The Bible provides clear guidance on the sin of stealing, including the act of stealing money. These verses serve as moral and ethical guidelines admonishing believers to resist the temptation of theft and pursue righteousness. Through this collection of verses, we can glean wisdom about honesty, integrity, and the importance of working for what we have.
Bible Verses about Stealing Money
1. Exodus 20:15 – The Eighth Commandment
“You shall not steal.” – Exodus 20:15
Cross-References
Leviticus 19:11 – “‘Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.’”
Deuteronomy 5:19 – “You shall not steal.”
2. Proverbs 10:2 – Ill-gotten Treasures
“Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.” – Proverbs 10:2
Cross-References
Proverbs 11:4 – “Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”
Proverbs 21:6 – “A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.”
Jeremiah 17:11 – “Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay are those who gain riches by unjust means. When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them, and in the end they will prove to be fools.”
3. Proverbs 13:11 – Wealth from Dishonesty
“Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” – Proverbs 13:11
Cross-References
1 Timothy 6:9 – “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.”
4. Leviticus 19:13 – The Sin of Oppression
“‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.’” – Leviticus 19:13
Cross-References
Malachi 3:5 – “‘So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
5. Ephesians 4:28 – From Stealing to Generosity
“Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” – Ephesians 4:28
Cross-References
Acts 20:34-35 – “You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10 – “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’”
1 Timothy 6:18 – “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”
6. Luke 19:8 – Zacchaeus’ Repentance
“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’” – Luke 19:8
Cross-References
Numbers 5:6-7 – “When anyone is unfaithful to the Lord by sinning unintentionally in regard to any of the Lord’s holy things, they are to bring to the Lord as a penalty a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel.”
2 Corinthians 7:9-11 – “yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.”
7. Jeremiah 7:9-11 – The Temple as a Den of Robbers
“‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching!’ declares the Lord.” – Jeremiah 7:9-11
Cross-References
Isaiah 1:15 – “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!”
Matthew 21:13 – “‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
Mark 11:17 – “And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it “a den of robbers.”’”
8. Proverbs 22:22-23 – Do Not Exploit the Poor
“Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.” – Proverbs 22:22-23
Cross-References
Proverbs 23:10-11 – “Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.”
Isaiah 3:14-15 – “The Lord enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: ‘It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?’ declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.”
James 2:5-6 – “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?”
9. Micah 6:10-12 – Dishonesty in Business
“Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house, and the short ephah, which is accursed? Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights? Your rich people are violent; your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully.” – Micah 6:10-12
Cross-References
Proverbs 20:23 – “The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.”
Hosea 12:7 – “The merchant uses dishonest scales and loves to defraud.”
Amos 8:5 – “saying, ‘When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?’—skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales.”
10. Psalm 62:10 – Do Not Trust in Extortion
“Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.” – Psalm 62:10
Cross-References
Jeremiah 17:5-7 – “This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.’”
1 Timothy 6:17 – “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
11. Exodus 22:1 – Restitution for Theft
“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.” – Exodus 22:1
Cross-References
Exodus 22:3 – “But if the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.”
12. Mark 7:21-22 – Evil Thoughts and Theft
“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly.” – Mark 7:21-22
Cross-References
Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
Matthew 15:19 – “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
James 1:14-15 – “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
13. Isaiah 61:8 – The Lord Loves Justice
“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.” – Isaiah 61:8
Cross-References
Amos 5:24 – “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
Proverbs 21:3 – “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”
Psalms 37:28 – “For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish.”
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14. Matthew 19:18 – The Commandments
“‘Which ones?’ he inquired. Jesus replied, ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony,’” – Matthew 19:18
Cross-References
Romans 13:9 – “The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet’; and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Exodus 20:15-16 – “You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
Mark 10:19 – “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
15. Zechariah 5:3-4 – The Flying Scroll
“And he said to me, ‘This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished. The Lord Almighty declares, I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.’” – Zechariah 5:3-4
Cross-References
Proverbs 3:33 – “The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.”
Malachi 3:9 – “You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.”
16. Proverbs 28:20 – Integrity versus Greed
“A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” – Proverbs 28:20
Cross-References
Proverbs 11:28 – “Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.”
Proverbs 15:27 – “The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.”
17. Amos 8:4-7 – Denouncing Dishonest Practices
“Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, saying, ‘When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?’—skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat. The Lord has sworn by himself, the Pride of Jacob: ‘I will never forget anything they have done.’” – Amos 8:4-7
Cross-References
Proverbs 20:10 – “Differing weights and differing measures—the Lord detests them both.”
Leviticus 19:35-36 – “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.”
