Selfishness

How Nave’s arranged it

• General scriptures concerningGenesis 4:9Numbers 32:6Psalms 38:11Proverbs 11:26Proverbs 18:17Proverbs 24:11Proverbs 24:12Proverbs 28:27Ezekiel 34:18Micah 3:11Haggai 1:4Haggai 1:9Haggai 1:10Zechariah 7:6Malachi 1:10Matthew 19:21Matthew 19:22Luke 6:32–34Romans 14:15Romans 15:1–3
• See Liberality
• See Poor
• See Unselfishness

The passages, in Bible order (30)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 4:9

   And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 4:92 voices

   “He answered: I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper? A foolish and equally arrogant answer; foolish, since he thought he could deceive Him who knew his sinful conscience and accused him of the crime of fratricide even before it was committed, as the …

   “And the Lord said unto Cain, where is Abel thy brother?....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 4:9→

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2. Numbers 32:6

   But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here?

   ›Commentary on Numbers 32:61 voice

   “And Moses said unto the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben,.... Being displeased with their motion, as his following discourse shows, it having at first sight an appearance of covetousness and cowardice: shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? it is not reasonable that your brethren should be left by you and engage in a war with your common enemies, to dispossess them of their land before they can settle in it and you remain here easy and quiet in the possession of a fruitful country.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 32:6→

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3. Psalms 38:11

   My beloved and friends shun my disease, and my kinsmen stand at a distance.

   ›Commentary on Psalms 38:111 voice

   “My friends and neighbors have approached me and stood against me. And my neighbors stood from afar. And those who sought my soul were causing violence. And those who intended harm to me spoke emptiness and deceit all day long. But I, like a deaf man, did not hear, and like a mute man who does not open his mouth. And I became like a man who does not hear and who does not have reproaches in his mouth. I see those who cleverly argue these things.

   Everything gathered on Psalms 38:11→

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4. Proverbs 11:26

   The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 11:261 voice

   “It is well said through Solomon, "He that hideth corn shall be cursed among the people." For to hide corn is to retain with one's self the words of sacred preaching. And every one that does so is cursed among the people, because through his fault of silence only he is condemned in the punishment of the many whom he might have corrected.

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 11:26→

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5. Proverbs 18:17

   The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 18:171 voice

   “The just man indeed notices his own frailty more than the unjust man; and the wise man recognizes, while the foolish man does not recognize. Finally, the wise man is remorseful for his own failings, while the foolish man takes pleasure in them: the just man accuses himself, the unjust man defends himself.

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 18:17→

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6. Proverbs 24:11

   Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 24:111 voice

   And so learn from your own experience to sympathize with those in trouble, and never to terrify with destructive despair those who are in danger, nor harden them with severe speeches, but rather restore them with gentle and kindly consolations, and as the wise Solomon says, "Spare not to deliver those who are led forth to death, and to redeem those who are to be slain," and after the example of our Saviour, break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, and ask of the Lord that grace, by means of which you yourself may faithfully learn both in deed and power to sing: "the Lord hath given me a learned tongue that I should know how to uphold by word him that is weary."

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 24:11→

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7. Proverbs 24:12

   If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 24:122 voices

   “If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not,....

   “As Pro 24:11 warned men against acquiescing in an unrighteous tyranny, so this denounces the tendency to hush up a wrong with the false plea of ignorance. Compare Ecc 5:8. Pro 24:10-12 thus forms a complete and connected whole.

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 24:12→

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8. Proverbs 28:27

   Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 28:272 voices

   “Whenever you gather the harvest or vintage, calculate your expenses and those of all who pertain to you and include what you will put into your purse. Then, of what remains, because it was not really given to you, as was already said, but was …

   “He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack,.... That gives alms unto them, relieves them in their distress, supplies them with money, food, or clothes, and does it cheerfully, largely, and liberally, as the case requires; such an one shall not want any good thing; he shall not be the poorer for what he gives; he shall not miss it, nor his substance be diminished; he shall not come to poverty and want, yea, he shall be enriched, and his substance increased, for more is intended than is expressed.

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 28:27→

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9. Ezekiel 34:18

   Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink the clear waters? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?

