What Does the Bible Say About Usury?
The Bible addresses the topic of usury—lending money at interest—in both the Old and New Testaments. In Scripture, usury is not merely an economic matter but a moral and spiritual one, touching on justice, compassion, and the treatment of the poor.
In biblical times, lending often occurred not in commercial banking but in the context of personal loans to those in need. Charging interest in such situations was viewed as exploiting the vulnerable, something God’s law repeatedly forbade among His people. Yet the Bible’s teaching on usury is nuanced. While it condemns oppressive lending, it also makes distinctions between lending to fellow Israelites and lending to foreigners, and between loans for survival and loans for investment.
This article will explore:
The Old Testament laws on usury.
The moral and symbolic meaning behind these commands.
The prophetic condemnation of usury.
The New Testament’s teaching on lending and generosity.
How the church has understood and applied the Bible’s teaching on usury.
1. The Old Testament Laws on Usury
The Bible’s most direct statements about usury are found in the Law of Moses. Deuteronomy 23:19–20 forbids charging interest to a fellow Israelite, particularly when lending to the poor, but allows interest when lending to foreigners. The same principle appears in Exodus 22:25, where God commands, “If you lend money to any of my people who is poor… you shall not exact interest from him.”
The purpose of these laws was to protect the vulnerable within Israel’s covenant community. Lending to a poor neighbor was meant to be an act of mercy, not a means of personal profit. Allowing interest from foreigners reflected the reality that outside economic relationships were not bound by the same covenant obligations.
These instructions did not prohibit all forms of lending or investment. They specifically targeted practices that would exploit the needy, emphasizing God’s call for His people to act with compassion and fairness.
2. The Moral and Symbolic Meaning of the Command
The Hebrew word for usury, neshek, comes from a verb meaning “to bite.” This imagery suggests that interest charged to the poor “bites” into their livelihood, causing harm rather than helping them. The Bible presents this kind of lending as incompatible with God’s character, which is merciful and just.
In Israel’s covenant law, economic life was designed to reflect God’s redemption. Just as God had freed His people from slavery in Egypt, they were to ensure that no one in their community became trapped in an endless cycle of debt. This vision of economic justice is also reflected in other commands, such as the cancellation of debts in the Sabbath year (Deuteronomy 15:1–2) and the restoration of land in the Jubilee year (Leviticus 25:8–17).
Usury, in its exploitative form, undermined this vision by turning a neighbor’s hardship into a personal opportunity for gain. The Bible’s prohibition thus had both a practical and symbolic purpose: to protect the poor and to remind Israel that they were stewards of God’s blessings, not owners who could use them without moral restraint.
3. The Prophetic Condemnation of Usury
The prophets of the Old Testament spoke strongly against usury when it became a symptom of Israel’s moral decay. In Ezekiel 22:12, God indicts Jerusalem’s leaders for taking interest and profit while oppressing their neighbors and forgetting Him. Usury was linked with other acts of injustice, such as extortion, bribery, and neglect of the needy.
The prophets did not view usury as an isolated sin but as part of a larger pattern of covenant unfaithfulness. Exploiting the poor through lending at interest was a sign that God’s people had abandoned His law of love and justice. Such behavior provoked God’s judgment because it misrepresented His character to the world.
4. The New Testament’s Teaching on Lending and Generosity
The New Testament does not use the word “usury” directly but continues the Old Testament’s emphasis on generosity and care for the poor. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:42—“Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you”—calls for an open-handed attitude toward those in need.
While Jesus does not explicitly restate the Mosaic law on interest, His teaching goes further by commanding radical generosity without expecting repayment. This reflects the kingdom ethic of grace, where God’s people imitate His own generosity toward them.
Parables such as the “Parable of the Talents” (Matthew 25:14–30) acknowledge interest in a commercial sense but do not endorse exploiting the poor. The focus remains on stewardship, responsibility, and using resources in ways that align with God’s purposes.
5. How the Church Has Understood Usury
Throughout church history, Christian thinkers have wrestled with how to apply the Bible’s teaching on usury in changing economic contexts.
Early Church Fathers such as Basil of Caesarea condemned all forms of usury, viewing it as a form of oppression and “inhumanity” toward the poor. Lending was to be an act of charity, not profit-making.
Medieval theology generally forbade charging interest at all, based on the belief that money itself was not productive and that profit on a loan was inherently unjust.
Reformation thinkers like John Calvin nuanced this view, allowing moderate interest in commercial contexts where the borrower was not in poverty and where the transaction was mutually beneficial. Calvin condemned only exploitative lending, not all interest.
Today, Christians continue to debate how the Bible’s teaching on usury applies in a world with complex financial systems. While few oppose all interest, many emphasize that the biblical concern—protecting the poor and avoiding exploitation—remains central.
6. Usury, the Gospel, and the Kingdom of God
From a gospel perspective, the Bible’s teaching on usury reflects the heart of God’s kingdom, where relationships are marked by love, generosity, and justice. The command to avoid exploiting the poor through interest mirrors God’s own generosity toward us in Christ.
Just as Israel was called to remember God’s redemption from slavery, the church is called to remember the freedom and grace we have received in Jesus. This shapes how believers approach wealth, lending, and economic power. In the kingdom of God, financial dealings are never separate from spiritual values.
In the ultimate future of God’s kingdom, there will be no exploitation, debt, or economic oppression—only perfect justice and provision in the presence of the Lord. Until then, the Bible’s warnings about usury remain a call for the people of God to reflect His righteousness in all their dealings.
Conclusion: The Bible’s Enduring Word on Usury
The Bible’s teaching on usury is both simple and profound. At its core, it forbids taking advantage of those in need through interest-bearing loans, especially within the community of faith. This command protects the vulnerable, promotes justice, and reflects God’s own mercy.
While economic systems have changed since biblical times, the underlying principles remain: believers must guard against greed, practice generosity, and ensure that financial relationships honor God. In doing so, they bear witness to the gospel, showing that their hope is not in wealth but in the Lord who provides.
Bible Verses About Usury
Deuteronomy 23:19–20 – “You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother…”
Exodus 22:25 – “…you shall not exact interest from him.”
Leviticus 25:35–37 – “…you shall not take interest or profit, but you shall fear your God…”
Nehemiah 5:7 – “…let us abandon the exacting of interest.”
Psalm 15:5 – “…who does not put out his money at interest…”
Proverbs 28:8 – “Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest… gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.”
Ezekiel 18:13 – “…takes interest and profit—shall he then live? He shall not live!”
Ezekiel 22:12 – “In you they take bribes… you take interest and profit…”
Matthew 5:42 – “Give to the one who begs from you…”
Luke 6:34–35 – “…love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return…”
