The Bible does not call all borrowing sin, but it treats debt seriously. It warns against cosigning, "Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts" (Proverbs 22:26), and calls us to repay what we owe: "The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again" (Psalm 37:21). It also shows God meeting people in debt with practical help, as when Elisha told a widow, "Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt" (2 Kings 4:7).
Debt has a way of following you everywhere: into the grocery store, into your marriage, into the middle of the night. Credit cards, student loans, medical bills and car payments can leave you feeling trapped and ashamed. The Bible understands. It was written in a world of creditors, mortgages and interest, and it speaks to debt with both wisdom and compassion. Scripture warns against careless borrowing, calls borrowers to repay honestly, tells lenders not to crush the poor, and keeps pointing to a God who forgives a debt we could never pay. These twelve King James verses cover wise borrowing, hope when debt has you cornered, and the grace that makes a fresh start possible. They are not financial advice, but they can steady your heart while you make a plan. For the bigger picture of money and budgeting, see Bible verses about finances and stewardship.
What the Bible says about borrowing and cosigning
1. Psalms 37:21
"The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth."
This verse contrasts two people: one who borroweth, and payeth not again, and one who sheweth mercy, and giveth. The Bible does not forbid borrowing, but it expects borrowers to keep their word. If you are behind on payments, the godly path is not to hide but to communicate: call the lender, explain the situation and make a plan you can keep. Honesty is part of repayment. The goal of getting out of debt is also freedom to give.
2. Proverbs 22:26-27
"Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?"
To strike hands was the ancient handshake that sealed a deal, and a surety was someone who guaranteed another person's loan. Today we call it cosigning. Proverbs warns that if the borrower cannot pay, the cosigner is on the hook: why should he take away thy bed from under thee? Before you cosign for anyone, even family, ask whether you could afford to pay the whole loan yourself.
3. Proverbs 6:1-3
"My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend."
If you have already made a rash promise to back someone's debt, Proverbs gives urgent advice: deliver thyself, humble thyself, and go to your friend right away to get released if you can. Do not let pride keep you stuck. The verses that follow say not to give sleep to your eyes until it is settled (Proverbs 6:4). Debt problems usually get worse the longer they are ignored, so the best time to act is today.
4. Proverbs 21:20
"There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up."
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. The wise person keeps something in reserve. In practice, that often means a small emergency fund, so that the next car repair or medical bill does not go on a credit card. Even a little savings can break the cycle of borrowing to cover surprises. Saving is not a lack of faith; Proverbs calls it wisdom.
When debt has you cornered
5. Nehemiah 5:3-4
"Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards."
During a famine, families in Jerusalem had mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses just to buy food, and others borrowed to pay taxes. Many people today are in debt for the same reasons: not luxury, but survival, medical bills or a lost job. Nehemiah did not shame them. He confronted the wealthy lenders who were charging interest to their struggling neighbors and asked them to restore what they had taken (Nehemiah 5:10-11).
6. 2 Kings 4:1
"Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen."
A widow came to the prophet Elisha in desperation: her husband had died, and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. In the ancient world, debts could be paid by forced labor. Her husband did fear the LORD, yet the family still ended up in debt. Debt is not always the result of foolishness, and being in debt does not mean God has forgotten you.
7. 2 Kings 4:2
"And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil."
Elisha asked two questions: What shall I do for thee? and what hast thou in the house? She had almost nothing, save a pot of oil. God's help started with what she already had. A practical first step out of debt is the same: take an honest inventory. List every debt, every bill and every resource, even the small ones. You cannot plan your way out until you know exactly where you stand.
8. 2 Kings 4:7
"Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest."
God miraculously multiplied the widow's oil until every borrowed jar was full (2 Kings 4:6). Then Elisha told her, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest. Notice the order: pay the debt first, then live on what remains. God provided, and she still had to do the work of selling and paying. Faith and hard work belong together on the road out of debt.
Debts forgiven: grace and a fresh start
9. Deuteronomy 15:1-2
"At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD's release."
Every seventh year, Israel's law called for a release: lenders were to cancel what their neighbors owed. It is called the LORD's release, because God cared that the poor would not be trapped in debt forever. The same chapter says, "there shall be no poor among you" (Deuteronomy 15:4). Debt was never meant to define a person's whole life. God built fresh starts into the law.
10. Matthew 18:27
"Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt."
In Jesus' parable, a servant owed his master a debt he could never repay. When he begged for time, the master was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. This is a picture of the gospel: our debt of sin is forgiven completely. The parable goes on to warn that the forgiven servant then refused to forgive a small debt owed to him (Matthew 18:28-33). Grace received should become grace given.
11. Luke 7:41-42
"There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?"
Jesus told this short story at a dinner where a sinful woman was weeping at His feet. Two debtors owed different amounts, five hundred pence and fifty. A penny (the denarius) was roughly a day's pay for a laborer, "for a penny a day" (Matthew 20:2). Neither could pay, and the creditor frankly forgave them both. Jesus' point: those who know how much they have been forgiven love the most (Luke 7:47).
12. Philemon 1:18-19
"If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides."
Onesimus was a runaway slave who had become a Christian through Paul. Paul sent him back to his master Philemon with this offer: if he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account. Paul signed it with his own hand: I will repay it. It is one of the clearest pictures in the Bible of what Jesus did for us. He took our debt onto His own account and paid it in full.
A short prayer
Lord, You know every bill and every balance, and the fear that comes with them. Forgive me where I have been careless, and give me courage to face the numbers honestly. Show me what I have in the house, and give me wisdom to make a plan and the discipline to keep it. Provide for my needs and help me repay what I owe. Thank You that Jesus put my greatest debt on His account. Make me generous, even while I am getting free. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
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Frequently asked questions
Is it a sin to be in debt?
No. The Bible does not call borrowing a sin, and many faithful people in Scripture were in debt, including the prophet's widow in 2 Kings 4. But Scripture warns that debt limits freedom: "the borrower is servant to the lender" (Proverbs 22:7). It also calls us to repay what we owe and to avoid debt where we can. Paul's goal is helpful: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another" (Romans 13:8).
What does the Bible say about paying off debt?
Scripture encourages honest repayment (Psalm 37:21), urgent action when you are trapped (Proverbs 6:1-3), and practical steps like knowing your resources (2 Kings 4:2) and saving for emergencies (Proverbs 21:20). Many Christians find it helpful to list every debt, set a budget, stop adding new debt and pay balances down one at a time. A nonprofit credit counselor can also help you make a plan.
Does the Bible say anything about credit cards or interest?
Credit cards did not exist, but interest did. The law of Moses told Israelites not to charge interest to the poor (Exodus 22:25), and Nehemiah rebuked lenders who profited from their neighbors' hardship (Nehemiah 5:10). High-interest debt can quietly drain a family's future. Before borrowing, ask whether the purchase is a true need and whether you can repay it quickly. See Bible verses about money.
How can I trust God when I am overwhelmed by debt?
Bring the burden to Him honestly, then take the next small step. Jesus told us not to be consumed by worry about food and clothing, because "your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" (Matthew 6:32). Talk to your spouse or a trusted friend, ask your church about financial help or classes, and remember that your worth is not measured by your balance. See Bible verses about God providing.
This page shares what Scripture says about debt; it is not financial or legal advice. For a personal plan, consider a nonprofit credit counselor.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Finances · Money · Stewardship · God providing · Planning · The poor · Forgiveness · Business · Bible verses about contentment
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