18 Bible Verses about Coveting

For of this you can be sure, that no immoral, impure, or covetous personsuch a man is an idolaterhas any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Now these things are examples for us, not to desire evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play."

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and greed, which is idolatry.

For from within, out of the heart of men, come evil thoughts, fornications, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man."

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they scoffed at him.

"Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief; and as he had the money box, he used to take what was put into it.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

And in their greed they will exploit you with false words; from long ago their condemnation has not been idle, and their destruction has not been asleep.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said, "I will never leave you, nor will I forsake you."

shepherd the flock of God that is under your care, serving as overseersnot under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.

It is a trustworthy saying: if any one aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

What causes quarrels and fights among you? Is it not your passions that are at war in your members? You desire and do not have; so you kill. And you covet and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren to go on to you before me, and arrange in advance for this gift you have promised, so that it may be ready not as an exaction but as a willing gift.