Investing is a crucial part of our lives, and the Bible, with its timeless wisdom, provides practical insights on this topic. This collection of Bible verses about investing reveals the profound guidance in the Scriptures regarding the stewardship of our resources. A wise investment is about more than just accumulating wealth; it’s about understanding the value of money, making sound decisions, and using our assets to impact the world positively.
These Bible verses about investing money serve as a roadmap, illuminating the path toward financial wisdom and spiritual growth.
They teach us that investment is not merely a financial act but a spiritual discipline, requiring prudence, discernment, and a heart aligned with God’s kingdom. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just starting, these verses can offer valuable insights into how you can invest your money wisely and ethically.
Here are Bible verses about investing, or that can be related to the concept of investing or saving money along with interpretations for each:
1. Proverbs 13:11:
Verse: “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
Interpretation: Building wealth is a gradual process. Quick schemes may not always last, but consistent efforts yield growth.
2. Proverbs 21:5:
Verse: “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
Interpretation: Patience and diligence in your efforts lead to prosperity. Impulsive decisions can lead to financial ruin.
3. Ecclesiastes 11:2:
Verse: “Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.”
Interpretation: Diversify your investments, as future uncertainties can strike any venture.
4. Proverbs 6:6-8:
Verse: “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.”
Interpretation: Look to nature for wisdom. Prepare in advance for future needs, just like the ant.
5. Matthew 6:19-21:
Verse: “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… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Interpretation: Physical wealth is transient, but spiritual investments last forever. Focus on eternal values.
6. Luke 14:28:
Verse: “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”
Interpretation: Always consider the costs and potential challenges before embarking on a venture.
7. Proverbs 3:9-10:
Verse: “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”
Interpretation: Prioritize giving and being generous, and you will be blessed abundantly in return.
8. 1 Timothy 6:17-19:
Verse: “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.”
Interpretation: Do not be arrogant or overly dependent on material wealth. Instead, place your trust and hope in God.
9. Ecclesiastes 5:10:
Verse: “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.”
Interpretation: An insatiable desire for wealth can never be truly satisfied. Focus on deeper, eternal values.
10. Matthew 25:14-30:
Verse: The Parable of the Talents.
Interpretation: Use the resources and gifts you’ve been entrusted with wisely. God expects us to produce a return on what He has given us.
11. Proverbs 27:23-24:
Verse: “Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, for riches do not last forever…”
Interpretation: Be attentive and take care of your investments, as wealth can be fleeting.
12. Proverbs 28:20:
Verse: “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”
Interpretation: Trustworthiness and faithfulness will bring blessings. Quick riches can lead to consequences.
13. Proverbs 22:7:
Verse: “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”
Interpretation: Debt can bind you, and financial independence offers more control and freedom in life.
14. Proverbs 15:22:
Verse: “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”
Interpretation: Seek advice and wisdom from many sources before making big decisions.
15. Psalm 37:21:
Verse: “The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.”
Interpretation: It’s honorable to pay back debts and to be generous.
16. Luke 16:10:
Verse: “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”
Interpretation: Integrity in small matters is indicative of one’s behavior in bigger issues.
17. Proverbs 13:22:
Verse: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.”
Interpretation: Consider not just immediate needs, but also the legacy you’re leaving for future generations.
18. Proverbs 23:5:
Verse: “When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”
Interpretation: Wealth can disappear quickly, so don’t place your full trust in it.
19. Matthew 13:22:
Verse: “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”
Interpretation: Don’t let the desire for wealth or worldly concerns prevent you from fully embracing spiritual truths.
20. Hebrews 13:5:
Verse: “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have…”
Interpretation: Contentment is a virtue. Don’t let the love of money control your life.
21. 1 Timothy 6:10:
Verse: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
Interpretation: It’s not money, but the love of money, that can lead one astray.
22. Proverbs 21:20:
Verse: “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.”
Interpretation: Wise people save and invest for the future, while the foolish squander what they have.
23. Luke 16:11:
Verse: “If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?”
Interpretation: How you manage earthly wealth reflects how you would handle spiritual responsibilities.
24. Ecclesiastes 11:1:
Verse: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.”
Interpretation: Invest in different ventures, and in time, you will see returns.
25. Proverbs 31:16:
Verse: “She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.”
Interpretation: Wise and diligent investment can lead to productivity and growth.
26. Ecclesiastes 11:4:
Verse: “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.”
Interpretation: Over-caution or over-analysis can prevent you from taking necessary action.
27. Proverbs 16:8:
Verse: “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.”
