Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
Parallel translations
- WEB Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God; that your brother may live among you.
- BSB Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you.
- NKJV Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you.
- NASB Do not take any kind of interest from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may live with you.
- NLT Do not charge interest or make a profit at his expense. Instead, show your fear of God by letting him live with you as your relative.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israelites were not to charge a poor brother interest, but to fear God and let him live. Compassion was to outweigh profit.
Overview
God forbade taking interest or profit from a needy fellow Israelite, grounding the command in reverence for him. The aim was the brother's survival and restoration, not financial gain at his expense. This reflects God's heart for the vulnerable and the gospel call to generosity over greed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Exod 22:25If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
- Deut 23:19–20Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:
- Ezek 18:8He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
- Ezek 18:13Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
- Lev 25:17Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God:for I am the LORD your God.
- Ezek 18:17That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
- Neh 5:7–10Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
- Neh 5:15But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
- Prov 28:8He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
- Ps 15:5He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
- Ezek 22:12In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
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Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 25:36 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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