| Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death. | Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death. |
| I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. | I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. |
|
| For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it? | Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? |
| As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. | Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. |
| I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. | I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. |
| No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. | No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. |
| Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all. | Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. |
| But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? | If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? |
| Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord. | Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. |
| The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. | The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. |
| Better is a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice. | Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. |
| As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. | Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. |
| And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. | After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. |
| When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes? | As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? |
| The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. | The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously. |
| The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. | The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. |
| Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. | Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. |
| Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. | The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. |
| The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, But the poor does not hear rebuke. | A person’s riches may ransom their life, but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes. |
| You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. | Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. |
| But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” | Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” |
