What does the Bible say about being rich?

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• James 5:1-6

  [1] Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you. [2] Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten. [3] Your gold and your silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up your treasure in the last days. [4] Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of those who reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts. [5] You have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure. You have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter. [6] You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous one. He doesn't resist you.

• Proverbs 23:4-5

  [4] Don't weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint. [5] Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.

• Matthew 19:24

  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God."

• Luke 6:24

  "But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.

• Isaiah 53:9

  They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

• 1 Timothy 6:5-10

  [5] constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such. [6] But godliness with contentment is great gain. [7] For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly can't carry anything out. [8] But having food and clothing, we will be content with that. [9] But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction. [10] For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

• 1 Timothy 6:17-19

  [17] Charge those who are rich in this present world that they not be haughty, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy; [18] that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate; [19] laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.

• Luke 16:19-31

  [19] "Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. [20] A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, [21] and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. [22] It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. [23] In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. [24] He cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.' [25] "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in like manner, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. [26] Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' [27] "He said, 'I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house; [28] for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won't also come into this place of torment.' [29] "But Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' [30] "He said, 'No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' [31] "He said to him, 'If they don't listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.'"

• Deuteronomy 29:9

  Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.

Related topics

• get rich quick schemes
• getting rich
• the rich man
• rich man entering heaven
• rich in heaven
• rich
• get rich