Stewardship is a fundamental principle in the Christian faith, emphasizing our responsibility to manage the gifts, resources, and opportunities God has entrusted to us. The Bible provides clear guidance on how we should be faithful stewards in every area of life. Whether you're looking for wisdom on giving, responsibility, or accountability, exploring Bible verses on stewardship can provide valuable insight and encouragement for living a life that honors God.
Bible Verses on Stewardship
- Proverbs 3:9-10
- Malachi 3:10
- Matthew 6:24
- Luke 16:10
- 1 Timothy 6:17-19
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
- Ephesians 5:15
- Colossians 3:23-24
- Romans 12:6-8
- Matthew 25:14-30
- Ecclesiastes 9:10
- Genesis 2:15
- Psalm 24:1
- Numbers 35:33-34
- 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
- 2 Timothy 2:2
- Matthew 28:19-20
- Romans 1:16
- Colossians 1:25
- Proverbs 27:17
- Mark 12:31
- Galatians 6:2
All verses referenced on this page are from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB).
Bible verses on stewardship of finances
- Proverbs 3:9-10: Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
- Malachi 3:10: Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.
- Matthew 6:24: No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
- Luke 16:10: Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.
- 1 Timothy 6:17-19: Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.
How to apply these verses to your life
Having stewardship over your finances is about using the money that God has given us well. Some people are blessed with a lot of money in this life, other people are blessed with a little. While both instances don’t seem like a blessing, it is because God owns everything. Not only that, but God still expects the rich and the poor to be faithful with their money. The number one way to be faithful with our money is by tithing. A tithe is giving a tenth (10%) of what God has given us. God doesn’t need our money, but tithing shows that we are trusting and depending on God to be our provider. Besides tithing, God also wants us to use our money wisely. We should budget our money each month and only buy things that we can afford. We should set some money aside to save and also cheerfully give to those who need it. The bottom line is that God wants us to use our money to its full potential. Whether we have a lot or a little, God wants us to put our trust in him instead of in money. It’s important to always acknowledge that God is our provider, not our jobs, not our spouses, not the government; only God. This fact alone should encourage us to take better care of the money he gives us and not worry about money.
Bible verses on stewardship of time & talents
- Ephesians 5:15: Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise
- Colossians 3:23-24: Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.
- Romans 12:6-8: According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith; if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.
- Matthew 25:14-30: “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey. He called his own servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent, depending on each one’s ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. In the same way the man with two earned two more. But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I’ve earned five more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’ “The man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I’ve earned two more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’ “The man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a harsh man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ “His master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy servant! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and I would have received my money back with interest when I returned. “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw this good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
- Ecclesiastes 9:10: Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.
How to apply these verses to your life
God has given each of us gifts. It’s our job to use them. Just like with money, some people are blessed with many gifts, other people are blessed with only a few. Our gifts are given to us based on our abilities. God knows what we can or can’t handle. If you aren’t faithful with the little gifts that God has given you, he won’t give you more. Even if you are faithful with your gifts, that doesn’t mean more gifts will come to you immediately. We shouldn’t use our gifts because we want more. God knows our hearts. We should use our gifts because we love God and appreciate him for entrusting us with them. God will provide us with more gifts once he sees that we can handle more gifts. We must remember with more gifts comes more responsibility. We shouldn’t wait until we have more to steward them better, we should steward them as if we already had more.
Bible verses on stewardship of creation
- Genesis 2:15: The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.
- Psalm 24:1: The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord;
- Numbers 35:33-34: “Do not defile the land where you live, for bloodshed defiles the land, and there can be no atonement for the land because of the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of the person who shed it. Do not make the land unclean where you live and where I dwell; for I, the Lord, reside among the Israelites.”
How to apply these verses to your life
God owns everything. We are only managers. The first thing that God told Adam to do when he was created was to work and watch over the Garden of Eden. We tend to see work as a burden, but working has always been part of God's purpose for humanity. God really values work. He wants you to care for his creation. It's one of the ways to worship and glorify God. Be thankful that God has blessed you with the task of working with his creation. Whether you are working a dead-end job or a dream job, making a lot of money or a little, have the best coworkers or the worst, be filled with joy that you have the privilege of working.
Bible verses on stewardship of the Gospel
- 1 Corinthians 4:1-2: A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God. In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful.
- 2 Timothy 2:2: What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
- Matthew 28:19-20: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
- Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
- Colossians 1:25: I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,
How to apply these verses to your life
This is probably the most important thing to steward. The Gospel is what saved us. After all that Jesus did for us on the cross, this is the least we can do. Plus, someone took their time to spread the Gospel to us, we must do the same. If they hadn’t, we probably would have never had relationships with Jesus. There are so many people in this world who have never heard the Gospel; who have never experienced the joy, peace, love, and freedom that you have in Christ. Take every chance you have to spread the Gospel. It doesn’t always have to be vocal either. By simply living for God and walking in the Spirit, we can cause so many people to want what we have. When they ask why we have so much joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, we can tell about Jesus. We can talk about everything he has done for us. We can tell our testimony. It’s often said that we will be the only bible many people will actually read. Always be prepared to be a light.
Bible verses on stewardship of relationships
- Proverbs 27:17: Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.
- Mark 12:31: The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.
- Galatians 6:2: Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
How to apply these verses to your life
Jesus summed up the entire law into two commandments. The first was to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind. The second was to love your neighbor as yourself. Naturally, this is extremely hard to do. It’s easy to love the people who love us. Most neighbors are people who don’t know us, don’t look like us, don’t talk like us, don’t think like us, etc. Normally, we don’t associate with people like that; it’s uncomfortable. Stewarding our relationships is all about loving everyone regardless of the differences we have with them. It’s about choosing to be selfless instead of selfish. It’s about encouraging others instead of putting them down. It’s about doing kind acts instead of hateful ones. It’s about going to the marginalized and having a relationship with them. When we are being good stewards of relationships, it shines the light of Jesus. When you look at the many encounters that Jesus had with people, you see a common theme; compassion. He saw people and truly desired to be there for them. He hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, drunkards, sick people, religious people, etc. He didn’t care how different they were, he truly just cared for them. This led many people to desire a relationship with Jesus. The best way to get people to desire Jesus is to treat people how Jesus treated people; with love and compassion.
Conclusion
Understanding and applying bible verses on stewardship helps us cultivate a heart of generosity, faithfulness, and responsibility in all that we do. As we recognize that everything we have ultimately belongs to God, we can become better stewards of our finances, time, and talents, using them to serve His kingdom and bless others. By embracing these biblical principles, we align our lives with God’s purpose and experience the joy of faithful stewardship.
Evan Smith is the owner of Two Ten Creatives, a creative design company specifically for churches. He strategically finds ways to bring more visitors to churches by designing church websites and focusing on local SEO. He is a follower of Jesus, a husband, and a father.
