Do not succumb to the love of money, but be content with what you have, for God has said, “I will never forsake you or abandon 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.” |
Wealth hastily acquired will dwindle away, but when amassed little by little, it will increase. | Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time. |
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However, those who want riches fall into temptations and are trapped into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge them 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. |
The blessing of the Lord is what brings wealth, and our toil adds nothing to it. | The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. |
Do not wear yourself out in the pursuit of wealth, and cease even to think about it. | Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. |
One who is covetous will never be satisfied with money, nor will the lover of wealth be content with gain. This too is vanity. | Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! |
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your crops. | Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. |
It is better to have a little and fear the Lord than to possess immense wealth and suffer anguish. | Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. |
After this, he said to the crowd, “Take care to be on your guard against all kinds of greed. Life does not depend upon an abundance of one’s possessions.” | Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” |
For where your treasure is, there will your heart also be. | Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. |
Pay to each person what is rightfully his—taxes to the one to whom taxes are due, tolls to the one to whom tolls are due, respect to the one to whom respect is due, honor to the one to whom honor is due. | Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. |
It is better to acquire wisdom rather than gold, and more desirable to acquire understanding rather than silver. | How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! |
But who am I, and what are your people, that we should be able to do this? All things belong to you, and everything that we have given you is from your hand. | But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! |
Instruct those who are rich in this world’s goods that they should not be proud, nor should they trust in the uncertainty of riches but rather in God who richly provides us with everything we need for our enjoyment. | 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. |
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful in small matters, I will give you much greater responsibilities. Come and share your master’s joy.’ | The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ |
The love of money is the root of all evils, and in their desire for it some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many serious wounds. | For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. |
Keep falsehood and lying far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but simply provide me with the food that I need. | First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. |
A man’s attraction is his kindness; it is far better to be poor than to be a liar. | Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest. |
Preferable is the little that the righteous possess than the great wealth of the wicked. For the power of the wicked will be overcome, but the Lord protects the righteous. | It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly. |
The Lord, your God, will bless you as he promised you. You will lend to many nations, but borrow from none. You shall rule over many nations, but none shall rule over you. | The Lord your God will bless you as he has promised. You will lend money to many nations but will never need to borrow. You will rule many nations, but they will not rule over you. |
An honorable name is more to be desired than great riches, and high esteem is preferable to silver and gold. | Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold. |
When you fix your gaze upon it, it is gone before you realize it. For it suddenly sprouts wings and flies up to the sky like an eagle. | In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. |
That is why you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, and they devote themselves to this service. | Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. |
Riches will be of no avail on 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. |
The wealth of a rich man is his stronghold; he regards it as a high wall that cannot be scaled. | The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. |