Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5200 Human civilisation  »  5242 buying and selling

Buying and selling are an integral part of the everyday life of the world. Scripture makes it clear that God expects moral dealings by his people in this area of life as in every other.

Some biblical transactions

The first recorded transaction

Genesis 23:3-4 Many other transactions had obviously taken place before this, from the earliest times.

Transactions in land

See also Genesis 47:20-22; Ruth 4:3; Proverbs 31:16; Jeremiah 32:9-10; Matthew 27:7; Luke 14:18; Acts 4:34

Buying animals

Luke 14:19

Buying food and drink

Genesis 41:57; Deuteronomy 2:28; John 6:5; John 13:29; Revelation 6:6

Transactions in other goods

Revelation 18:11-13

Buying of slaves

Genesis 17:12; Exodus 21:2; Leviticus 25:44-45; Hosea 3:1-2

The labour market

Leviticus 25:39-40; Matthew 20:1-2

God's standards in buying and selling

Fairness

Genesis 23:5-13; 2 Samuel 24:24

Honesty

Leviticus 19:35-36 See also Genesis 23:14-16; Deuteronomy 25:13-16; Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 16:11; Proverbs 20:10,23

Sins to avoid in buying and selling

Dishonesty

Proverbs 20:14; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:10-11

Greed

Proverbs 11:26

Exploitation

Leviticus 25:14 See also Lamentations 5:4; Amos 8:6

Extravagance

Luke 15:13

Desecration of the Sabbath

Nehemiah 10:31; Nehemiah 13:15-22; Amos 8:5

Desecration of the temple

Matthew 21:12-13 pp Mark 11:15-17 pp Luke 19:45-46 The merchants were operating within the outer court of the temple, itself consecrated as a place of prayer and worship. See also John 2:14-16

Worldliness

Ezekiel 7:12; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; James 4:13

Oppression through the control of buying and selling

Revelation 13:16-17

Spiritual transactions

Sinners sold to sin

See also 1 Kings 21:20; Romans 7:14

Israel sold and redeemed

Judges 2:14; Psalm 44:12; Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 50:1; Isaiah 52:3

Jesus Christ has bought his people

Acts 20:28 See also 1 Corinthians 6:20; Corinthians 7:23; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 2 Peter 2:1

Spiritual wealth to be bought

Proverbs 23:23 See also Isaiah 55:1; Matthew 13:44-46; Matthew 25:9; Revelation 3:18

Gifts money cannot buy

Job 28:12-19; Psalm 49:7-8; Mark 8:37; Acts 8:20

See also

5310  exploitation
5337  hiring
5402  market
5407  merchants
5412  money
5587  trade
5603  wages
5613  weights & measures
5913  negotiation
6721  redemption in life
7446  slavery
8275  honesty