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GreedCommanded not to be greedy
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; (Ephesians 5:3)
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5)
Greed is idolatry
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (Colossians 3:5)
Guard against every form of greed
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. (Luke 12:15)
Exercise self-control if you tend to be greedy
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. (Proverbs 23:1-3)
When Christ becomes our desire, greed not a problem
Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. (Psalm 73:25)
Example of godly person who was not greedy
For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: (1 Thessalonians 2:5)
The Lord punishes greed
As an example to His children
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. (1 Corinthians 10:6)
What the greedy desired
And the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all but this manna before our eyes!” (Numbers 11:4-5)
Example of greedy people
And the people rushed upon the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate the blood. (1 Samuel 14:32)
Greedy leaders
Yes, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand: They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, from his quarter. (Isaiah 56:11)
Greedy people are wicked
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (Romans 1:28-29)
For the wicked boasts of his soul’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is not in all his thoughts. (Psalm 10:3-4)
Greed will capture the greedy
The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by their own lust. (Proverbs 11:6)
False prophets will exploit the body of Christ out of greed
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for whose judgment long since has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3)
Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. (2 Peter 2:14-15)
There are those who will never be satisfied
The leech has two daughters. They cry, “Give!” “Give!” There are three things that are never satisfied, Four things that say not, “It is enough”: (Proverbs 30:15)
Religious people can be greedy
And they come to you as though they were my people, and sit before you as my people, and hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own covetousness. (Ezekiel 33:31)
Example of Lord punishing greedy people
So the name of that place was called Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving. (Numbers 11:34)
But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master was too lenient with Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving from his hand what he brought. But as the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” So Gehazi pursued Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?” And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’” So Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him. When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and stored them away in the house; and he let the men go. Then he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.” And he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothing, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and male and female servants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow. (2 Kings 5:20-27)
...“Therefore their wives shall be given to others, Their fields and houses shall be given to others; For I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord. “Because from the least even to the greatest, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely.” (Jeremiah 6:12-13)
...“Therefore I will give their wives to others, And their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.” (Jeremiah 8:10)