42 Bible Verses about Coveting, prohibition of
Most Relevant Verses
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house: neither shalt covet thy neighbor's wife, his manservant, his maid, his ox, his ass or ought that is his."
'Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbour's wife: thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, field, servant, maid, ox, ass nor ought that is thy neighbour's.'
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid: but I knew not what sin meant but by the law. For I had not known what lust had meant, except the law had said, "Thou shalt not lust." But sin took an occasion by the means of the commandment, and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For verily, without the law sin was dead.
For these commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not desire, and so forth: if there be any other commandment, they are all comprehended in this saying, "Love thine neighbor as thyself." Love hurteth not his neighbor: Therefore is love the fulfilling of the law.
Woe be unto you that join one house to another, and bring one land so nigh unto another, that the poor can get no more ground. Will ye dwell upon the earth alone?
I am wroth with him for his covetousness and lust, I smite him, I hide me, and am angry, when he turneth himself, and followeth the byway of his own heart.
These come unto thee, after the manner of a great people: yea, my people sit down before thee, and hear thy words, but they do not thereafter: for in their mouths they show themselves, as though they were fervent, but their heart goeth after their own covetous lucre.
"Thus sayeth the LORD, 'For three and four wickednesses of Israel, I will not spare him: because he hath sold the righteous for money, and the poor for shoes.
Forsomuch then as ye oppress the poor, and rob him of his best sustenance: therefore, where as ye have builded houses of square stone, ye shall not dwell in them. Marvelous pleasant vineyards shall ye plant; but the wine of them shall ye not drink. And why? As for the multitude of your wickednesses and your stout sins, I know them right well. Enemies are ye of the righteous; ye take rewards; ye oppress the poor in judgment.
"When will the new month be gone, that we may sell victuals; and the Sabbath, that we may have scarceness of corn; to make the bushel less, and the Sicle greater? We shall set up false weights, that we may get the poor under us with their money, and the needy also for shoes: yea let us sell the chaff for corn."
When they covet to have land, they take it by violence; they rob men of their houses. Thus they oppress a man for his house, and every man for his heritage.
"See that ye gather not treasure together upon the earth, where rust and moths corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But gather ye treasures together in heaven, where neither rust, nor yet moths corrupt: and where thieves neither break up, nor yet steal. For wheresoever your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Wherefore he said unto them, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness. For no man's life standeth in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."
And it chanced in an evening that David arose from his couch and walked upon the roof of the king's palace; and from the roof saw a very beautiful woman washing herself. And he sent to enquire what woman it should be. And it was answered again, that she was Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam and wife to Uriah the Hittite. And David sent messengers and fetched her, and she came unto him, and he lay with her. And she was straightway purified of her uncleanness, and returned unto her house.
"Up, and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth: for he is gone down thither, to take possession of it. And say unto him, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: thou hast killed and thereto gotten possession.' And say moreover unto him, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: in the place where dogs lapped the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lap even thy blood also.'"
The same time the disciples came to Jesus saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus called a child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, "Verily, I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.
And he came to Capernaum, and when he was come to house, he asked them, "What was it that ye disputed between you by the way?" And they held their peace: for by the way they reasoned among themselves, who should be the chiefest. And he sat down, and called the twelve unto him, and said to them, "If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant unto all."
Then there arose a disputation among them: who should be the greatest. When Jesus perceived the thoughts of their hearts, he took a child, and set him hard by him, and said unto them, "Whosoever receiveth this child in my name, receiveth me. And whosoever receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. For he that is least among you all, the same shall be great."
Do ye not remember how that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived. For neither fornicators, neither worshippers of images, neither whoremongers, neither weaklings, neither abusers of themselves with mankind, neither thieves, neither the covetous, neither drunkards, neither cursed speakers, neither extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Then said Peter, "Ananias how is it that Satan hath filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lie unto the holy ghost, and keep away part of the price of the livelihood: Pertained it not unto thee only? And after it was sold, was not the price in thine own power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and gave up the ghost. And great fear came on all them that these things heard.read more.
