37 Bible Verses about Materialism, As An Aspect Of Sin

Affecting to be sophists, they turned idiots, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and of quadrupeds, and of reptiles.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit within him was greatly grieved, beholding the city so devoted to idolatry.

For men will be self-lovers, money-lovers, boasters, vainglorious, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

For they who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful passions, which sink men in the abyss of destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evils, which some coveting, have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Jesus said to him, If thou art desirous to be perfect, go, sell all thy substance, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. Now when the young man heard this speech, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Then Jesus hearing this, said to him, Yet one thing thou lackest: sell all whatsoever thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. But he, on hearing these things, was exceeding sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Then went one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, and said, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? Then they placed before him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought an opportunity to deliver him up to them.

But whosoever hath worldly abundance, and seeth his brother under necessity, and shutteth his bowels of compassion against him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Then Jesus said to his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That very difficultly shall a rich man enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I repeat it to you, It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Then his disciples were astonished at these words. But Jesus again addressing them, said unto them, Children, how difficult is it for those who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Then Jesus, observing that he was very sorrowful, said, How difficultly shall they who have riches, enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

But the sown among the thorns, is he who heareth the word, and the anxiety about this world and the deceitfulness of riches, choketh the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

And those are the sown among the thorns; such as are hearers of the word; but the anxious cares of this world, and the seducing nature of wealth, and inordinate desires after other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

And that which fell among thorns, are they having heard, and going away, are choked by the cares, and wealth, and pleasures of life, and bring forth no perfect fruit.

Charge the rich in this world not to be lifted up with pride, nor to trust on the stability of wealth, but on the living God, who giveth us richly all things for our enjoyment; to do good, to be rich in generous actions, to take pleasure in liberality, ready to distribute; laying up treasure for themselves a noble foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

For if there come into your congregation a man with a gold ring, and in splendid apparel, and there come in also a poor man in a sordid garb; and ye fix your eyes upon him who bears the splendid robe, and say to him, Sit thou here in an honourable place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: are you not thus partial among yourselves, and form your decision from bad reasonings?read more.
Hear me, my beloved brethren. Hath not God elected the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to those who love him;

COME now, ye rich men, let your tears run down, howling over your miseries which are coming upon you. Your wealth is corrupted, and your robes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered with rust; and the rust upon them is a testimony against you, and shall eat into your flesh as fire. Ye have heaped up treasures in the last days.read more.
Behold, the wages of the workmen who have mowed down your fields, which is kept back by you from them, crieth out: and the loud moans of the reapers are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have gormandized upon the earth, and lived in every luxury: ye have pampered your hearts, as in a day of feasting on the victim slain. Ye have falsely condemned, ye have murdered the just man; nor doth he resist you.

But God said to him, Thou fool! this night shall they demand thy life from thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? Just such is every one who heapeth up treasure for self, and is not rich towards God.

For that we brought nothing into the world is evident, neither can we carry any thing out of it.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where the rust and canker spoil, and where thieves dig through and steal:

For what would a man be advantaged, though he could gain the whole world, if he should suffer the loss of his soul? or what will a man give as the ransom for his soul?

For what would it profit a man, though he should gain the whole world, if he be punished with the loss of his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

For whosoever would preserve his life shall lose it; but whosoever would lose his life for my sake, shall preserve it. For what advantage hath a man in gaining all the would, if he destroy himself, or be punished with the loss of life?

And he said unto them, Ye are they who affect to be righteous persons before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination in the sight of God.

Let the brother low in station rejoice in his elevation: but the rich, in his abasement: for as the flower of grass he shall pass away. For the sun arose with fervour, and burnt up the grass, and the flower of it fell off, and the beauty of its appearance was lost: just so the rich man in his course of life shall wither away.

because thou sayest, I am rich, and wallow in wealth, and have no want unsupplied; yet thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and pitiable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

And Jesus said unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where he can lay his head.

And Jesus Said to him, The foxes have holts, and the birds of the air, nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Let the same sentiment of mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God counted it no usurpation to claim equality with God:

Then said he to them, Beware, and be on your guard against covetousness; for a man's life doth not depend on the abundance of his possessions.

For this cause I tell you, Be not anxious about your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life of more value than meat, and the body than raiment? Look on the birds of the air: for they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not of more value than they? But which of you, by his cares, can add one cubit to his stature?read more.
And why are ye anxious about clothing? Contemplate the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, nor spin: yet I tell you, Not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. If God then so clothe a vegetable of the field, which to-day is, [in beauty], and tomorrow is cast into the furnace, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Wherefore be under no anxiety, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed? (for after all these things the heathen seek:) and your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of them all.

Let the tenor of your life be divested of the love of money; content with your present possessions: for he hath said, "I will in no wise leave thee, neither will I in any case forsake thee."

Love not the world, neither the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For every thing which is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pomp of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust thereof, but he who doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Then said Peter, I have neither silver nor gold; but what I have, that I give thee: By the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean, arise, and walk!

And in the multitude of those that believed there was one heart and soul: and not one person said, that any part of his substance was his peculiar property; but all things were in common among them. And with great power bore the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any person in want among them: for as many as were possessors of fields or houses disposed of them, and brought the prices of the things sold,read more.
and laid them at the apostles' feet: and a distribution was made to every one according as he had need. And Joses, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles, (which is, being interpreted, A son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian by birth, having a field belonging to him, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Not that I mention this with a view to my indigence: for I have learned in whatever circumstances I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in every state and in all situations I am instructed either to be full or famishing, either to enjoy abundance, or to suffer want: