Short answer: Yes, greed is a sin in the Bible, and a serious one. Paul calls it idolatry because it gives to money and possessions the devotion that belongs to God (Colossians 3:5). Greed is not limited to money, either: it is any craving for more that you will not let God, or your neighbor, interrupt. It is forgivable, and it can be broken by learning to give.
In This Article
Most of us like to think greed is someone else's problem. It belongs to the tycoon or the swindler, not to the person comparing prices on a Tuesday night. But the Bible keeps pulling the word closer to home than that, and Jesus himself said to watch out for it in all its kinds.
This article looks at what Scripture actually says about greed, why Paul ties it to idolatry, how it differs from ordinary ambition, where it sits among the seven deadly sins, and how to fight it with something stronger than willpower.
What Does The Bible Say About Greed?
The Bible uses several words that we translate as greed, covetousness or avarice. One Greek word behind the New Testament teaching literally means "wanting more," and it is often used where someone takes advantage of another person to get it. Another phrase means "love of silver." In the Ten Commandments the tenth is a command not to covet (Exodus 20:17), and Paul says it was that commandment that showed him his own heart (Romans 7:7). You can read how it fits into the whole law on the Ten Commandments page.
Jesus gave the clearest warning in a single sentence.
Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.
Luke 12:15 (NIV)
Notice the phrase "all kinds of greed." Money is only one of them. A person can be greedy for recognition, for praise, for gifts, for a bigger platform, for one more of something they already have plenty of. Greed is a hunger that does not know when it has had enough.
The warnings continue through the letters. Paul tells the Corinthians that the greedy will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), and he says the same to the Ephesians (Ephesians 5:5). I read those verses as describing a life that is marked and ruled by greed, not a believer who struggles with it and fights it. Someone who lives for gain and shows no sign of repentance has a serious question to ask about where their trust really lies. Those who persist in that way are on the road the Bible describes in what it says about hell.
The Proverbs add the practical side. Greed steals life (Proverbs 1:19), and the greedy person craves all day long while the righteous give without sparing (Proverbs 21:25-26). Greed does not just offend God. It hollows out the person who carries it.
Why Does Paul Call Greed Idolatry?
This is the part that surprises people. We picture idolatry as bowing to a carved statue, and greed looks like nothing of the kind. Yet Paul writes this:
and greed, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5 (NIV)
An idol is whatever you trust to give you life, security and worth. The greedy heart looks to money, possessions or status for exactly those things. It asks "will I have enough?" and answers with a bank balance instead of with God. Jesus put it bluntly: no one can serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). Two masters will not share one throne.
That is also why Paul pairs greed with the sins of the body in the same list. Greed does not look as dramatic as lust, but both are appetites that have taken over the place that belongs to God. A man can be sexually faithful and still be wholly given to getting. Both need to be put to death.
Is Wanting Money A Sin?
No. Wanting enough to live on, wanting to provide for your family and wanting to give are all good desires. Paul says that anyone who does not provide for his relatives has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5:8). Working hard, saving and earning well are never condemned in themselves. The Bible also recognizes private property: the commandment against stealing assumes that some things are yours and some are not. Nor is poverty a virtue in itself; see Is Poverty A Sin? for the other side.
The trouble comes with the verse people usually misquote.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)
It is the love of money, not money, and it is a root of all kinds of evil, not the only one. Here is how I would sort it out for anyone asking.
| Healthy Desire | Greed |
|---|---|
| Earning enough to provide for your family | Wanting more only to buy bigger things you do not need |
| Saving wisely for what may come | Hoarding while neighbors in real need go without |
| Holding what you own as a steward | Believing what you own is yours alone |
| Rejoicing in a good job or a raise | Cutting corners, cheating or lying to get ahead |
| Content and generous at any level | Never enough, whatever the level |
One test I would offer: if you will lie, cheat or steal to get ahead or to avoid a loss, or if you are willing to damage a relationship for gain, you have crossed the line. If your pursuit of more has pushed out your walk with Jesus, your marriage or your children, you have crossed it too. Some things must matter more than money: the witness of your life for Christ, your connection with him, your conscience, and the people closest to you.
