Contrary to what many of us might think or have been taught, the Bible has a lot to say about financial unfairness and oppression. It is also interesting to note that, while condemning financial unfairness and oppression, the Bible assumes, but does not condemn, the competitive marketplace. Here is a list of some relevant passages (taken from the King James Version):
Passages Addressing Financial Unfairness
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Leviticus 6:1–5
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1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; 3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: 4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, 5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, andgive it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering. |
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Leviticus 19:11
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Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. |
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Leviticus 19:35–36
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35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I amthe Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. |
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Deuteronomy 25:13–16
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13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. 14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. 15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, arean abomination unto the Lord thy God. |
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Proverbs 11:1
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A false balance is abomination to the Lord: But a just weight ishis delight. |
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Proverbs 16:11
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A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: All the weights of the bag arehis work. |
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Proverbs 20:10
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Divers weights, and divers measures, Both of them arealike abomination to the Lord. |
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Proverbs 20:23
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Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; And a false balance isnot good. |
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Ezekiel 45:10
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Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath. |
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Hosea 12:7
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He is a merchant, the balances of deceit arein his hand: He loveth to oppress. |
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Amos 8:4–7
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4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, Even to make the poor of the land to fail, 5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? And the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, Making the ephah small, and the shekel great, And falsifying the balances by deceit? 6 That we may buy the poor for silver, And the needy for a pair of shoes; Yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? 7 The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. |
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Micah 6:11–12
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11 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, And with the bag of deceitful weights? 12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence, And the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, And their tongue isdeceitful in their mouth. |
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Ephesians 4:28
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Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with hishands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. |