God's Counsel to Business People

Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase.
Proverbs 3:9,10
9. Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Pay an honest tithe.
Mal 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].

Never be surety for debts.
Pro 22:26
Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts.

He that is surety. . . shall smart for it.
Pro 11:15
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart [for it]: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

He is snared who is surety for either friend or stranger.
Pro 6:1
1. My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
2. Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

One void of understanding is surety for a friend.
Pro 17:18
A man void of understanding striketh hands, [and] becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

Owe no man anything.
Rom 13:8
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Borrower is servant to the lender.
Pro 22:7
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.

If you borrow and the goods are damaged in your hands, make them good.
Exd 22:14,15
14. And if a man borrow [ought] of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof [being] not with it, he shall surely make [it] good.
15. [But] if the owner thereof [be] with it, he shall not make [it] good: if it [be] an hired [thing], it came for his hire.

The diligent gain riches.
Pro 10:4
He becometh poor that dealeth [with] a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

He that tilleth land shall have plenty.
Pro 28:19
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain [persons] shall have poverty enough.

Never work with blunt tools.
Ecc 10:10
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom [is] profitable to direct.

Be diligent in looking after your flocks and herds.
Pro 27:23
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds.

Prov. 11:25. The liberal soul shall be made fat.
Pro 11:25
The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

Lev. 25:35-37. Never take usury from a poor brother.

Deut. 23:19, 20. You can receive interest on money lent a stranger.

Titus 3:14, margin. Be sure you profess an honest trade.

Hab. 2:15. The liquor-seller is cursed.

Prov. 10:4. He becometh poor that deals with a slack hand.

Prov. 20:4. The sluggard shall have nothing.

Prov. 19:15. An idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Prov. 22:16; 28:8. “He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches. . . shall surely come to want.”

Matt. 7:12. Keep the Golden Rule.

Micah 6:8. Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.