Exodus 22:25
New International Version
“If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.

New Living Translation
“If you lend money to any of my people who are in need, do not charge interest as a money lender would.

English Standard Version
“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.

Berean Standard Bible
If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.

King James Bible
If 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.

New King James Version
“If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.

New American Standard Bible
“If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest.

NASB 1995
“If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest.

NASB 1977
“If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest.

Legacy Standard Bible
“If you lend money to My people, to the afflicted among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest.

Amplified Bible
“If you lend money to any one of My people with you who is poor, you shall not act as a creditor (professional moneylender) to him; you shall not charge him interest.

Christian Standard Bible
“If you lend silver to my people, to the poor person among you, you must not be like a creditor to him; you must not charge him interest.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If you lend money to My people, to the poor person among you, you must not be like a moneylender to him; you must not charge him interest.”

American Standard Version
If thou lend money to any of my people with thee that is poor, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest.

Contemporary English Version
Don't charge interest when you lend money to any of my people who are in need.

English Revised Version
If thou lend money to any of my people with thee that is poor, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him usury.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"If you lend money to my people-to any poor person among you-never act like a moneylender. Charge no interest.

Good News Translation
"If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest.

International Standard Version
"If you loan money to my people, to the poor among you, don't be like a creditor to them and don't impose interest on them.

Majority Standard Bible
If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.

NET Bible
"If you lend money to any of my people who are needy among you, do not be like a moneylender to him; do not charge him interest.

New Heart English Bible
"If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor; neither shall you charge him interest.

Webster's Bible Translation
If thou shalt lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

World English Bible
“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor. You shall not charge him interest.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
If you lend money [to] My poor people [who are] with you, you are not as a usurer to him; you do not lay usury on him;

Young's Literal Translation
'If thou dost lend My poor people with thee money, thou art not to him as a usurer; thou dost not lay on him usury;

Smith's Literal Translation
If thou shalt lend silver to my people being poor with thee, thou shalt not be to him, as lending; ye shall not put interest upon him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor, that dwelleth with thee, thou shalt not be hard upon them as an extortioner, nor oppress them with usuries.

Catholic Public Domain Version
If you lend money to the poor of my people who live among you, you shall not coerce them like a collector, nor oppress them with usury.

New American Bible
If you lend money to my people, the poor among you, you must not be like a money lender; you must not demand interest from them.

New Revised Standard Version
If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
If you lend money to any of my people who are the poor among you, you shall not be to him as an usurer, neither shall you take any usury from him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if you lend money to my people, the poor of your people, you will not be as a creditor to him and do not take interest from him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
If thou lend money to any of My people, even to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if thou shouldest lend money to thy poor brother who is by thee, thou shalt not be hard upon him thou shalt not exact usury of him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laws of Social Responsibility
24My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless. 25If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest. 26If you take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him by sunset,…

Cross References
Leviticus 25:35-37
Now if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you. / Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you. / You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit.

Deuteronomy 23:19-20
Do not charge your brother interest on money, food, or any other type of loan. / You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.

Nehemiah 5:7-10
and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them / and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say. / So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies? ...

Proverbs 28:8
He who increases his wealth by interest and usury lays it up for one who is kind to the poor.

Ezekiel 18:8
He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.

Ezekiel 18:13
He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.

Ezekiel 18:17
He withholds his hand from harming the poor and takes no interest or usury. He keeps My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live.

Ezekiel 22:12
In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.

Psalm 15:5
who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Isaiah 24:2
people and priest alike, servant and master, maid and mistress, buyer and seller, lender and borrower, creditor and debtor.

Matthew 5:42
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Luke 6:34-35
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. / But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Luke 14:12-14
Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid. / But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, / and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Luke 16:9
I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.

Luke 19:8
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”


Treasury of Scripture

If you lend money to any of my people that is poor by you, you shall not be to him as an usurer, neither shall you lay on him usury.

