Whether getting a loan with interest is considered a sin depends heavily on religious, ethical, and scriptural interpretations, with views ranging from strict prohibition to acceptance within modern economic contexts. While Islam explicitly forbids all forms of interest (riba) as exploitative, many Christian interpretations distinguish between sinful, predatory "usury" and modern interest-bearing loans.
Deuteronomy 23:19 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“You shall not charge interest to your fellow Israelite—interest on money, food or anything that may be loaned for interest.
For the most part, Christians have concluded that interest is not inherently prohibited in modern societies, but that lending practices— including interest rates and collateral—must not take advantage of vulnerable people or make people destitute.
There's no single #1 worst sin; it depends on the religious or moral framework, but pride is often called the root of all evil (Christianity/Islam), while the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (unforgivable sin) is considered the gravest in the Bible. Other severe sins include child abuse (Catholicism) and sins that "cry to Heaven" (like shedding innocent blood or oppressing the poor).
The Bible teaches that when money is borrowed there should also be a secure repayment plan. Psalm 37:21 says, “The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.” This text is clear.
Just as the Bible doesn't say that it's a sin to borrow money, it also doesn't say that it's a sin to loan money. Still, it's important to remember that when you loan someone money, you inevitably change your relationship with that person — even if he or she is your own child.
Deuteronomy 23:19-20 – “You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest.
Proverbs 6:16-19 New Living Translation (NLT)
There are six things the LORD hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.
The unpardonable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy includes ridicule and attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to the devil.
The Biblical Foundation
Scripture is clear on this point: God's people are to avoid charging interest to one another. Exodus 22:25 – “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.”
However, borrowing should not be done to excess or done over a long time. It is best not to owe any debt, which should be the goal and pursuit of every Christian. But, needing to borrow is not wrong. Christians who hear God's voice and have God's financial principles to guide them can make wise borrowing decisions.
In Luke 6:34-35a, Jesus tells a crowd of people, “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 without expecting to get anything back.”
God clearly warns us not to go into debt or cosign a loan unless we are certain we can repay our obligation (Proverbs 22:26-27). You must conclude then that some debt is allowed. You can owe money to other people and not be in sin. However, debt carries a responsibility - you must repay your debts.
Even private loans that provide for repayment and interest are classed as credit transactions in terms of Section 8 (4) of the National Credit Act (except to family).
The Bible does not prohibit borrowing. However, it has strong words of caution. “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). And there's this: “God paid a high price for you, don't be enslaved to the world” (1 Corinthians 7:23, NLT).
There isn't a single universally agreed-upon "greatest" sin, as different faiths highlight different offenses, but key contenders across traditions include pride/arrogance, idolatry (Shirk in Islam), and the unforgivable blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Christianity), all stemming from a rejection or turning away from God, with pride often seen as the root of all other sins.
Sloth not only subverts the livelihood of the body, taking no care for its day-to-day provisions but also slows down the mind, halting its attention to matters of great importance. Sloth hinders man in his righteous undertakings and becomes a path to ruin.
In truth the Bible lists three unforgivable sins, which contradicts what Jesus said about the subject they are as follows:
The unforgivable sin isn't something you stumble into accidentally. It's the settled, defiant rejection of the Spirit's witness to Christ. If your sin grieves you and you desire His mercy, that itself is evidence that the Spirit is still at work in you.
Biblical prohibitions on usury were later redefined as prohibitions on lending at excessive interest rates. Today, charging interest on loans is an everyday part of life. Modern Christian leaders condemn excessive interest rates, but not the lending of money itself.
The Old Testament "condemns the practice of charging interest on a poor person because a loan should be an act of compassion and taking care of one's neighbor"; it teaches that "making a profit off a loan from a poor person is exploiting that person (Exodus 22:25–27)." Similarly, charging of interest (Hebrew: נֶֽשֶׁךְ, ...
But across all 2,350 verses about money, not one of them says that borrowing, or being in debt, is forbidden. The Bible does not contain a direct mandate to never borrow money. It does, however, clearly indicate that borrowing comes with burdens and negative consequences.