What Does the Bible Say About Gambling Addictions?
Here are 18 Bible verses about gambling addictions, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Hebrews 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.”
- #2Proverbs 13:11
Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
BSBDishonest wealth will dwindle, but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.
- #31 Timothy 6:10
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.
BSBFor the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
- #41 Corinthians 6:12
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
BSB“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.
- #5Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
BSBNo 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.
- #6Proverbs 15:27
He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.
BSBHe who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household, but he who hates bribes will live.
- #7Ecclesiastes 5:10
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
BSBHe who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.
- #8Luke 12:15
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
BSBAnd He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
- #91 Timothy 6:9
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
BSBThose who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
- #10Proverbs 23:4-5
Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
BSBDo not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
- #11Ephesians 4:28
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
BSBHe who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.
- #12Proverbs 28:22
He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
BSBA stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him.
- #13Proverbs 21:5
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
BSBThe plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.
- #141 Timothy 6:9-10
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 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.
BSBThose who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
- #15Proverbs 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?
- #16Proverbs 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.
- #17Exodus 20:17
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
BSBYou shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
- #182 Thessalonians 3:10-12
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
BSBFor even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.” Yet we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives and accomplishing nothing but being busybodies. We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).