18. Romans 2:21 – Teaching Against Stealing
“You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?” – Romans 2:21
Cross-References
Matthew 23:3 – “So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”
James 1:22 – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
Titus 2:7-8 – “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”
19. Proverbs 6:30-31 – The Penalty for Thieves
“People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.” – Proverbs 6:30-31
Cross-References
2 Samuel 12:6 – “He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
20. Colossians 3:25 – Wrongdoing and Repercussions
“Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.” – Colossians 3:25
Cross-References
Romans 2:6 – “God ‘will repay each person according to what they have done.’”
Ephesians 6:8 – “because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.”
Galatians 6:7-8 – “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
21. 1 Corinthians 6:10 – Who Will Not Inherit the Kingdom
“nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:10
Cross-References
Galatians 5:19-21 – “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Ephesians 5:5 – “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”
Revelation 21:8 – “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
22. Malachi 3:8 – Robbing God
“‘Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ ‘In tithes and offerings.’” – Malachi 3:8
Cross-References
Haggai 1:6 – “You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
Leviticus 27:30 – “‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”
Matthew 23:23 – “‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”
23. Luke 3:14 – Contentment in Service
“Then some soldiers asked him, ‘And what should we do?’ He replied, ‘Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.’” – Luke 3:14
Cross-References
1 Timothy 6:6-8 – “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”
Hebrews 13:5 – “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
Philippians 4:11-12 – “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
24. Proverbs 29:24 – Partnering with a Thief
“The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify.” – Proverbs 29:24
Cross-References
Psalms 50:18 – “When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.”
Leviticus 5:1 – “‘If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.”
Proverbs 1:10-14 – “My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, ‘Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit.”
25. John 12:6 – Judas Iscariot, the Thief
“He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” – John 12:6
Cross-References
Matthew 26:14-15 – “Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.”
Mark 14:10-11 – “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”
Acts 1:16-18 – “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus.”
26. 1 Peter 4:15 – Suffering for Righteousness
“If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.” – 1 Peter 4:15
Cross-References
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 – “And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
James 4:17 – “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”
27. Job 24:14 – The Practices of the Wicked
“When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up, kills the poor and needy, and in the night steals forth like a thief.” – Job 24:14
Cross-References
Psalms 10:8-9 – “He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret for his victims; like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.”
Proverbs 4:16 – “For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.”
Proverbs 28:17 – “Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder will seek refuge in the grave; let no one hold them back.”
28. Nehemiah 5:13 – Promises Against Injustice
“I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, ‘In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!’ At this the whole assembly said, ‘Amen,’ and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.” – Nehemiah 5:13
Cross-References
Deuteronomy 27:19 – “‘Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.’ Then all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’”
Job 31:16-23 – “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless”
Isaiah 58:6-7 – “‘Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter”
29. 1 Samuel 12:3-4 – An Example of Honesty
“Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right.’ ‘You have not cheated or oppressed us,’ they replied. ‘You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.’” – 1 Samuel 12:3-4
Cross-References
Acts 20:33-34 – “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.”
Genesis 31:37 – “Now that you have gone through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.”
2 Corinthians 8:21 – “For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.”
30. James 5:1-4 – Wealth Gained Unjustly
“Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.” – James 5:1-4
Cross-References
Isaiah 5:8 – “Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land.”
Ezekiel 22:13 – “I will surely strike my hands together at the unjust gain you have made and at the blood you have shed in your midst.”
31. Luke 18:22-23 – The Rich Young Ruler
“When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.” – Luke 18:22-23
Cross-References
Matthew 19:21 – “Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’”
Mark 10:21 – “Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’”
Acts 2:45 – “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”
32. Jeremiah 22:13 – The Wrath upon Dishonesty
“‘Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.’” – Jeremiah 22:13
Cross-References
Deuteronomy 24:14-15 – “Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns.”
Micah 3:10-12 – “who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness. Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they look for the Lord’s support and say, ‘Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us.’”
James 5:4 – “Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.”
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Final Thoughts
The act of stealing money is fundamentally condemned throughout the scriptures, and believers are urged to adhere to a standard of integrity and trustworthiness. From the straightforward commandment against theft in Exodus to the individual stories of repentance and restitution, like that of Zacchaeus, a recurring theme emerges: honesty is revered while theft is reproached. The many verses above highlight the importance of valuing what is right, shunning dishonest gain, and practicing justice.
These verses also emphasize that wealth itself is not a sin, but the methods employed to acquire such wealth must not betray moral and ethical considerations. Furthermore, the blending of cross-references underlines the broader scriptural teachings on theft and financial integrity, pointing to a consistency within the Bible on these issues. Collectively, the verses are meant to enlighten believers and guide their conduct regarding wealth and possessions. In embracing this wisdom, one is encouraged to live a life that honors God, promotes goodwill, and upholds the dignity of others.