And the young men rose up, and put him apart, and carried him out, and buried him. And it fortuned as it were about the space of three hours after, that his wife came in, ignorant of that which was done. And Peter said unto her, "Tell me, gave ye the land for so much?" And she said, "Yea, for so much." Then Peter said unto her, "Why have ye agreed together, to tempt the spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out." Then she fell down straightway at his feet and yielded up the ghost. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carried her out and buried her by her husband.
I saw among the spoil a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundredth sicles of silver, and a tongue of gold of fifty sicles weight: and I coveted them, and I took them. And behold they lie hid in the earth in my tent and the silver thereunder."
The images of their gods thou shalt burn with fire, and see that thou covet not the silver or gold that is on them nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therewith. For it is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
Did not Achan the son of Zerah trespass in the excommunicate things, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel, so that he alone perished not for his wickedness?'"
But the sons of Eli were unthrifty children, and knew not the LORD. For the manner of the priests with the people was: whensoever any man offered any offerings, the priest's lad came, while the flesh was in seething, and a flesh hook with three teeth in his hand; and thrust it into the pan, kettle, cauldron or pot. And all that the flesh hook brought up the priest took away. And so they did unto all Israel that came thither to Shiloh.read more.
Yea, and thereto before they had offered the fat, the priest's lad came and said to the man that offered, "Give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw."
Nevertheless, his sons followed not his steps: but turned aside after lucre and took rewards, and perverted the right.
But Saul and the people spared Agag, and they left of the sheep and of the oxen and fat things and the lambs and all that was good, and would not destroy them. But all that was nought worth and flaggy, that they destroyed utterly. Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,
There be three things that are never satisfied, and the fourth sayeth never, "Hoo." The hell, a woman's womb, and the earth hath never water enough. As for fire, it sayeth never, "Hoo."
"For from the least unto the most, they hang all upon covetousness: and from the prophet unto the priest, they go all about with falsity and lies.
Wherefore, I will give their wives unto aliens, and their fields to destroyers. For from the lowest to the highest, they follow all filthy lucre: and from the Prophet unto the priest, they deal all with lies.
Like as the wine deceiveth the drunkard, even so the proud shall fail and not endure. He openeth his desire wide up as the hell, and is as insatiable as death. All Heathen gathereth he to him, and heapeth unto him all people."
Then Simon himself believed also, and was baptised. And continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were showed. When the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard say that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: which, when they were come, prayed for them, that they might receive the holy ghost.read more.
For as yet he was come on none of them: But they were baptised only in the name of Christ Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the holy ghost. When Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands on them, the holy ghost was given: he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I put the hands, he may receive the holy ghost." Then said Peter unto him, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou wenest that the gift of God may be obtained with money. Thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this business. For thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent, therefore, of this thy wickedness, and pray God that the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art full of bitter gall, and wrapped in iniquity."
Behold, here I am. Answer me before the LORD and before his anointed, whose ox have I taken? Or whose ass have I taken? Whom have I done wrong to? Or whom have I oppressed? And of whose hand have I received any bribe, to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restore it you again." And they said, "Thou hast done us no wrong, nor oppressed us; neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand." Then said he to them, "The LORD is witness unto you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have found nought in my hands." And they answered, "We are witnesses."
I have desired no man's silver, gold, or vesture.
If others be partakers of this power over you, wherefore are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power: but suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Understand us: we have hurt no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
And when I was present with you and had need, I was grievous to no man. For that which was lacking unto me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I kept myself that I should not be grievous to you: and so will I keep myself.
Behold now, the third time, I am ready to come unto you, and yet will I not be grievous unto you. For I seek not yours, but you. Also the children ought not to lay up for the fathers and mothers: but the fathers and mothers for the children. I will very gladly bestow, and will be bestowed for your souls: though the more I love you, the less I am loved again. But be it that I grieved you not: nevertheless I was crafty and took you with guile.read more.
Did I defraud you by any of them which I sent unto you? I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother: Did Titus defraud you of any thing? Walked we not in one spirit? Walked we not in like steps?
Neither was our conversation at any time with flattering words - as ye well know - neither in cloaked covetousness, God is record:
This is a true saying: If a man covet the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
