Bible Verses About Materialism

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

"Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven."

"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions."

"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity."

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry."

What does the Bible say about materialism?

Materialism — the love and pursuit of things over God — is one of the most subtle idolatries of our age. The Bible warns repeatedly that wealth is deceptive and that storing up earthly treasure at the expense of heavenly treasure leads to spiritual poverty. Key King James Version passages include Matthew 6:19-21, 1 Timothy 6:10, Luke 12:15. This page collects 10 KJV verses about materialism, each quoted in full.

Is it wrong to have nice things?

Not inherently. The Bible warns against the love of money, not money itself (1 Timothy 6:10). The issue is priority: when possessions become more important than God, generosity, and people, materialism has taken root.

How can I overcome materialism?

Practice generosity (Luke 12:33), cultivate contentment (Hebrews 13:5), invest in eternal things (Matthew 6:20), regularly evaluate your spending priorities, and remember that life is not measured by possessions (Luke 12:15).