Verse 9

Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 15:27 : 27 The one who is greedy for gain troubles his household, but whoever hates bribes will live.
  • 1 Tim 3:7 : 7 And he must be well thought of by those outside the faith, so that he may not fall into disgrace and be caught by the devil’s trap.
  • Matt 13:22 : 22 The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.
  • Matt 19:22 : 22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.
  • Matt 26:15 : 15 and said,“What will you give me to betray him into your hands?” So they set out thirty silver coins for him.
  • Matt 27:3-5 : 3 Judas’ Suicide Now when Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying,“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said,“What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!” 5 So Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself.
  • Mark 4:19 : 19 but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing.
  • Luke 21:35 : 35 For it will overtake all who live on the face of the whole earth.
  • Acts 5:4-5 : 4 Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God!” 5 When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it.
  • Acts 8:20 : 20 But Peter said to him,“May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire God’s gift with money!
  • Eph 4:22 : 22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires,
  • 1 Tim 1:9 : 9 realizing that law is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
  • 2 Tim 2:26 : 26 and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive to do his will.
  • Jas 5:1-4 : 1 Warning to the Rich Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! 4 Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
  • 2 Pet 2:3 : 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation pronounced long ago is not sitting idly by; their destruction is not asleep.
  • 2 Pet 2:15-16 : 15 By forsaking the right path they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, 16 yet was rebuked for his own transgression(a dumb donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the prophet’s madness).
  • 1 John 2:15-17 : 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 16 because all that is in the world(the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains forever.
  • Jude 1:11 : 11 Woe to them! For they have traveled down Cain’s path, and because of greed have abandoned themselves to Balaam’s error; hence, they will certainly perish in Korah’s rebellion.
  • Prov 20:21 : 21 An inheritance gained easily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
  • Prov 21:6 : 6 Making a fortune by a lying tongue is like a vapor driven back and forth; they seek death.
  • Prov 22:16 : 16 The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain and the one who gives to the rich– both end up only in poverty.
  • Prov 23:4 : 4 Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
  • Prov 28:20-22 : 20 A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings, but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished. 21 To show partiality is terrible, for a person will transgress over the smallest piece of bread. 22 The stingy person hastens after riches and does not know that poverty will overtake him.
  • Isa 5:8 : 8 Disaster is Coming Beware, those who accumulate houses, who also accumulate landed property until there is no land left, and you are the only landowners remaining within the land.
  • Hos 12:7-8 : 7 The Lord Refutes Israel’s False Claim of Innocence The businessmen love to cheat; they use dishonest scales. 8 Ephraim boasts,“I am very rich! I have become wealthy! In all that I have done to gain my wealth, no one can accuse me of any offense that is actually sinful.”
  • Amos 8:4-6 : 4 Listen to this, you who trample the needy, and do away with the destitute in the land. 5 You say,“When will the new moon festival be over, so we can sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, so we can open up the grain bins? We’re eager to sell less for a higher price, and to cheat the buyer with rigged scales! 6 We’re eager to trade silver for the poor, a pair of sandals for the needy! We want to mix in some chaff with the grain!”
  • Gen 13:10-13 : 10 Lot looked up and saw the whole region of the Jordan. He noticed that all of it was well-watered(before the LORD obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, all the way to Zoar. 11 Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled toward the east. So the relatives separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled among the cities of the Jordan plain and pitched his tents next to Sodom. 13 (Now the people of Sodom were extremely wicked rebels against the LORD.)
  • Num 22:17-19 : 17 For I will honor you greatly, and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’” 18 Balaam replied to the servants of Balak,“Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment of the LORD my God to do less or more. 19 Now therefore, please stay the night here also, that I may know what more the LORD might say to me.”
  • Num 31:8 : 8 They killed the kings of Midian in addition to those slain– Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba– five Midianite kings. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
  • Deut 7:25 : 25 You must burn the images of their gods, but do not covet the silver and gold that covers them so much that you take it for yourself and thus become ensnared by it; for it is abhorrent to the LORD your God.
  • Josh 7:11 : 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment! They have taken some of the riches; they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions.
  • Josh 7:24-26 : 24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster. 25 Joshua said,“Why have you brought disaster on us? The LORD will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death.(They also stoned and burned the others.) 26 Then they erected over him a large pile of stones(it remains to this very day) and the LORD’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.
  • 2 Kgs 5:20-27 : 20 Gehazi, the prophet Elisha’s servant, thought,“Look, my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him. As certainly as the LORD lives, I will run after him and accept something from him.” 21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked,“Is everything all right?” 22 He answered,“Everything is fine. My master sent me with this message,‘Look, two servants of the prophets just arrived from the Ephraimite hill country. Please give them a talent of silver and two suits of clothes.’” 23 Naaman said,“Please accept two talents of silver.” He insisted, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, along with two suits of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants and they carried them for Gehazi. 24 When he arrived at the hill, he took them from the servants and put them in the house. Then he sent the men on their way. 25 When he came and stood before his master, Elisha asked him,“Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered,“Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.” 26 Elisha replied,“I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants. 27 Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.
  • Ps 11:6 : 6 May he rain down burning coals and brimstone on the wicked! A whirlwind is what they deserve!
  • Prov 1:17-19 : 17 Surely it is futile to spread a net in plain sight of any bird, 18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood, they ambush their own lives! 19 Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it!
  • Zech 11:5 : 5 Those who buy them slaughter them and are not held guilty; those who sell them say,‘Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich.’ Their own shepherds have no compassion for them.