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104 Bible Verses About Gambling
I want to talk to you about something I've been reflecting on: using our resources wisely. The Bible teaches us to take care of our families, and that really hits home for me. It makes me think twice about risking what I have on things like gambling, hoping for a quick win. While the Bible doesn't specifically call out gambling, it gives us a lot of guidance to figure out how God feels about it.
Luke 12:1515 really speaks to me: "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." That's a powerful reminder that true wealth isn't about how much stuff we have. It's about something deeper.
And then there's Luke 12:4242: "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?" This verse challenges me to be a good steward of everything I've been blessed with. It reminds me to manage my resources wisely, appreciating everything I've received, and not throwing it away on risky choices.
For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.
The stingy person hastens after riches and does not know that poverty will overtake him.
The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Wealth gained quickly will dwindle away, but the one who gathers it little by little will become rich.
to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you.
“All things are lawful for me” – but not everything is beneficial. “All things are lawful for me” – but I will not be controlled by anything.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
You must not oppress your neighbor or commit robbery against him. You must not withhold the wages of the hired laborer overnight until morning.
You must not desire another man’s wife, nor should you crave his house, his field, his male and female servants, his ox, his donkey, or anything else he owns.”
Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from mortal danger.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.
Wealth does not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from mortal danger.
The one who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.
The one who is greedy for gain troubles his household, but whoever hates bribes will live.
Better to have a little with righteousness than to have abundant income without justice.
The plans of the diligent lead only to plenty, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
The one who loves pleasure will be a poor person; whoever loves wine and anointing oil will not be rich.
There is desirable treasure and olive oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish person devours all he has.
A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth, good favor more than silver or gold.
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.
Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!
A poor person who walks in his integrity is better than one who is perverse in his ways even though he is rich.
The one who works his land will be satisfied with food, but whoever chases daydreams will have his fill of poverty.When a country is rebellious it has many princes, but by someone who is discerning and knowledgeable order is maintained.A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings, but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished.
Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.Just as he came forth from his mother's womb, naked will he return as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.
Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing! Enjoy fine food!
But as for you who abandon the Lord and forget about worshiping at my holy mountain, who prepare a feast for the god called ‘Fortune,’ and fill up wine jugs for the god called ‘Destiny’ –I predestine you to die by the sword, all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block, because I called to you, and you did not respond, I spoke and you did not listen. You did evil before me; you chose to do what displeases me.”
The person who gathers wealth by unjust means is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.”
They will discard their silver in the streets, and their gold will be treated like filth. Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord’s fury. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs because their wealth was the obstacle leading to their iniquity.
Those who devise sinful plans are as good as dead, those who dream about doing evil as they lie in bed. As soon as morning dawns they carry out their plans, because they have the power to do so.But you are the ones who will be forced to leave! For this land is not secure! Sin will thoroughly destroy it!If a lying windbag should come and say, ‘I’ll promise you blessings of wine and beer,’ he would be just the right preacher for these people!I will certainly gather all of you, O Jacob, I will certainly assemble those Israelites who remain. I will bring them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in the middle of a pasture; they will be so numerous that they will make a lot of noise.The one who can break through barriers will lead them out they will break out, pass through the gate, and leave. Their king will advance before them, The Lord himself will lead them.They confiscate the fields they desire, and seize the houses they want. They defraud people of their homes, and deprive people of the land they have inherited.
“I will not overlook, O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away, or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much.I do not condone the use of rigged scales, or a bag of deceptive weights.The city’s rich men think nothing of resorting to violence; her inhabitants lie, their tongues speak deceptive words.
The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. He does this so he can build his nest way up high and escape the clutches of disaster.
“Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life?
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven!Again I say, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.”
“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
“For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them.To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work and gained five more.In the same way, the one who had two gained two more.But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it.After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them.Five of the virgins were foolish, and five were wise.The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’The one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed,so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’But his master answered, ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter?Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest!Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten.For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.When the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra olive oil with them.And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
Then he said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.’But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores.“Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.And in hell, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.So he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.’But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’So the rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father – send Lazarus to my father’s house(for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m too ashamed to beg.Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.When Jesus noticed this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
So he made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple courts, with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.To those who sold the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!”
Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property.At once she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.Great fear gripped the whole church and all who heard about these things.Now many miraculous signs and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By common consent they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico.None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high honor.More and more believers in the Lord were added to their number, crowds of both men and women.Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets, and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them.A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalem also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits. They were all being healed.Now the high priest rose up, and all those with him (that is, the religious party of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy.They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail.But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said,He kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet.“Go and stand in the temple courts and proclaim to the people all the words of this life.”When they heard this, they entered the temple courts at daybreak and began teaching. Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin – that is, the whole high council of the Israelites – and sent to the jail to have the apostles brought before them.But the officers who came for them did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,“We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”Now when the commander of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were greatly puzzled concerning it, wondering what this could be.But someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts and teaching the people!”Then the commander of the temple guard went with the officers and brought the apostles without the use of force (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people).When they had brought them, they stood them before the council, and the high priest questioned them,saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood on us!”But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land?
Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money,saying, “Give me this power too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire God’s gift with money!
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside some income and save it to the extent that God has blessed you, so that a collection will not have to be made when I come.
Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.
The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.
But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints.for we are members of his body.For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church.Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving.For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.
to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you.In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.
Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others.In this way they will save up a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and so lay hold of what is truly life.
For the overseer must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.
For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison, and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainly had a better and lasting possession.
Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.”
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts?
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes.You ought to say instead, “If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.”
Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you.As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name.Think of how we regard as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.And above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall into judgment.Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises.Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up – and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months!Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten.he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.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!
Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
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.
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,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.And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains forever.
But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?
Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,” but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,take my advice and buy gold from me refined by fire so you can become rich! Buy from me white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness will not be exposed, and buy eye salve to put on your eyes so you can see!
There is one who pretends to be rich and yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor and yet possesses great wealth.
Therefore he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.And he summoned ten of his slaves, gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading.So the first one came before him and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made ten minas more.’And the king said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’Then the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’So the king said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’Now a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector and was rich.Then another slave came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina that I put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth.For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’The king said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow?Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?’And he said to his attendants, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.’But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!’‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
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.
For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians desire. You lived then in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts, and wanton idolatries.So they are astonished when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you.They will face a reckoning before Jesus Christ who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.
Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.
Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God – what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.
All of man’s labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach – yet his appetite is never satisfied!So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile – like chasing the wind.
choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure.
Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it!
The one who loves his life destroys it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards it for eternal life.If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow me, and where I am, my servant will be too. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’
Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
How much better it is to acquire wisdom than gold; to acquire understanding is more desirable than silver.
But Jesus said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God’s sight.
For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself?