Bible Verses About Selfishness: General references

Adonai said to Kayin, “Where is Hevel your brother?” And he replied, “I don’t know; am I my brother’s guardian?”

Moshe answered the descendants of Gad and of Re'uven: "Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here?

My friends and companions shun my disease; even the closest keep their distance.

The people will curse him who withholds grain; but if he sells it, blessings will be on his head.

The first to state his case seems right, till the other one comes and cross-examines.

Yes, rescue those being dragged off to death -won't you save those about to be killed?

If you say, "We knew nothing about it,"won't he who weighs hearts discern it? Yes, he who guards you will know it and repay each one as his deeds deserve.

He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who hides his eyes will get curses in plenty.

Wasn't it enough for you to feed on the best pasture and drink from the clearest water? Did you have to trample the rest of the pasture and foul the remaining water with your feet?

Her leaders sell verdicts for bribes, her cohanim teach for a price, her prophets divine for money - yet they claim to rely on ADONAI! "Isn't ADONAI here with us?" they say. "No evil can come upon us."

"So is now the time for you to be living in your own paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?

'You looked for much, but it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?' asks ADONAI-Tzva'ot. 'Because my house lies in ruins, while every one of you runs to take care of his own house.

This is why the sky above you has withheld the dew, so that there is none, and the land withholds its yield.

Rather, when you eat and drink, it's just to please yourselves, isn't it?

Why doesn't even one of you shut the doors and thus stop this useless lighting of fires on my altar? I take no pleasure in you," says ADONAI-Tzva'ot, "and I will not receive an offering from you.

Yeshua said to him, "If you are serious about reaching the goal, go and sell your possessions, give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!"

But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was wealthy.

What credit is it to you if you love only those who love you? Why, even sinners love those who love them.

What credit is it to you if you do good only to those who do good to you? Even sinners do that.

What credit is it to you if you lend only to those who you expect will pay you back? Even sinners lend to each other, expecting to be repaid in full.

and if your brother is being upset by the food you eat, your life is no longer one of love. Do not, by your eating habits, destroy someone for whom the Messiah died!

So we who are strong have a duty to bear the weaknesses of those who are not strong, rather than please ourselves.

Each of us should please his neighbor and act for his good, thus building him up.

For even the Messiah did not please himself; rather, as the Tanakh says, ‘The insults of those insulting you fell on me.’

No one should be looking out for his own interests, but for those of his fellow.