13 Bible Verses about Creditors
Most Relevant Verses
If thou shalt lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
I likewise, my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
If thou shalt lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. If thou shalt at all take thy neighbor's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it to him by the setting of the sun. For that is his only covering, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth to me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
But thou shalt open thy hand wide to him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away.
Thou shalt not lend upon interest to thy brother; interest of money, interest of victuals, interest of any thing that is lent upon interest: To a stranger thou mayest lend upon interest; but to thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thy hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone for a pledge: for he taketh a man's life for a pledge.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets to Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant feared the LORD: and the creditor hath come to take to him my two sons to be bond-men.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
And he said also to his disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a steward; and the same was accused to him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said to him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg.read more.
I am resolved what to do, that when I am removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors, and said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord? And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. And he said to him, Take thy bill, and write eighty. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
From Thematic Bible
Creditors » Often cruel in exacting debts
Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said to them, Ye exact interest, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. And I said to them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold to us? Then they held their peace, and found nothing to answer. Also I said, That is not good which ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge. They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together. Behold, as wild asses in the desert, they go forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children. read more.
They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked. They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold. They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest. And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Creditors » Illustrative of » God's claim upon men
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king who would take account of his servants.
Agree with thy adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do to you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Creditors » Sometimes entirely remitted debts
I likewise, my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Creditors » Often exacted debts » By selling the debtor's family
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets to Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant feared the LORD: and the creditor hath come to take to him my two sons to be bond-men.
But as he had not ability to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Creditors » Often exacted debts » From the sureties
Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
Creditors » Prohibited from » Exacting usury from brethren
If thou shalt lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
Take thou no interest of him, or increase; but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
Creditors » Might demand » Security of others
Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
My son, if thou art surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
Creditors » Often exacted debts » By imprisonment
Agree with thy adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due to him.
Creditors » Often exacted debts » By selling the debtor or taking him for a servant
But as he had not ability to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
If thou shalt buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall depart free for nothing.
Creditors » Were often defrauded
And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, resorted to him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
So he called every one of his lord's debtors, and said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord? And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. And he said to him, Take thy bill, and write eighty.
Creditors » Might demand » Pledges
When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to take his pledge: Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad to thee:
Creditors » Exacting debts from brethren during sabbatical year
And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth aught to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbor, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD'S release. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thy hand shall release:
Creditors » Prohibited from » Violently selecting pledges
When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to take his pledge:
Creditors » Might take interest from strangers
To a stranger thou mayest lend upon interest; but to thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thy hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Creditors » Prohibited from » Taking millstones in pledge
No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone for a pledge: for he taketh a man's life for a pledge.
Creditors » To return before sunset, garments taken in pledge
If thou shalt at all take thy neighbor's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it to him by the setting of the sun. For that is his only covering, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth to me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
Creditors » Often exacted debts » By selling the debtor's property
But as he had not ability to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Creditors » Illustrative of » The demands of the law
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Creditors » Defined
Creditors » Might demand » Mortgages on property
Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
Creditors » Bills or promissory notes
And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. And he said to him, Take thy bill, and write eighty.