Interpretation: Integrity is more valuable than wealth gained through dishonest means.
28. Deuteronomy 8:18:
Verse: “You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth…”
Interpretation: Always acknowledge that it is God who provides the means and opportunities for prosperity.
29. 1 Timothy 5:8:
Verse: “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Interpretation: Responsibility towards family is a foundational aspect of faith.
30. Proverbs 14:23:
Verse: “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.”
Interpretation: Actions speak louder than words, and hard work is more fruitful than mere talk.
31. Luke 12:15:
Verse: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Interpretation: Life’s true essence is not based on material possessions.
32. Proverbs 10:4:
Verse: “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”
Interpretation: Hard work and diligence are keys to prosperity.
33. Proverbs 22:9:
Verse: “Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.”
Interpretation: Generosity and sharing blessings lead to one’s own enrichment.
34. Haggai 2:8:
Verse: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts.”
Interpretation: All wealth ultimately belongs to God; we are merely stewards.
35. Proverbs 12:11:
Verse: “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.”
Interpretation: Focused effort yields results, while chasing after fads or shortcuts is fruitless.
36. Ecclesiastes 5:13-14:
Verse: “There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture.”
Interpretation: Holding onto wealth too tightly or making rash decisions can lead to loss.
37. 1 Corinthians 4:2:
Verse: “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.”
Interpretation: As caretakers of God’s blessings, it’s crucial to be honest and reliable.
38. Matthew 6:24:
Verse: “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money.”
Interpretation: Your allegiance and priorities will reflect either a focus on the eternal or the temporal.
39. Proverbs 10:5:
Verse: “He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.”
Interpretation: Use opportunities wisely. Laziness during crucial times leads to regret.
40. Proverbs 20:21:
Verse: “An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.”
Interpretation: Quick gains, especially if not earned rightly, might not bring long-term blessings.
41. Proverbs 11:1:
Verse: “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.”
Interpretation: Honesty and integrity in business and trade are important to God.
42. Proverbs 15:27:
Verse: “Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.”
Interpretation: Greed and dishonesty bring harm, not just to oneself but also to one’s family.
43. Proverbs 11:24-25:
Verse: “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”
Interpretation: Generosity can lead to greater prosperity, while stinginess can lead to lack.
44. Proverbs 19:2:
Verse: “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.”
Interpretation: Acting on impulses without proper knowledge or understanding can lead to missteps.
45. Ecclesiastes 5:12:
Verse: “Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.”
Interpretation: Contentment and hard work bring peace, while excessive riches can bring unrest.
46. 1 Timothy 6:9:
Verse: “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.”
Interpretation: The mere pursuit of wealth can lead to moral and spiritual pitfalls.
47. Proverbs 17:16:
Verse: “Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?”
Interpretation: Wealth without wisdom is pointless.
48. Proverbs 23:4-5:
Verse: “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”
Interpretation: Pursuing wealth for its own sake is futile, as it’s transient and unpredictable.
49. Proverbs 24:27:
Verse: “Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.”
Interpretation: Prioritize your investments and work before personal comforts.
50. Proverbs 18:11:
Verse: “A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination.”
Interpretation: Over-reliance on wealth can create a false sense of security.
51. Proverbs 13:16
Verse: “A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t, and even brags about it!
Interpretation: This verse encourages us to think ahead, consider the potential consequences of our actions, and maintain humility. It warns against impulsivity, disregard for the future, and arrogance.
Always ensure that when applying these verses, you understand them in context and consider them alongside other spiritual, moral, and ethical teachings to achieve financial freedom.
The Bible offers wisdom that transcends time for God’s Kingdom, but it’s essential to interpret and apply its teachings appropriately to modern situations.
One notable Bible verse that speaks to investing is Proverbs 13:11, which says, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” This verse underscores the importance of patience and diligence in investing. It advises against seeking quick riches, advocating instead for the steady accumulation of wealth over time.
The Bible doesn’t directly mention investing in stocks or bonds, but many verses about wise stewardship of resources exist. Proverbs 13:11 says, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” This suggests a principle of consistent, patient saving and investing. Additionally, Matthew 25:14-30 shares the Parable of the Talents, which encourages using and multiplying what we have been given rather than hiding it away.
The Bible doesn’t explicitly comment on the modern concept of investing as we understand it today. It does guide principles like stewardship, wisdom, and avoiding greed. Thus, investing in itself is not considered a sin if it’s done responsibly and ethically, to provide for oneself and others.
Last updated: September 1, 2023