Is Greed One Of The Seven Deadly Sins?
Yes. In the traditional list greed is often called avarice, and it stands alongside pride, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth. The list itself comes from the early church's teaching on the vices, not from one verse of Scripture, but every item on it is condemned by the Bible. It is not a list of sins that cannot be forgiven. The word "deadly" means they are dangerous sources from which other sins grow.
That is true of greed. It feeds lying, theft, neglect of the poor and broken trust. It also grows with its sister sin, pride, which says that everything you have is the work of your own hands. Are all sins equal in God's eyes? Not in their damage, though all of them need the same cross. I take that up on the are all sins equal page.
How Do You Fight Greed?
The first step is to name it without despair. Every human heart leans toward grabbing; you only have to watch a small child with a toy. Finding it in yourself does not make you beyond hope. Take it to God, confess it and ask him to change you. That is what repentance looks like.
After that, the Bible's cure is not to hate money but to open your hand. Greed grabs, so you answer by giving.
- Be content. Contentment is learned, and it starts with thanking God for what you already have.
- Give on purpose. Plan your giving to your church and to people in need instead of giving whatever is left over. Give with joy, not by compulsion.
- Look at who is near you. John asks how God's love can be in someone who has the world's goods, sees a brother in need and has no pity.
- Remember what lasts. The things you can lose in a day are not what holds a life together.
- Stay accountable. Ask a mature believer to look honestly at your spending with you.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
Contentment here rests on a promise, not on a bank statement: God has said he will never leave or forsake his people. Greed is at heart a fear that he will not provide. The reply to that fear is his own faithfulness.
Paul also gives a command to the wealthy in 1 Timothy 6:17-19: do not put your hope in wealth, which is uncertain, but in God, and be rich in good deeds, generous and ready to share. A day will come when everything that can be lost will be lost, and only what was given to God and to others will remain. Greed treats this short life as though it were permanent and heaven as though it were not real. The giving heart sees it the other way round.
Key Bible Verses About Greed
- Luke 12:15: Jesus warns against every kind of greed, because life is not measured by possessions.
- Colossians 3:5: greed is idolatry and must be put to death.
- 1 Timothy 6:10: the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
- Hebrews 13:5: be content, because God will never leave you.
- Matthew 6:24: no one can serve both God and money.
- 1 John 3:17: God's love cannot live in a heart that closes itself to a brother in need.
- Ephesians 5:3: not even a hint of greed should be found among God's holy people.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type Of Sin Is Greed?
Greed is a sin of the heart that shows up in behavior. Paul files it with idolatry because the greedy person gives to money or possessions the trust and devotion that belong to God. It is also a sin against neighbors, since greed so often takes from others or refuses to share with them.
What Are The 7 Major Sins?
The traditional list is pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth. The list comes from church tradition rather than a single Bible passage, though each sin is condemned in Scripture. I walk through all seven on the seven deadly sins page.
Which Sin Cannot Be Forgiven?
Greed is not that sin. Jesus names only one sin that will not be forgiven, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and it is a settled hardness of heart toward God. A person who is grieved over their greed and wants to be free of it is showing the opposite. Read more on the unforgivable sin page.
Can God Forgive Greed?
Yes. Greed is one of the sins Paul lists among the things some of the Corinthian believers once practiced, and he tells them they were washed and justified in the name of Jesus. Confess it, turn from it, and begin to give. See Does God Forgive All Sins?
Is Greed The Same As Covetousness?
They overlap but are not identical. Covetousness is a longing for what belongs to someone else, as in the tenth commandment. Greed is the wider appetite for more of anything, whether or not another person owns it. Both come from the same discontented heart.
