The Bible has dedicated a large number of verses to debt and lending to others.
What is great about the wisdom in the Bible is that it is timeless. If you are struggling with debt or looking to understand how best to manage your finances, these bible verses about debt will be a great help.
Bible Verses About Debt
Debt is a serious subject covered by many verses in the Bible. These are the most useful verses about debt
Romans 13:8 – Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Psalm 37:21 – The wicked person borrows and does not repay, but the righteous one is gracious and giving.
Romans 13:7 – Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.
Deuteronomy 15:6 – When the Lord your God blesses you as he has promised you, you will lend to many nations but not borrow; you will rule many nations, but they will not rule you.
2 Kings 4:7 – She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go sell the oil and pay your debt; you and your sons can live on the rest.”
Proverbs 17:18 – One without sense enters an agreement and puts up security for his friend.
Proverbs 22:7 – The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender.
Proverbs 22:26-27 – Don’t be one of those who enter agreements, who put up security for loans. If you have nothing with which to pay, even your bed will be taken from under you.
Nehemiah 5:3-5 – Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.”
Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery.
Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
Romans 13:8-10 – Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.
Deuteronomy 15:1-2 – At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how to cancel debt: Every creditor is to cancel what he has lent his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the Lord’s release of debts has been proclaimed.
Deuteronomy 15:9 – Be careful that there isn’t this wicked thought in your heart, ‘The seventh year, the year of canceling debts, is near,’ and you are stingy toward your poor brother and give him nothing. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 – When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow.
Amos 2:8 – They stretch out beside every altar on garments taken as collateral, and in the house of their God they drink wine obtained through fines.
Matthew 6:12 – And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Luke 7:41-50 – “A creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.” “You have judged correctly,” he told him.
Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair.
You gave me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. You didn’t anoint my head with olive oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.
Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Colossians 2:14 – He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.
Proverbs 3:27 – When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from the one to whom it belongs
Exodus 22:25-27 – “If you lend silver to my people, to the poor person among you, you must not be like a creditor to him; you must not charge him interest.
“If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him before sunset. For it is his only covering; it is the clothing for his body. What will he sleep in? And if he cries out to me, I will listen because I am gracious.
Leviticus 25:35-37 – “If your brother becomes destitute and cannot sustain himself among[a] you, you are to support him as an alien or temporary resident, so that he can continue to live among you.
Do not profit or take interest from him, but fear your God and let your brother live among you. You are not to lend him your silver with interest or sell him your food for profit.
Deuteronomy 15:6 – When the Lord your God blesses you as he has promised you, you will lend to many nations but not borrow; you will rule many nations, but they will not rule you.
Deuteronomy 23:20 – You may charge a foreigner interest, but you must not charge your brother Israelite interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything you do in the land you are entering to possess.
Psalm 112:5 – Good will come to the one who lends generously and conducts his business fairly.
Exodus 22:14 – “When a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not there with it, the man must make full restitution.
Proverbs 11:15 – If someone puts up security for a stranger, he will suffer for it, but the one who hates such agreements is protected.
Ecclesiastes 5:5 – Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.
Deuteronomy 28:12 – The Lord will open for you his abundant storehouse, the sky, to give your land rain in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow.
What We Can Learn from the Bible About Debt
With finances being a large part of the content in the Bible, debt comes up very frequently. Some of the main themes we can determine from
- Excessive debt can prevent you from pursuing your purpose in life.
- Debt is not against God’s will but should be avoided.
- Forgiving debt that someone owes you is a great kindness (mitzvah in the Jewish faith).
- Do not take advantage of people when you lend them money.
- Putting up your good credit for someone else to acquire debt is foolish.
- It is better not to acquire debt and go without than to acquire debt and not repay it.
- God will provide. If you follow his instructions, you will not need debt.
Other Topics in the Bible
Money is a major part of all of our lives, so it is no surprise the Bible talks about it a lot. Three other topics from the Bible on money that we have covered are:
What the Bible Says about Money Final Thoughts
I was fortunate to grow up in a home that put great emphasis on understanding the Bible and the wisdom it holds.
While my family didn’t spend large amounts of time discussing finances, my parents modeled good financial behavior my entire life, and continue to do so.
When Amy and I married, we made it a priority to get rid of all consumer debt and prepare for having a mortgage. It was one of the best decisions we have made during our more than 15 years together.
Not only has not having debt taken great stress off our lives, but it has also allowed us to take risks and take advantage of opportunities for employment and investment.
I highly encourage you to pursue debt freedom and hope these bible verses about money help you down that path.
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