Leviticus 25:35-37
And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee…

Deuteronomy 23:19,20
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: …

2 Kings 4:1,7
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen…

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Exodus 22
1. Of Theft
5. Of damage
7. Of trespasses
14. Of borrowing
16. Of fornication
18. Of witchcraft
19. Of bestiality
20. Of idolatry
21. Of strangers, widows, and fatherless
25. Of usury
26. Of pledges
28. Of reverence to magistrates
29. Of the first fruits
31. Of torn flesh














If you lend money
The Hebrew word for "lend" is "lavah," which implies a temporary transfer of resources with the expectation of return. Lending in ancient Israel was not merely a financial transaction but a moral and communal obligation. It was a means of supporting fellow Israelites, reflecting God's provision and care for His people. This act of lending was rooted in the understanding that all resources ultimately belong to God, and His people are stewards of His blessings.

to one of My people
The phrase "My people" signifies a covenant relationship between God and the Israelites. It underscores the communal and familial nature of the Israelite society, where individuals were expected to care for one another as members of God's chosen people. This covenantal identity called for a higher standard of ethical behavior, reflecting God's character in their dealings with each other.

among you who is poor
The Hebrew word for "poor" is "ani," which refers to those who are economically disadvantaged or oppressed. The inclusion of the poor in this command highlights God's concern for justice and compassion. The poor were often vulnerable to exploitation, and this law served as a protective measure to ensure their dignity and survival within the community.

you are not to act as a creditor to him
The term "creditor" in Hebrew is "nashah," which can also mean to oppress or exact. This phrase warns against treating the borrower harshly or exploiting their vulnerability. In the ancient Near Eastern context, creditors often had significant power over debtors, and this command seeks to prevent the abuse of such power, promoting fairness and mercy.

you are not to charge him interest
The Hebrew word for "interest" is "neshekh," which literally means "a bite." This vivid imagery suggests that charging interest is akin to taking a bite out of someone's livelihood. In a society where wealth was often tied to land and livestock, charging interest could lead to a cycle of poverty and loss of property. This prohibition reflects God's desire for His people to live in a community marked by generosity and mutual support, rather than exploitation and greed.

(25-27) The Mosaic law of borrowing and lending was strange and peculiar. It was absolutely forbidden to exact any interest from those borrowers who were Israelites. The wording of the present passage, and of some others (Leviticus 25:35; Deuteronomy 15:7), construed strictly, prohibits interest only on loans to the poor; but, as in a primitive state of society only the poor wish to borrow, the qualifying expression lost its force, and to exact any interest of any Israelite was regarded as wrong. (See Psalm 15:5; Proverbs 28:8; Nehemiah 5:7; Nehemiah 5:11; Ezekiel 18:13; Ezekiel 22:12.) And some prohibitions, as Deuteronomy 23:19, were expressed in the most general terms. On the other hand, the lending of money upon interest to foreigners was distinctly allowed (Deuteronomy 23:20), and no limit placed upon the amount of interest that might be taken. . . . Verses 25-27. - The law of lending money and borrowing. It is peculiar to the Jewish law to forbid the lending of money at interest by citizen to citizen. In the present passage, and in some others (Leviticus 25:35; Deuteronomy 15:7), it might seem that interest was only forbidden in the case of a loan to one who was poor; but the general execration of usury (Job 24:9; Proverbs 28:8; Ezekiel 18:13; Ezekiel 22:12), and the description of the righteous man as "he that hath not given his money upon usury" (Psalm 15:5; Ezekiel 18:8), seem rather to imply that the practice, so far as Israelites were concerned, was forbidden altogether. On the other hand, it was distinctly declared (Deuteronomy 23:20) that interest might be taken from strangers. There does not seem to have been any rate of interest which was regarded as excessive, and "usurious," in the modern sense. In Scripture usury means simply interest.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you lend
תַּלְוֶ֣ה (tal·weh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3867: To twine, to unite, to remain, to borrow, to lend

money
כֶּ֣סֶף ׀ (ke·sep̄)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3701: Silver, money

to [one of] my people
עַמִּ֗י (‘am·mî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

among you
עִמָּ֔ךְ (‘im·māḵ)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

[who is] poor,
הֶֽעָנִי֙ (he·‘ā·nî)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6041: Poor, afflicted, humble

you must not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

act
תִהְיֶ֥ה (ṯih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

as a creditor
כְּנֹשֶׁ֑ה (kə·nō·šeh)
Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5383: To lend, borrow on security, interest

to him;
ל֖וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

you are not to charge
תְשִׂימ֥וּן (ṯə·śî·mūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

him
עָלָ֖יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

any interest.
נֶֽשֶׁךְ׃ (ne·šeḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5392: Interest on a, debt


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OT Law: Exodus 22:25 If you lend money to any (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 22:24
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