Money and Wealth
The Bible speaks a lot about money—not because wealth is evil in itself, but because the heart easily becomes attached to it. Jesus warned against serving Mammon. We are stewards of what God gives us, called to generosity and trust in His provision.
God or Mammon
We cannot serve both God and money.
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.
Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν· ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ.
13No servant 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."
οὐδεὶς οἰκέτης δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν· ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ.
14The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and sneered at him.
Ἤκουον δὲ ταῦτα ⸀πάντα οἱ Φαρισαῖοι φιλάργυροι ὑπάρχοντες, καὶ ἐξεμυκτήριζον αὐτόν.
15He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly prized among men is detestable in God's sight.
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ὑμεῖς ἐστε οἱ δικαιοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁ δὲ θεὸς γινώσκει τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν· ὅτι τὸ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ὑψηλὸν βδέλυγμα ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ.
9Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
οἱ δὲ βουλόμενοι πλουτεῖν ἐμπίπτουσιν εἰς πειρασμὸν καὶ παγίδα καὶ ἐπιθυμίας πολλὰς ἀνοήτους καὶ βλαβεράς, αἵτινες βυθίζουσι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς ὄλεθρον καὶ ἀπώλειαν·
10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some, reaching for it, have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
ῥίζα γὰρ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστιν ἡ φιλαργυρία, ἧς τινες ὀρεγόμενοι ἀπεπλανήθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως καὶ ἑαυτοὺς περιέπειραν ὀδύναις πολλαῖς.
Content with What You Have
Godliness with contentment is great gain.
6But godliness with contentment is great gain.
ἔστιν δὲ πορισμὸς μέγας ἡ εὐσέβεια μετὰ αὐταρκείας·
7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
οὐδὲν γὰρ εἰσηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ⸀ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δυνάμεθα·
8If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
ἔχοντες δὲ διατροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα.
5Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
ἀφιλάργυρος ὁ τρόπος· ἀρκούμενοι τοῖς παροῦσιν· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκεν· Οὐ μή σε ἀνῶ οὐδʼ οὐ μή σε ⸀ἐγκαταλίπω·
6So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?"
ὥστε θαρροῦντας ἡμᾶς λέγειν· Κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθός, ⸀οὐ φοβηθήσομαι· τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος;
11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever my circumstances.
οὐχ ὅτι καθʼ ὑστέρησιν λέγω, ἐγὼ γὰρ ἔμαθον ἐν οἷς εἰμι αὐτάρκης εἶναι·
12I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of facing any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in abundance or in want.
οἶδα καὶ ταπεινοῦσθαι, οἶδα καὶ περισσεύειν· ἐν παντὶ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν μεμύημαι, καὶ χορτάζεσθαι καὶ πεινᾶν, καὶ περισσεύειν καὶ ὑστερεῖσθαι·
13I can do all things through him who gives me strength.[fn]
πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί ⸀με.
Trust in God, Not Wealth
True security is found in God, not in bank accounts.
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσιν καὶ κλέπτουσιν·
20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ κλέπτουσιν·
21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρός ⸀σου, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία ⸁σου.
11Do not trust in extortion, or set vain hopes on stolen goods; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
אַל־תִּבְטְח֣וּ בְעֹשֶׁק֮ וּבְגָזֵ֢ל אַל־תֶּ֫הְבָּ֥לוּ חַ֤יִל ׀ כִּֽי־יָנ֑וּב אַל־תָּשִׁ֥יתוּ לֵֽב׃
17Charge those who are rich in this present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Τοῖς πλουσίοις ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι παράγγελλε μὴ ὑψηλοφρονεῖν μηδὲ ἠλπικέναι ἐπὶ πλούτου ἀδηλότητι, ἀλλʼ ⸀ἐπὶ ⸀θεῷ τῷ παρέχοντι ἡμῖν πάντα πλουσίως εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν,
18Charge them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
ἀγαθοεργεῖν, πλουτεῖν ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς, εὐμεταδότους εἶναι, κοινωνικούς,
19storing up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
ἀποθησαυρίζοντας ἑαυτοῖς θεμέλιον καλὸν εἰς τὸ μέλλον, ἵνα ἐπιλάβωνται τῆς ⸀ὄντως ζωῆς.
Generosity
We are blessed to bless others.
6Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Τοῦτο δέ, ὁ σπείρων φειδομένως φειδομένως καὶ θερίσει, καὶ ὁ σπείρων ἐπʼ εὐλογίαις ἐπʼ εὐλογίαις καὶ θερίσει.
7Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
ἕκαστος καθὼς ⸀προῄρηται τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης· ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ θεός.
24One gives freely and grows all the richer; another withholds what is right and comes only to want.
יֵ֣שׁ מְ֭פַזֵּר וְנוֹסָ֥ף ע֑וֹד וְחוֹשֵׂ֥ךְ מִ֝יֹּ֗שֶׁר אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃
25A generous soul will prosper; whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
נֶֽפֶשׁ־בְּרָכָ֥ה תְדֻשָּׁ֑ן וּ֝מַרְוֶ֗ה גַּם־ה֥וּא יוֹרֶֽא׃
35In everything I showed you that by such hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
πάντα ὑπέδειξα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὕτως κοπιῶντας δεῖ ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι τῶν ἀσθενούντων, μνημονεύειν τε τῶν λόγων τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ὅτι αὐτὸς εἶπεν Μακάριόν ἐστιν μᾶλλον διδόναι ἢ λαμβάνειν.
The Rich Young Man
Wealth can become an obstacle to following Jesus.
21Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι, ὕπαγε πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ ⸀δὸς πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν ⸀οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι.
22When the young man heard this, he went away grieving, for he had great wealth.
ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ νεανίσκος τὸν ⸀λόγον ἀπῆλθεν λυπούμενος, ἦν γὰρ ἔχων κτήματα πολλά.
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ⸂πλούσιος δυσκόλως⸃ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν·
24Again I tell you, 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."
πάλιν δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, εὐκοπώτερόν ἐστιν κάμηλον διὰ ⸀τρυπήματος ῥαφίδος ⸀εἰσελθεῖν ἢ πλούσιον ⸂εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ⸃.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"
Καὶ περιβλεψάμενος ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· Πῶς δυσκόλως οἱ τὰ χρήματα ἔχοντες εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελεύσονται.
25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."
εὐκοπώτερόν ἐστιν κάμηλον διὰ ⸂τῆς τρυμαλιᾶς τῆς⸃ ῥαφίδος ⸀διελθεῖν ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν.
27Jesus looked at them and said, "With human beings it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."
⸀ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει· Παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατον ἀλλʼ οὐ παρὰ θεῷ, πάντα γὰρ ⸀δυνατὰ παρὰ τῷ θεῷ.