruler came to Jesus asking what he could do to gain eternal life, Jesus told him to sell everything and give his money to the poor. Though the ruler would end up with less money, his money would be used to do greater things—in this case, helping those in need.

In the same way, God wants us to be prepared for the future while also making the most of the money He gives us, whether supporting our families, furthering our education, or helping churches and nonprofit organizations.

6. Generosity

Generosity and giving are major themes throughout the Bible. The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:7:

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (NKJV).

Not only will our giving help others, but it’ll also have a positive effect on us too:

“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35, NKJV).

Giving frees us from the burden money can be—helping us exercise faith in God, reject selfishness, embrace compassion, and prioritize the needs of others.

God doesn’t want us to give so we can show off our wealth, or because we feel obligated and think doing good deeds will earn His favor. And giving cheerfully doesn’t necessarily mean we must always be full of excitement and joy when we give.

Instead, it’s about trusting God. This gives us the confidence to freely give and help others (2 Corinthians 9:8, 12-13).

Like the poor widow who gave everything she had (Mark 12:41-44), the Philippians who supported Paul’s ministry (Philippians 4:15-19), and the Israelites who gave gifts for God’s tabernacle (Exodus 35:4-29), we can humbly offer what we have as the Holy Spirit leads.¹³

7. A forgiving attitude

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When dealing with money, we may at times face situations that require patience and forgiveness.

A situation the Bible mentions is one in which someone owes us money (Matthew 18:23-25).

For Christians, the choice to lend money should not be the goal of gaining interest but of helping others in times of need.¹⁴

While it’s important for people to honor their promises to pay their debt—and we’re not saying that you should continue lending to someone who never pays you back—the Bible emphasizes people above money.

This focus allows us to pause and seek to understand someone’s situation rather than simply reacting with harshness. It leads us to deal with them fairly and mercifully, helping them get out of debt as soon as they can.

True wealth

God is the source of life and all things good. Everything we need comes from Him.

As we’ve explored above, money is a tool He’s given us for life in this world. But money isn’t the meter for our relationship with Him. Whether we’re thriving or struggling financially, He offers us the spiritual riches of knowing Him.

He is the most valuable treasure we could ever possess (Matthew 13:45-46).

And He has promised to provide everything we need, just as He feeds the birds and clothes the flowers (Matthew 6:25-34).

We might deal with financial troubles from time to time, but that doesn’t mean that God isn’t there. He is with us through whatever we go through, and we can have confidence in His goodness. He will never let us down (Philippians 4:19).

Bible Verses About Money

• Reliance on God: Proverbs 23:4-5; Ecclesiastes 5:10; Matthew 6:24; Proverbs 1:19; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17; Matthew 13:22; Matthew 19:16-24; Luke 12:33; James 5:1-3; Matthew 6:25-34;
• Philippians 4:19; Proverbs 22:9.
• The blessing of work: Genesis 2:15, 19-20; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20; Proverbs 10:4; 1 Timothy 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; Colossians 3:23.
• Stewardship: Deuteronomy 8:17-18; Deuteronomy 10:14; Psalm 24:1; Haggai 2:8; Proverbs 3:9-10; Leviticus 27:30, 32; Malachi 3:10.
• Responsible decision-making: Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:11-13; Luke 16:11; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Proverbs 21:5; Luke 14:28; Proverbs 22:26-27; Proverbs 6:1-5.
• Saving and investment: Proverbs 21:20; Proverbs 6:6-8; Genesis 41:34-36; Luke 12:13-21; Proverbs 31:16; Matthew 25:14-29.
• Generosity: Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Mark 12:41-44; 1 John 3:17; Matthew 6:1-4; Luke 6:38; Deuteronomy 16:17; Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 11:24-25.
• A forgiving attitude: Matthew 18:23-33; Exodus 22:25; Matthew 5:42; Luke 6:35.

1. “Why Does the Bible Mention Money So Often?” Wealth with Purpose. [↵]
2. Matthew 17:24-27; Philippians 4:15-16; Acts 4:34-35. [↵]
3. Luke 12:15-21; Matthew 13:22; James 5:1-6; Proverbs 1:19. [↵]
4. Proverbs 11:14; Acts 8:20; 1 Timothy 6:18-19. [↵]
5. Job 1:1, 3-6; Job 21:7-13; Psalm 37:1-4. [↵]
6. 1 Kings 21:25; 1 Kings 22:39; 1 Samuel 25:2-3. [↵]
7. Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 26:39; Job 1:20-22; Philippians 4:12-13. [↵]
8. “Mental well-being inherently connected to financial wellness,” Purdue University, January 27, 2021. [↵]
9. Ryu, Soomin and Lu Fan, “The Relationship Between Financial Worries and Psychological Distress Among U.S. Adults,” National Library of Medicine, February 1, 2022. [↵]
10. “Mental well-being.” [↵]
11. Luke 12:33; James 5:1-3; Proverbs 23:4-5. [↵]
12. Proverbs 10:4; 1 Timothy 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:9. [↵]
13. 1 John 3:17; Matthew 6:1-4; Deuteronomy 16:17; Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 11:24-25. [↵]
14. Luke 3:14; Exodus 22:25; Matthew 5:42. [↵]

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