Proverbs on Wealth

Rather than talk about technology, in this blog I chose to simply use technology to go online and extract selected verses from the Bible on the topic of wealth, showing how technology can be quickly put to use to seek and share wisdom.

Wealth & Wisdom

Proverbs 3: ¹³ Blessed are those who find wisdom,  those who gain understanding,
¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

Ecclesiastes 2:  ²⁶ To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.

Wealth & the Rich

Proverbs 14:   ²⁰ The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.

Proverbs 18:   ²³ The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

Proverbs 21:   ¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

Proverbs 22:   ² Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

Proverbs 22:   ⁷ The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Proverbs 23:   ⁴ Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
⁵ Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings
   and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Proverbs 28:   ⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.

Proverbs 28:   ¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

Proverbs 28:    ²⁰ A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

Ecclesiastes 5:  ¹⁰ Whoever loves money never has enough;  whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.

New Testament 1 Timothy 6:17  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Hebrews 13:5  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 2 Corinthians 8:7  But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us —see that you also excel in this grace of giving. Revelation 3:17  You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

Wealth & the Poor

Proverbs 14:   ²⁰ The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.

Proverbs 14:    ²¹ It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the poor and needy.

Proverbs 14:   ³¹ Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Proverbs 18:   ²³ The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

Proverbs 19:   ⁴ Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

Proverbs 19:    ¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.

 Proverbs 21:   ¹³ Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.

Proverbs 21:   ¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

Proverbs 22:   ² Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

Proverbs 22:   ⁷ The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Proverbs 22:  ⁹ The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

Proverbs 22:  ¹⁶ One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

Proverbs 22:  ²² Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,  ²³ for the LORD will take up their case and will exact life for life.

Proverbs 31:   ⁸ Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  ⁹ Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Proverbs 28:   ³ A ruler^[a] who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

Proverbs 28:   ⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.

Proverbs 28:   ¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

Wealth & Righteousness

Proverbs 10:  ² Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.

Proverbs 11:  ⁴ Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

Proverbs 11:  ²⁸ Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

Proverbs 15:  ⁶ The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin.

Proverbs 16:  ⁸ Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

Proverbs 21:   ²¹ Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity^[c] and honor.

Matthew 6:1   "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Wealth & Wickedness

Proverbs 15:  ⁶ The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin.

Proverbs 17:   ²³ The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.

Wealth & Greed

Proverbs 15:  ²⁷ The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.

Proverbs 28:   ²⁵ The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the LORD will prosper.

 ²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

Proverbs 29:  ⁴ By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for^[a] bribes tear it down.

Other Observation & Advice on Wealth

Proverbs 11: ²⁴ One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

Proverbs 11:  ²⁵ A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 21:   ⁵ The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

Proverbs 21:    ⁶ A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.^[a]

Proverbs 13:  ¹¹ Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Proverbs 14:   ²³ All hard work brings a profit,  but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Proverbs 20:   ²¹ An inheritance claimed too soon will not be blessed at the end.

Proverbs 22:  ¹ A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 22:   ²⁶ Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts;
Proverbs 22:  ²⁷ if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.

Proverbs 27:  ²³ Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; ²⁴ for riches do not endure forever,

Proverbs 28:    ¹⁹ Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.

Proverbs 30:  ⁸ Keep falsehood and lies far from me;  give me neither poverty nor riches,
   but give me only my daily bread. ⁹ 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.


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* See related post on Wealth & Wise Leadership in America