Bible verses about stewardship: Stewardship is a concept deeply rooted in the teachings of the Bible. It emphasizes the responsibility and accountability that we, as Christians, have in managing the resources and blessings entrusted to us by God. Whether it is our time, talents, finances, or the environment, stewardship calls us to be faithful and wise custodians of all that we have been given.
In this blog post, we will reflect upon 45 Bible verses about stewardship that provide guidance, insight, and inspiration on how we can fulfill our role as stewards in various aspects of our lives. These verses remind us of the importance of gratitude, generosity, and faithful management as we seek to honor God with all that we possess.
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Bible Verses About Stewardship
- Genesis 1:26 – “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'”
- Genesis 2:15 – “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
- Psalm 8:6 – “You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet.”
- Matthew 25:14-30 – The Parable of the Talents teaches about stewardship and the responsibility to use our gifts wisely.
- Luke 12:42-48 – The Parable of the Faithful and Wise Manager emphasizes the importance of faithful stewardship.
- 1 Corinthians 4:2 – “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”
- 1 Peter 4:10 – “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
- Luke 16:10 – “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
- Proverbs 27:23 – “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.”
- Proverbs 13:22 – “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.”
- Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
- Luke 16:9 – “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 – “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
- Psalm 24:1 – “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
- Deuteronomy 8:17-18 – “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”
- 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 – “Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.”
- Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
- Malachi 3:10 – “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'”
- Proverbs 3:9-10 – “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
- Luke 12:33 – “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”
- Proverbs 11:28 – “Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.”
- Luke 16:11 – “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?”
- Proverbs 19:22 – “What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:10 – “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”
- Proverbs 27:23-27 – “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.”
- Proverbs 28:25 – “The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the LORD will prosper.”
- Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
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Christian quotes about stewardship
- “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” – Matthew 6:19-20
- “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” – Luke 12:48
- “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” – 1 Corinthians 3:9
- “That there may be equality. Your abundance being a supply for their need, so that there may be equality.” – 2 Corinthians 8:14
- “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” – 1 John 3:17
- “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” – Proverbs 3:27
- “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” – Luke 10:27
- “One who is entrusted with much will be asked for much more.” – Luke 12:48
- “There is immense satisfaction in helping others attain what we have been given.” – Unknown
- “Giving enriches the soul of the giver.” – Unknown
- “Stewardship is not about pleasing God; it’s about trusting God.” – Timothy Keller
- “You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.” – Winston Churchill
- “We cannot seek and find Christ in other souls unless we enter into the souls of the needy.” – Catherine of Siena
- “All that we have and are we owe to those from whom we have descended.” – Julia Ward Howe
- “Our gifts go beyond earning a living to touch the lives of other people in meaningful ways.” – Rick Warren
- “Time is a free gift from God to all of us–twenty-four hours a day. How we use it is our gift back to God.” – Mother Teresa
- “To whom much is given, much is expected.” – John F. Kennedy
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Scriptures on stewardship
- Acts 20:35 – “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
- Proverbs 28:27 – “Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.”
- Proverbs 19:17 – “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
- Proverbs 14:21 – “Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.”
- Matthew 10:42 – “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
- 1 Timothy 6:17-19 – “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
- Luke 14:33 – “In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
- Proverbs 11:24-25 – “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
- 2 Corinthians 8:12 – “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.”
- Hebrews 13:16 – “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
- Proverbs 22:9 – “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”
- Luke 12:15 – “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.'”
- Proverbs 21:26 – “All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
- Proverbs 3:27 – “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”
- Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
- Mark 10:21 – “Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'”
- Proverbs 28:8 – “Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.”
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What is stewardship in the Bible?
Stewardship in the Bible refers to the responsibility that God gives people to wisely and faithfully manage the resources He provides, such as talents, abilities, finances, the environment, etc. Some key aspects of biblical stewardship include:
- Everything ultimately belongs to God. The Bible teaches that God owns everything (Psalm 24:1), and we are merely stewards or managers of what He has given us.
- We are accountable to God for how we use our resources. As stewards, the Bible says we will each give an account to God for how we used the resources and opportunities entrusted to us (Romans 14:12).
- We should use our resources to honor God and serve others. God provides resources not for our self-indulgence but so that through us, needs are met and His purposes are furthered (Matthew 25:14-30). Stewardship involves generously giving back to God through helping the poor, supporting ministry, etc.
- Faithful stewardship requires wisdom, integrity and diligence. We are called to manage our resources carefully, avoiding waste or misuse, and using discretion and accountability (Luke 16:1-13; 1 Corinthians 4:2).
- God will reward faithful stewardship. The Bible teaches that God notices faithful management over a few things, and will give greater responsibilities to stewards who are trustworthy with what they’ve been given (Matthew 25:21).
What is the best example of stewardship in the Bible?
One of the best examples of biblical stewardship is found in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. Here’s a brief human-like explanation of it:
Imagine your boss is going on a long trip overseas for work. Before leaving, he decides to entrust some of his money to his employees to manage while he’s gone. He gives one employee 5 bags of gold coins, another 2 bags, and the last employee 1 bag.
The employees with 5 bags and 2 bags get right to work, putting the money to good use by investing it wisely and earning a profit for their boss. They know he expects them to multiply what he gave, not just hold onto it safely. Through diligence and good decision-making, they double the money entrusted to them.
But the employee with 1 bag does nothing. He’s too afraid of losing the money or working too hard. So he buries it in the ground to keep it “safe”. When the boss returns, the employees give an account of how they stewarded what they were given.
The ones who invested faithfully are commended and rewarded with greater responsibility. But the unfaithful employee who did nothing is severely punished for failing to put the one bag to productive use.
This parable shows that God expects us to wisely and actively manage the abilities, resources and opportunities he gives us for his purposes, not just keep them buried. Faithful stewardship will be rewarded in eternity.
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