20 Bible Verses about Thrift

Now, this is the third time I have been ready to come to you, and I will not be a [financial] burden to you. For I do not want your possessions but you yourselves, because children should not [have to] save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

On every first day of the week [i.e., at the regular Sunday assembly] each one of you should set aside and store up [money] in proportion to your income, so that no collections will have to be taken when I come.

The person who has stolen must stop doing it; instead, he should work hard, doing something worthwhile with his own hands, so that he can have [money] to share with the person who needs it.

And when the people were [all] full, Jesus said to His disciples, "Gather up the broken pieces that are left over so that nothing is wasted." So, they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces left over from the five loaves of barley bread which they had eaten.

But one of Jesus' disciples named Judas Iscariot, who later turned Him over [i.e., to the Jewish authorities], said, "Why was this perfume not sold for a large sum of money [Note: The amount here was equivalent to three hundred days of a farm laborer's pay, or over $20,000 in 1994] and [then] the money given to poor people?" Now he did not say this because he cared about poor people, but because he was in charge of the money bag, and being a thief, he used to steal from it.

But when His disciples saw this they were very upset and said, "What is the reason for such waste? For this perfume could have been sold for a large sum of money and given to poor people."

But some [of the disciples. See Matt. 26:8] were upset among themselves, saying, "What is the reason for wasting this perfume? It might have been sold for a large sum of money and the money given to poor people. [Note: The amount indicated here was equivalent to days of a farm laborer's pay, or over $20,000 in 1994]. And they complained about her [doing this].

But [remember] this: The person who plants only a few seeds will harvest a meager crop. And the one who plants many seeds [Note: The Greek says, "plants with blessings"] will harvest a bumper crop.

And [then] He said to them, "Be careful and guard yourselves against [practicing] all forms of greed, for a person's life does not consist of having a lot of possessions."

And He told them a parable [i.e., a brief story to illustrate His teaching], saying, "The land of a certain rich man produced a bumper crop, so he thought to himself, 'What should I do, because I do not have any [more] room to store my crops?' Then he said [to himself], 'This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build larger [ones]; then I will store all my grain and [other] goods there [i.e., farm supplies].read more.
And I will say to myself, 'Soul, you have plenty of goods [i.e., grain and supplies] stored up for many years, [so], take it easy; eat, drink and have fun.' But God said to him, 'You fool! Tonight your life will be taken away from you. And [then] who will get the things you have stored up [for yourself]?' This is [the way it will be with] the person who stores up treasures for himself, and [yet] is not rich toward God [i.e., does place enough importance on spiritual things]."

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "So, I tell you, do not worry about [the material things of] your life, [such as] what you will eat or what you will wear on your body. For there are more important things in life than food, and [more important things about] your body than the clothing [you wear]. Look at the ravens; they do not plant seeds or harvest [a crop]; they do not have a storage locker or a barn, and [yet] God feeds them [adequately]. Are you not a lot more valuable than those birds?read more.
And which one of you can worry yourself into living a single day longer? So, if you are not able to do even a little thing like that, why are you worrying about the rest? "Consider how [wild] lilies grow; they do not work or weave, yet I tell you, even Solomon, clothed in his very finest royal robes, was never dressed [as luxuriously] as one of these [flowers]. But if God so [beautifully] dresses the grass in a field, which is [green] today, and [then] tomorrow [dries up and] is thrown into the oven [i.e., as fuel], will He not do even more in providing your clothing, you people with such little faith? So, do not look [anxiously] for what you will eat, and what you will drink, and do not be [continually] worried [i.e., about such things]. For all these things are what the [unconverted] nations of the world keep trying to get. But your Father [already] knows you need these things. So, look for God's kingdom and these things [i.e., food, drink and clothing] will be provided for you.

"So I tell you, do not worry about [the material things of] your life, [such as] what you will eat or what you will drink, or about what you will wear on your body. There are more important things in life than food, and more important things about your body than the clothing you wear. Look at the birds in the sky; they do not plant seeds or harvest [a crop] or store [things] in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them [adequately]. Are you not a lot more valuable than they are? And which one of you can worry yourself into living a single day longer?read more.
And why are you worrying about clothing? Consider how [wild] lilies grow in a field; they do not work or weave, yet I tell you that even Solomon, clothed in his very finest royal robes, was never dressed [as luxuriously] as one of these flowers. So, if God so [beautifully] dresses the grass in a field, which is [green] today, and [then] tomorrow [dries up and] is thrown in the oven [i.e., as fuel], will He not do even more in providing your clothing, you people with such little faith? Therefore, do not worry by asking, 'What are we going to eat?' or 'What are we going to drink?' or 'What are we going to wear?' For these are the things that the [unconverted] Gentiles keep trying to get. But your heavenly Father [already] knows you need these things. So, you should put the kingdom of God and what He says is right first [in your lives], then all these things [i.e., food, drink and clothing] will be provided for you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have enough to be worried about in itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

And a few days later, this younger son gathered everything together and traveled to a distant country where he squandered his possessions in wild living.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "There was a certain rich man who had a property manager who was reported to be squandering his possessions.

"Do not store your valuables [here] on earth, where moths can eat them and where rust can corrode them, and where burglars can break in and steal [them]. But [rather] store up your valuables in heaven [i.e., by investing your life in spiritual things], where neither moths can eat nor rust corrode, nor burglars break in and steal, for wherever [you store] your valuables, that is where your heart [i.e., your real concern] will be also.

So, be careful how you live. Do not live ignorantly, but wisely, making the most of every opportunity, because these days are evil.

[In that way] they will store up for themselves a treasure [of never ending rewards] for providing a solid foundation for the future, so that they can take hold of the true life [i.e., in heaven].

But your stubbornness and refusal to repent are storing up wrath [i.e., punishment] for yourselves, [to be experienced] on the Day of Wrath [i.e., the day of judgment] when God's just judgment will be revealed. He will repay every person for what he has done. [See Psa. 62:12].

To the ones who continue doing what is good and who look for glory, honor and immortal life [God will give] never ending life. But to the ones who have selfish ambition [Note: Some translate these words "are contentious"] and refuse to obey the truth, but [instead] obey what is wrong, [God will bring] wrath, fury, anguish and distress. He will bring these upon every human being who does wrong, upon the Jews first, then also upon the Greeks [i.e., Gentiles].read more.
But [He will bring] glory, honor and peace upon every person who does what is good; upon the Jews first, then also upon the Greeks,

Give back to her the way [i.e., the kind of treatment] she has given back [to others], and repay her double for what she has done. Mix a double dose for her from her own cup. Cause her as much torment and sorrow as she gave herself honor and luxurious living. For she is saying to herself, 'I sit as a queen; I am not a widow and I will never suffer grief.'