What Does the Bible Say About Borrowing Money?
Here are 17 Bible verses about borrowing money, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Psalms 37:21
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
BSBThe wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.
- #2Proverbs 22:7
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
BSBThe rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
- #3Romans 13:8
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
BSBBe indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
- #4Proverbs 22:26-27
Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
BSBDo not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
- #5Luke 6:35
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
BSBBut love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
- #6Proverbs 3:27-28
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
BSBDo not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means.
- #7Exodus 22:25-27
If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
BSBIf you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
- #8Deuteronomy 28:12
The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
BSBThe LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but borrow from none.
- #9Matthew 5:42
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
BSBGive to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
- #10Hebrews 13:5
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
BSBKeep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
- #11Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
BSBA faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.
- #12Deuteronomy 15:7
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
BSBIf there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.
- #13Proverbs 21:17
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
BSBHe who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.
- #14Proverbs 22:26
Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
BSBDo not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts.
- #15Ezekiel 18:8
He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
BSBHe does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.
- #16Matthew 5:26
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
BSBTruly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
- #17Proverbs 6:6-11
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
BSBWalk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).