For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. | After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. |
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. | Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! |
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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 treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. | Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. |
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? | And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? |
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” | Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” |
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” | Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” |
As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. | So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. |
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. | But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. |
Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. | Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. |
As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. | We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us. |
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. | Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. |
How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. | How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! |
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” | Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” |
Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. | And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do. |
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. | Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. |
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me. | First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. |
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. | So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. |
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? | And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? |
But godliness with contentment is great gain. | Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. |
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. | Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold. |
All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back. | Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! |
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. | All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. |
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. | Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. |
When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. | In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. |
A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination. | The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. |