37 Bible Verses about Materialism, As An Aspect Of Sin

They claimed to be wise, but they have become fools; they have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the semblance of the likeness of mortal man, of birds, of quadrupeds, and of reptiles.

While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his soul was irritated at the sight of the idols that filled the city.

For men will be selfish, fond of money, boastful, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreverent,

Shun idolatry, then, my beloved.

Those who are eager to be rich get tempted and trapped in many senseless and pernicious propensities that drag men down to ruin and destruction. For love of money is the root of all mischief; it is by aspiring to be rich that certain individuals have gone astray from the faith and found themselves pierced with many a pang of remorse.

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell your property, give the money to the poor and you shall have treasure in heaven; then come and follow me." When the young man heard that, he went sadly away, for he had great possessions.

When Jesus heard this he said to him, "You lack one thing more; sell all you have, distribute the money among the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come and follow me." But when he heard that, he was vexed, for he was extremely rich.

Then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went and said to the high priests, "What will you give me for betraying him to you?" And they weighed out for him thirty silver pieces. From that moment he sought a good opportunity to betray him.

But whoever possesses this world's goods, and notices his brother in need, and shuts his heart against him, how can love to God remain in him?

And Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you truly, it will be difficult for a rich man to get into the Realm of heaven. I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to get through a needle's eye than for a rich man to get into the Realm of God."

The disciples were amazed at what he said; so he repeated, "My sons, how difficult it is [for those who rely on money] to get into the Realm of God! It is easier for a camel to get through a needle's eye than for a rich man to get into the Realm of God."

So Jesus looked at him and said, "How difficult it is for those who have money to enter the Realm of God! Why, it is easier for a camel to get through a needle's eye than for a rich man to get into the Realm of God."

As for him who is sown 'among thorns,' that is the man who listens to the word, but the worry of the world and the delight of being rich choke the word; so it proves unfruitful.

Another set are those who are sown 'among thorns'; they listen to the word, but the worries of the world and the delight of being rich and all the other passions come in to choke the word; so it proves unfruitful.

As for the seed that fell among thorns, that means people who hear but who go and get choked with worries and money and the pleasures of life, so that they never ripen.

Charge the rich of this world not to be supercilious, and not to fix their hopes on so uncertain a thing as riches but on the living God who richly provides us with all the enjoyments of life; tell them to be bountiful, rich in good works, open-handed and generous, amassing right good treasure for themselves in the world to come, in order to secure the life which is life indeed.

Suppose there comes into your meeting a man who wears gold rings and handsome clothes, and also a poor man in dirty clothes; if you attend to the wearer of the handsome clothes and say to him, "Sit here, this is a good place," and tell the poor man, "You can stand," or "Sit there at my feet," are you not drawing distinctions in your own minds and proving that you judge people with partiality?read more.
Listen, my beloved brothers; has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the realm which he has promised to those who love him?

Come now, you rich men, weep and shriek over your impending miseries! your wealth lies rotting, and your clothes are moth-eaten; your gold and silver lie rusted over, and their rust will be evidence against you, it will devour your flesh like fire. [Moved to the end of 5:1] You have been storing up treasure in the very last days;read more.
See, the wages of which you have defrauded the workmen who mowed your fields call out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. You have revelled on earth and plunged into dissipation; you have fattened yourselves as for the Day of slaughter; you have condemned, you have murdered the righteous ??unresisting.

But God said to him, 'Foolish man, this very night your soul is wanted; and who will get all you have prepared?' So fares the man who lays up treasure for himself instead of gaining the riches of God."

for we bring nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

Store up no treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust corrode, where thieves break in and steal:

What profit will it be if a man gains the whole world and forfeits his own soul? What will a man offer as an equivalent for his soul?

What profit is it for a man to gain the whole world and to forfeit his soul? What could a man offer as an equivalent for his soul?

for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. What profit will it be for a man to gain the whole world and lose or forfeit himself?

So he told them, "You are the people who get men to think you are good, but God knows what your hearts are! What is lofty in the view of man is loathsome in the eyes of God.

Let a brother of low position exult when he is raised; but let one who is rich exult in being lowered; for the rich will pass away like the flower of the grass ??11 up comes the sun with the scorching wind and withers the grass, its flower drops off, and the splendour of it is ruined: so shall the rich fade away amid their pursuits.

You declare, 'I am rich, I am well off, I lack nothing!' ??not knowing you are a miserable creature, pitiful, poor, blind, naked.

Jesus said to him, "The foxes have their holes, the wild birds have their nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."

Jesus said to him, "The foxes have their holes, the wild birds have their nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."

Treat one another with the same spirit as you experience in Christ Jesus. Though he was divine by nature, he did not set store upon equality with God

Then he said to them, "See and keep clear of covetousness in every shape and form, for a man's life is not part of his possessions because he has ample wealth."

Therefore I tell you, do not trouble about what you are to eat or drink in life, nor about what you are to put on your body; surely life means more than food, surely the body means more than clothes! Look at the wild birds; they sow not, they reap not, they gather nothing in granaries, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than birds? Which of you can add an ell to his height by troubling about it?read more.
And why should you trouble over clothing? Look how the lilies of the field grow; they neither toil nor spin, and yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his grandeur was never robed like one of them. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field which blooms to-day and is thrown to-morrow into the furnace, will not he much more clothe you? O men, how little you trust him! Do not be troubled, then, and cry, 'What are we to eat?' or 'what are we to drink?' or 'how are we to be clothed?' (pagans make all that their aim in life) for your heavenly Father knows quite well you need all that.

Keep your life free from the love of money; be content with what you have, for He has said, Never will I fail you, never will I forsake you.

Love not the world, nor yet what is in the world; if anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the proud glory of life, belongs not to the Father but to the world; and the world is passing away with its desire, while he who does the will of God remains for ever.

But Peter said, "I have no silver or gold, but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, [get up and] walk!"

[Relocated to before vs 34] Now there was but one heart and soul among the multitude of the believers; not one of them considered anything his personal property, they shared all they had with one another. the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sale,read more.
laying the money before the feet of the apostles; it was then distributed according to each individual's need. Thus Joseph, who was surnamed Barnabas or (as it may be translated) 'Son of Encouragement' by the apostles, a Levite of Cypriote birth, sold a farm belonging to him and brought the money, which he placed before the feet of the apostles.

Not that I complain of want, for I have learned how to be content wherever I am. I know how to live humbly; I also know how to live in prosperity. I have been initiated into the secret for all sorts and conditions of life, for plenty and for hunger, for prosperity and for privations.