Ecclesiastes 5:14

5:14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; ¹ 

although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him. ² 

Jeremiah 48:36

48:36 So my heart moans for Moab

like a flute playing a funeral song.

Yes, like a flute playing a funeral song,

my heart moans for the people of Kir Heres.

For the wealth they have gained will perish.

Luke 12:20-21

12:20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life ³  will be demanded back from ⁴  you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ⁵  12:21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, ⁶  but is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:33

12:33 Sell your possessions ⁷  and give to the poor. ⁸  Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven ⁹  that never decreases, ¹⁰  where no thief approaches and no moth ¹¹  destroys.

Acts 8:20

8:20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, ¹²  because you thought you could acquire ¹³  God’s gift with money!

James 5:2-3

5:2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 5:3 Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! ¹⁴ 

James 5:2

5:2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten.

James 3:10-12

3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters. ¹⁵  3:11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? 3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, ¹⁶  or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.

Revelation 18:16-17

18:16 saying,

“Woe, woe, O great city –

dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet clothing, ¹⁷ 

and adorned with gold, ¹⁸  precious stones, and pearls –

18:17 because in a single hour such great wealth has been destroyed!” ¹⁹ 

And every ship’s captain, ²⁰  and all who sail along the coast ²¹  – seamen, and all who ²²  make their living from the sea, stood a long way off

[5:14]  ¹ tn Or “through a bad business deal.” The basic meaning of עִנְיַן (’inyan) is “business; affair” (HALOT 857 s.v. עִנְיָן) or “occupation; task” (BDB 775 s.v. עִנְיָן). The term is used in a specific sense in reference to business activity (Eccl 8:16), as well as in a more general sense in reference to events that occur on earth (Eccl 1:13; 4:8). BDB suggests that the phrase עִנְיַן רָע (’inyan ra’) in 5:13 refers to a bad business deal (BDB 775 s.v. עִנְיָן); however, HALOT suggests that it means “bad luck” (HALOT 857 s.v. עִנְיָן). The English versions reflect the same two approaches: (1) bad luck: “some misfortune” (NAB, NIV) and (2) a bad business deal: “a bad investment” (NASB), “a bad venture” (RSV, NRSV, MLB), “some unlucky venture” (Moffatt, NJPS), “an unlucky venture” (NEB), “an evil adventure” (ASV).

[5:14]  ² tn Heb “there is nothing in his hand.”

[12:20]  ³ tn Grk “your soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.

[12:20]  ⁴ tn Or “required back.” This term, ἀπαιτέω (apaitew), has an economic feel to it and is often used of a debt being called in for repayment (BDAG 96 s.v. 1).

[12:20]  ⁵ tn Grk “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” The words “for yourself” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:21]  ⁶ sn It is selfishness that is rebuked here, in the accumulation of riches for himself. Recall the emphasis on the first person pronouns throughout the parable.

[12:33]  ⁷ sn The call to sell your possessions is a call to a lack of attachment to the earth and a generosity as a result.

[12:33]  ⁸ tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today.

[12:33]  ⁹ tn Grk “in the heavens.”

[12:33]  ¹⁰ tn Or “an unfailing treasure in heaven,” or “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven.”

[12:33]  ¹¹ tn The term σής (shs) refers to moths in general. It is specifically the larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49; BDAG 922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2, which mentions “moth-eaten” clothing.

[8:20]  ¹² tn Grk “May your silver together with you be sent into destruction.” This is a strong curse. The gifts of God are sovereignly bestowed and cannot be purchased.

[8:20]  ¹³ tn Or “obtain.”

[5:3]  ¹⁴ tn Or “hoarded up treasure for the last days”; Grk “in the last days.”

[3:10]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[3:12]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[18:16]  ¹⁷ tn The word “clothing” is supplied to clarify that the words “purple” and “scarlet” refer to cloth or garments rather than colors.

[18:16]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “gilded with gold” (an instance of semantic reinforcement, see L&N 49.29).

[18:17]  ¹⁹ tn On ἠρημώθη (hrhmwqh) L&N 20.41 states, “to suffer destruction, with the implication of being deserted and abandoned – ‘to be destroyed, to suffer destruction, to suffer desolation.’ ἐρημόομαι: μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη ὁ τοσοῦτος πλοῦτος ‘such great wealth has been destroyed within a single hour’ Re 18:17.”

[18:17]  ²⁰ tn On κυβερνήτης (kubernhth") BDAG 574 s.v. 1 states, “one who is responsible for the management of a ship, shipmaster, lit. Rv 18:17.”

[18:17]  ²¹ tn Or perhaps, “everyone who sails as a passenger.” On πλέων (plewn) BDAG 825 s.v. πλέω states, “πᾶς ὁ ἐπὶ τόπον πλέων everyone who sails to a place = seafarer, sea traveler…Rv 18:17. The vv.ll.…have led to various interpretations. Some render: everyone who sails along the coast…See EbNestle, Einführung in das Griech. NT 1909, 182; AFridrichsen, K. Hum. Vetensk.-Samf. i Upps. Årsb. ’43, 31 note ὁ ἐπίτοπον πλέων=one who sails occasionally, a passenger. – S. also IHeikel, StKr 106, ’34/’35, 317).”

[18:17]  ²² tn Grk “and as many as.”