The Bible has much to say about our relationship with wealth. Money itself isn’t evil, but the love of money can lead us down dangerous spiritual paths.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 30 Bible verses about the love of money from the NKJV version. These verses will help you understand why money can become a root of evil and how to prioritize your heart and faith over material wealth.
What Does the Bible Say About the Love of Money?
The Bible offers clear warnings about developing an unhealthy attachment to wealth. In 1 Timothy 6:10, we find perhaps the most direct statement about the love of money:
- 1 Timothy 6:10 (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.”
This verse doesn’t condemn money itself, but warns against making it our primary focus. Several other passages reinforce this important distinction:
- Matthew 6:24 (BSB) – “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.” (Luke 16:13)
- 1 Timothy 6:9 – “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful desires which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
Bible Verses About the Dangers of Loving Money
The Bible contains many warnings about the spiritual perils of becoming too attached to wealth. These verses highlight how the love of money can lead to various forms of evil:
- Ecclesiastes 5:10 – “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.”
- Proverbs 15:27 – “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live.”
- 1 Timothy 3:3 – “Not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous.”
- Hebrews 13:5 – “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”
- Proverbs 28:20 – “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”
- Proverbs 1:19: “So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners.”
Bible Verses About Greed and the Love of Money
These passages specifically address the sin of greed and how it manifests in our lives:
- Luke 12:15 – “And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’”
- Colossians 3:5 – “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
- Proverbs 11:28 – “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.”
- Ecclesiastes 4:4 – “I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
What Did Jesus Say About Money and Wealth?
Jesus spoke frequently about our relationship with money and material possessions. His teachings emphasized keeping wealth in proper perspective:
- Matthew 19:23-24 – “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And again I say to 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.’”
- Matthew 6:19-21 – “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 treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
- Mark 10:21 – “Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’”
There is a story of a rich young man who met Jesus in Mark 10. Despite his desire for eternal life, he chose his wealth over following Jesus. This story shows the risk of putting material things before a relationship with God. The young man’s wealth had become an idol, something he valued more than the call of Christ.
Love of Money Bible Verses in the Last Days
Scripture warns that the love of money will be prevalent in the last days:
- 2 Timothy 3:1-2 – “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.”
- James 5:1-5 – “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.”
How Does the Love of Money Choke Spiritual Growth?
Jesus taught that preoccupation with wealth can prevent spiritual maturity.
- Mark 4:18-19 – “Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”
- Luke 8:14 – “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”
Contentment: The key to avoid the “love of money”
The Bible teaches us to be content no matter how much money we have, instead of always chasing more wealth:
- Philippians 4:11-12 – “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”
- Proverbs 30:8-9 – “Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches—Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.”
- Proverbs 23:4-5: “Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”
- 1 Timothy 6:6-8 – “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”
How should the people of God handle wealth?
What Does 1 Timothy Teach About the Love of Money?
The book of 1 Timothy contains some of the most explicit teachings about the dangers of loving money. These verses explain how the pursuit of wealth can damage our spiritual lives:
- 1 Timothy 6:17-19 – “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may take hold of eternal life.”
Using our wealth to help the needy
Scripture encourages freedom from the love of money through generosity and trust in God.
- Acts 20:35 – “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- Proverbs 3:9-10 – “Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.”
- Proverbs 22:9: “He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.”
Getting our priorities right
- Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
- Ecclesiastes 4:4 – “I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Giving to the work of the Lord
While the Bible warns about the love of money, it also offers encouragement about proper stewardship:
- Malachi 3:10: “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”
- 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.”
These verses remind us that generosity and trust in God brings blessings.
Conclusion: Overcoming the Love of Money
These 30 Bible verses about the love of money provide important spiritual guidance for our relationship with wealth. The consistent message of Scripture is that money itself isn’t evil, but loving it leads to spiritual danger. In 1 Timothy, we learn that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil that has caused many to wander away from the faith and pierce themselves with many griefs.
By keeping money in its proper place—as a tool rather than a treasure—we can avoid the harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
As Jesus said, we cannot serve both God and money. When we choose to love God above material possessions, we store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth, where thieves break in and steal. Let these verses inspire you to seek God’s kingdom first and trust in His provision.