   ›Commentary on Ezekiel 34:182 voices

   “But these things he spoke against the shepherds: now he speaks to the sheep, that is, to the people: and to the flock of both kinds of livestock, that is, the sheep and the goats: and not only to the sheep and goats, but also to the rams and the bucks, who are the leaders in the flocks, to whom he says: Was it not enough for you to feed on the good pastures of the Scriptures? But in addition, you were trampling on the remnants of your pastures with your feet.

   “(Verse 17 onwards) But you, my flock (or sheep), this says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between the sheep, and between rams and goats. Was it not enough for you to graze on good pastures? Moreover, you trampled the remnants of your pastures with your feet, and when you drank the purest water, you disturbed the rest with your feet. And my sheep, which were trampled by your feet, were fed, and those feet of yours that disturbed, they drank.

   Everything gathered on Ezekiel 34:18→

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10. Micah 3:11

    Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”

    ›Commentary on Micah 3:112 voices

    “(Verse 9 onwards) Hear this, rulers of the house of Jacob, and judges of the house of Israel: you who abhor justice and pervert all that is right, who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity. Its rulers give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for a fee, its prophets divine for money, yet they lean upon the Lord and say, 'Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.'

    “The Apostle Paul: Those who serve the altar, he says, partake of the altar and live by it (1 Corinthians 9:13). It is permitted for you, O priest, to live by the altar, not to indulge in luxury. The mouth of the ox that treads out the grain is not muzzled (ibid., 9). We know these things, and yet the Apostle does not abuse this permission: he is content with food and clothing. He labors night and day with his own hands so as not to be a burden to anyone.

    Everything gathered on Micah 3:11→

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11. Haggai 1:4

    “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”

    ›Commentary on Haggai 1:41 voice

    “(Verse 4.) And now thus says the Lord of hosts: Set your hearts upon your ways. Let there not be a time for speaking one thing and doing another: turn my commandments immediately into action. For the Lord is all-powerful who commands, and truly the authority of the all-powerful God is not light. Until now, your hearts have been enslaved to vices, without order, without a teacher, pursuing your desires wherever they led.

    Everything gathered on Haggai 1:4→

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12. Haggai 1:9

    You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. And what you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the LORD of Hosts. Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.

    ›Commentary on Haggai 1:91 voice

    “(Verse 9.) You looked for more, and behold, there was less: and you brought it into the house, and I blew it away: You looked for many things, and they became few: and you brought them into the house, and I blew them away.

    Everything gathered on Haggai 1:9→

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13. Haggai 1:10

    Therefore, on account of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth has withheld its crops.

    ›Commentary on Haggai 1:101 voice

    “(Verse 10) Therefore, says the Lord of hosts, because my house is deserted, and each of you hastens to his own house, for this reason the heavens are withheld from you so that they do not give rain, and the earth withholds its produce. Not only, he says, did the heavens not give rain, by which the watered soil produces crops; but not even the morning and evening dew, so that the dry fields, at least, are tempered with a little moisture.

    Everything gathered on Haggai 1:10→

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14. Zechariah 7:6

    And when you were eating and drinking, were you not doing so simply for yourselves?

    ›Commentary on Zechariah 7:62 voices

    “And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink,.... Either at common meals, or at their festivals: did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? merely and only for their own refreshment and pleasure, and not for the glory of God; though that ought to be the principal end in eating and drinking, 1Co 10:31.

    “(Chapter 7, verses 1 onwards) In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Casleu. And they sent to the house of God Sarasar and Rogommelech, along with the men who were with him, to seek the face of the Lord and to speak to the priests of the house of the Lord of hosts and the prophets, saying: Should I weep in the fifth month and separate myself as I have done for many years?

    Everything gathered on Zechariah 7:6→

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15. Malachi 1:10

    “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

    ›Commentary on Malachi 1:101 voice

    “(Verse 10 seqq.) I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. But you profane it when you say: 'The table of the Lord is polluted, and its fruit, its food, is despised.'

    Everything gathered on Malachi 1:10→

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16. Matthew 19:21

    Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

    ›Commentary on Matthew 19:212 voices

    “(Verse 21.) If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. It is in our power to choose to be perfect. However, whoever wishes to be perfect must sell what they have: and not sell only a portion, as Ananias and Sapphira did (Act. V); but sell everything: and when they have sold, give everything to the poor, and thus prepare for themselves treasure in the kingdom of heaven.

    “Jesus said unto him, if thou wilt be perfect,....

    Everything gathered on Matthew 19:21→

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