⁹ Those who want to get rich^(A) fall into temptation and a trap^(B) and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

On Not Loving the World

¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world.^(A) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father^[a] is not in them.^{(B) 16} For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,^(C) the lust of the eyes,^(D) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away,^(E) but whoever does the will of God^(F) lives forever.

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!^(A)

⁷ He must also have a good reputation with outsiders,^(A) so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.^(B)

²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth^(A) choke the word, making it unfruitful.

¹¹ Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain;^(A) they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;^(B) they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.^(C)

³ In their greed^(A) these teachers will exploit you^(B) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.