Is debt a sin?
“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
No verse says that borrowing is a sin. The Law of Moses regulated lending in detail (Exodus 22:25, Deuteronomy 15:1–11), which it would not do for something forbidden, and Jesus told his followers, “from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away” (Matthew 5:42).
What is sin is refusing to repay: “The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth” (Psalm 37:21). Paying what you owe is a matter of honesty, not just good finance.
Romans 13:8 follows straight on from “Render therefore to all their dues” (Romans 13:7). Some read it as “pay every debt as it falls due”; others as “avoid debt altogether.” Both readings agree that a Christian should not leave obligations unpaid, and that the only debt we should carry forever is love.
Bible verses about debt
| Verse | What it says (KJV) | The point |
|---|---|---|
| Proverbs 22:7 | “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” | Debt gives someone else a claim on your future. |
| Psalm 37:21 | “The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again.” | Repaying is a matter of righteousness. |
| Romans 13:8 | “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another.” | Leave no obligation unpaid. |
| Proverbs 22:26–27 | “Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.” | Don’t co-sign for other people’s debts. |
| Proverbs 6:1–5 | “Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter.” | If you are bound by a pledge, get free quickly. |
| Deuteronomy 28:12 | “Thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.” | Being a lender, not a borrower, is described as a blessing. |
| Exodus 22:25 | “If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer.” | Don’t profit from a neighbour’s hardship. |
| Deuteronomy 15:1–2 | “At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.” | Israel’s debts were not meant to last forever. |
| 2 Kings 4:1–7 | “Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.” | God cares about families crushed by debt. |
You can read Proverbs 22:7 in depth in “The borrower is servant to the lender” explained, and more verses by topic in our list of Bible verses about money.
Why Scripture warns about debt
- It commits your future. A loan is a claim on income you have not earned yet. That is the servant-and-lender picture of Proverbs 22:7.
- It presumes on tomorrow. “Ye know not what shall be on the morrow” (James 4:14). Jobs, health and markets change; the payments do not.
- Interest works against you. The same compounding that grows savings grows balances, and high-interest consumer debt grows fastest.
- It limits generosity and calling. Money that goes to lenders cannot go to giving, saving or a sudden opportunity to serve.
What about co-signing?
“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?”
Proverbs returns to this again and again (Proverbs 6:1–5, 11:15, 17:18). Co-signing means promising to pay someone else’s debt if they do not, often for the very person a lender has already judged too risky. If you are asked to co-sign, assume you will end up paying, and decide on that basis. Sometimes a gift you can afford to lose is the more loving answer.
Is a mortgage different?
Many Christians distinguish a home mortgage from consumer debt. A mortgage is secured by an asset that usually holds its value, it replaces rent, and the payment is fixed. A car loan or credit card balance is usually for something that loses value, often at a much higher rate.
Proverbs 22:7 still applies, which is why many families make paying off the house early a goal once other debts are gone. Business loans and student loans raise the same questions: Will this produce enough to repay it? What happens if it doesn’t? Can we do it with less?
Getting out of debt, biblically
- List every debt with its balance, interest rate and minimum payment. You cannot steward what you will not look at (Proverbs 27:23).
- Stop borrowing more while you pay down what you owe.
- Keep giving something. Most Christian financial teachers encourage continued giving while getting out of debt, even if it is less than you would like for now. See what the Bible says about tithing.
- Build a small emergency fund so the next surprise does not go on a card.
- Pay debts off one at a time, smallest balance first for momentum or highest rate first to save interest, and stick to the plan.
- Get counsel. “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established” (Proverbs 15:22).
After the debt is gone
Freedom from debt is not the finish line. The payments you were sending to lenders can now go to giving, saving and building something for the next generation. That is where building generational wealth begins, and our grandchildren calculator shows what your current plan would leave behind.
Common questions
Is it a sin to be in debt?
No verse calls borrowing a sin, and the Law of Moses regulated lending. Scripture does call it wicked to borrow and not repay (Psalm 37:21), and it warns that the borrower becomes servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).
What does Romans 13:8 mean by “owe no man any thing”?
In context Paul is telling Christians to pay what they owe: taxes, respect and honour (Romans 13:7). Some read it as a call to avoid debt entirely; all agree it rules out leaving obligations unpaid. The one debt that never ends is the debt to love one another.
Should Christians co-sign loans?
Proverbs warns against it repeatedly (Proverbs 6:1–5, 17:18, 22:26–27). If you do co-sign, plan on paying the whole debt yourself.
Is it biblical to have a mortgage?
The Bible does not forbid it, and many Christians treat a modest mortgage differently from consumer debt. The warning of Proverbs 22:7 still applies, so many families aim to pay it off early.
Should I tithe while I am in debt?
Most Christian teachers encourage giving something consistently while paying off debt. If ten percent is not possible yet, start smaller and grow toward it.
Sources
General education only, not personal financial, insurance, tax or legal advice. See our disclaimer.
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