What Does the Bible Say About Charging Interest?
Here are 15 Bible verses about charging interest, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Exodus 22:25
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.
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.
- #2Deuteronomy 23:19
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:
BSBDo not charge your brother interest on money, food, or any other type of loan.
- #3Psalms 15:5
He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
BSBwho lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
- #4Deuteronomy 23:19-20
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
BSBDo not charge your brother interest on money, food, or any other type of loan. You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.
- #5Proverbs 28:8
He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
BSBHe who increases his wealth by interest and usury lays it up for one who is kind to the poor.
- #6Leviticus 25:35-37
And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
BSBNow if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you. Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you. You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit.
- #7Matthew 25:27
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
BSBThen you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.
- #8Proverbs 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.
- #9Ezekiel 22:12
In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God.
BSBIn you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.
- #10Deuteronomy 23:20
Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
BSBYou may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.
- #11Luke 6:34-35
And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 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.
BSBAnd if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But 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.
- #12Matthew 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.
- #13Romans 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.
- #14Leviticus 25:36
Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
BSBDo not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you.
- #15Leviticus 25:35
And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
BSBNow if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).