'Profit' in the Bible

You shall not give him your money at interest, nor your food at a profit.

You must not turn away, for then you would go after futile things which cannot profit or rescue, because they are futile.

Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered [abroad] and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not observe the king’s laws. Therefore it is not in the king’s interest to [tolerate them and] let them stay here.

‘Who [and what] is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?And what would we gain if we plead with Him?’

“Indeed, how could the strength of their hands profit me?Vigor had perished from them.

“He sings out to other men,‘I have sinned and perverted that which was right,And it was not proper for me!

“What profit is there in my blood (death), if I go down to the pit (grave)?Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness [to man]?

I was mute and silent [before my enemies],I refrained even from good,And my distress grew worse.

For wisdom’s profit is better than the profit of silver,And her gain is better than fine gold.

Treasures of wickedness and ill-gotten gains do not profit,But righteousness and moral integrity in daily life rescues from death.

The wages of the righteous [the upright, those in right standing with God] is [a worthwhile, meaningful] life,The income of the wicked, punishment.

In all labor there is profit,But mere talk leads only to poverty.

What advantage does man have from all his workWhich he does under the sun (while earthbound)?

Then I considered all which my hands had done and labored to do, and behold, all was vanity and chasing after the wind and there was no profit (nothing of lasting value) under the sun.

What profit is there for the worker from that in which he labors?

After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

For there are many other words that increase futility. What then is the advantage for a man?

“All will be ashamed because of a people (the Egyptians) who cannot benefit them,Who are not a help or benefit, but a shame and also a disgrace.”

A [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning the beasts of the Negev (the South):Through a land of trouble and anguish,From where come lioness and lion, viper and [fiery] flying serpent,They carry their riches on the shoulders of young donkeysAnd their treasures on the humps of camels,To a people (Egyptians) who cannot benefit them.

All who make carved idols are nothing. Their precious objects are worthless [to them], and their own witnesses (worshipers) fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.

“Persist, then, [Babylon] in your enchantmentsAnd your many sorceriesWith which you have labored from your youth;Perhaps you will be able to profit [from them],Perhaps you may prevail and cause trembling.

This is what the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says,“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit (benefit),Who leads you in the way that you should go.

“You were wearied by the length of your road,Yet you did not say, ‘It is no use.’You found renewed strength,Therefore you did not grow weak.

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You do not see it?Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’Hear this [O Israel], on the day of your fast [when you should be grieving for your sins] you find something you desire [to do],And you force your hired servants to work [instead of stopping all work, as the law teaches].

“[Even] the priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’And those who deal with the law [given to Moses] did not know Me.The rulers and shepherds also transgressed against Me,And the prophets prophesied by [the authority and in the name of] BaalAnd walked after [idolatrous] things that did not benefit [them].

“Has a nation [ever] changed godsEven though they were not gods [but merely man-made objects]?But My people have exchanged their Glory (the true God)For that [man-made idol] which does not benefit [them].

“Behold, you are trusting in deceptive and useless words that bring no benefit.

“They have planted wheat but have reaped thorns;They have exhausted themselves but without profit.So be ashamed of your harvestBecause of the fierce and raging anger of the Lord.”

[Then said Jeremiah] “O Lord, my Strength and my Stronghold,And my Refuge in the day of distress and need,The nations will come to YouFrom the ends of the earth and say,‘Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies and illusion,[Worthless] things in which there is no benefit!’

Hear this, I am against those who have prophesied false and made-up dreams,” says the Lord, “and have told them and have made My people err and go astray by their lies and by their reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them nor do they benefit and enhance [the life of] these people in the slightest way,” says the Lord.

“What profit is the carved image when its maker has formed it?It is only a cast image, and a teacher of lies.For its maker trusts in his own creation [as his god]When he makes speechless idols.

You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. What profit is it if we keep His ordinances, and walk around like mourners before the Lord of hosts?

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

‘They worship Me in vain [their worship is meaningless and worthless, a pretense],Teaching the precepts of men as doctrines [giving their traditions equal weight with the Scriptures].’

For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world [with all its pleasures], and forfeit his soul?

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], and loses or forfeits himself?

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh conveys no benefit [it is of no account]. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life [providing eternal life].

But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the market place [where trials were held],

Circumcision [the sign of the covenant of Abraham] is indeed of value if you practice the Law; but if you habitually break the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision [it is meaningless in God’s sight].

Now I say this for your own benefit; not to restrict you, but to promote what is appropriate and secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

Let no one seek [only] his own good, but [also] that of the other person.

just as I please everyone in all things [as much as possible adapting myself to the interests of others], not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, so that they [will be open to the message of salvation and] may be saved.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good.

Notice, it is I, Paul, who tells you that if you receive circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], Christ will be of no benefit to you [for you will lack the faith in Christ that is necessary for salvation].

and perpetual friction between men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, who think that godliness is a source of profit [a lucrative, money-making business—withdraw from them].

But godliness actually is a source of great gain when accompanied by contentment [that contentment which comes from a sense of inner confidence based on the sufficiency of God].

Yes, brother, let me have some benefit and joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

Do not be carried away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and strengthened by grace and not by foods [rules of diet and ritualistic meals], which bring no benefit or spiritual growth to those who observe them.

What is the benefit, my fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no [good] works [as evidence]? Can that [kind of] faith save him? [No, a mere claim of faith is not sufficient—genuine faith produces good works.]