85 Bible Verses about Occupations

([Psalm of Solomon]) If Jehovah does not build the house, it is vain for the builders to work on it. If Jehovah does not protect a city, it is vain for the guard to stay alert.

The stone that the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.

Jesus said to them: Have you read the Scriptures, 'The stone the builders rejected has been made the chief cornerstone of the building. This was Jehovah's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes.' (Isaiah 28:16)

Have you not read this Scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected was made the chief corner stone.' (Psalm 118:22, 23)

He looked at them and asked what does the scripture mean: The stone that the builders rejected the same was made the head of the corner?

This is the stone that was rejected by you builders. It became the chief corner stone.

According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let every man take heed how he builds. No other foundation can be laid than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble;read more.
every man's work will be made known, for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will prove what sort every man's work is. If a man's work that he built upon lasts, he will receive a reward. If a man's work will be burned, he will suffer loss: but he will be saved by fire.

He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses. This is because the builder of the house has more honor than the house.

This precious value is for those who believe. But for the unbeliever: The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone.

Bezalel was a jeweler, carpenter, designer, and he knew how to embroider violet, purple, and bright red yarn on fine linen. His assistant was Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan.

They made the robe that is worn with the ephod. It was woven entirely of violet yarn.

She stretches her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff.

the masons, and the stonecutters, buy the timber and the stones used in the repairs, and pay all other necessary expenses.

Let them deliver it to the workmen who have oversight of the work of Jehovah's Temple. Then they can pay it to the workmen who are making good what was damaged in the Temple of Jehovah. To the woodworkers and the builders and the stonecutters; and for getting wood and cut stones for building the Temple.

Is this man the carpenter's son? Is his mother called Mary? Are his brothers James and Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to play bronze cymbals. Zechariah, Jaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were appointed to play harps tuned according to alamoth. Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were appointed to play lyres and to conduct the eighth.read more.
Chenaniah, a Levite leader, instructed others how to sing prophetic songs because he was skilled at it.

Also, Heman and Jeduthun played trumpets, cymbals, and the other musical instruments that accompany sacred songs. Jeduthun's sons were stationed at the gate.

Jehovah, the Sovereign Lord, is my strength! He makes my feet like a deer's feet. He will make me walk upon high places.

He waited many days in Jappa with Simon a tanner.

He is staying with a tanner named Simon whose house is by the sea.

The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah and the clans of the linen workers at Beth Ashbea,

Jehovah said to Isaiah: You and your son Shear-ja'shub should go out to meet Ahaz at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the (laundryman's field) Fuller's Field.

The king of Assyria sent his commander-in-chief (Tartan), his quartermaster, and his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They stood at the channel for the Upper Pool on the road to the Laundryman's Field.

The king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. He stood at the channel for the Upper Pool on the road to the Laundryman's Field.

The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals. He shapes an idol with hammers; he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength. He drinks no water and grows faint.

No blacksmith could be found in all of Israel. In this way the Philistines kept the Hebrews from making swords and spears. Everyone in Israel had to go to the Philistines to sharpen the blade of his plow, his mattock, ax, or sickle. The charge for sharpening plowshares and for the mattocks, and for the mattocks, and for the three-pronged forks, and for the axes was a pim.

I created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. I also created the destroyer who will work havoc.

After him Malchijah, one of the gold-workers to the Nethinim and the traders, made good the wall opposite the doorway of Hammiphkad and as far as the way up to the angle. And between the way up to the angle and the Sheep Gate, the gold-workers and the traders made good the wall.

Each year King Solomon received about twenty-five tons of gold. This was in addition to what came to him from the business of the traders, and from all the kings of the Arabians, and from the rulers of the country.

Solomon's merchants bought his string of horses and chariots in the regions of Musri and Kue. They imported each chariot from Egypt for fifteen pounds of silver and each horse for six ounces of silver. For the same price they obtained horses to export to all the Hittite and Syrian kings.

When the streets of Jerusalem were getting dark before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the gate to be shut and not to be open again until after the Sabbath. I put some of my servants by the gate so that nothing might be taken in on the Sabbath day. So the traders in all sorts of goods took their night's rest outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I gave witness against them and said: Why are you waiting all night by the wall? If you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath.

Jehovah says: The merchants use dishonest scales. They love to cheat people.

The kingdom of heaven is also like a merchant seeking valuable pearls. When he found one pearl of great value, he sold all that he had, and bought it.

After this Paul left Athens to go to Corinth. There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus who is currently from Italy with his wife Priscilla. Claudius commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. So he came to them. He was of the same trade as Paul. So he stayed with them and worked at their tentmaker trade.

Naaman was a great soldier. He was commander of the Syrian army and highly respected and esteemed by the king of Syria (Aram). Jehovah gave victory to the Syrian forces through Naaman. He suffered from a dreaded skin disease.

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion (captain of one hundred men) approached him. He said: Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home and terribly tormented. Jesus said to him: I will come and heal him.read more.
The centurion replied to Jesus: Lord, I am not worthy that you come under my roof. Say the word and my servant will be healed. I also am a man having authority and commanding soldiers. I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it. When Jesus heard it, he was amazed, and said to the crowd: I tell you, I have not found such great faith in Israel. I tell you, many will come from the east and the west, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: but the sons of the kingdom will be cast forth into the outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus said to the centurion: Go. Just as you believe, so it will be done to you. The servant was healed in that hour.

After he taught the people he went to Capernaum. A centurion's servant, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and at the point of death. When he heard about him he contacted Jesus through the Jewish elders. He asked him to come and save his servant.read more.
They came to Jesus and earnestly pleaded with him saying: He is worthy and you should do this for him. He loves our nation and he also built our synagogue for us. Jesus went with them. As he approached the house, the centurion sent friends to him saying, Lord do not trouble yourself. I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. I am also not worthy to come to you. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. I also am a man with much authority. I am in charge of soldiers and say to this one go and he goes and to another I say come and he comes. I tell my servant to do this and he does it. Jesus heard this and marveled at him. He turned to the crowd and said, I tell you I find no greater faith in Israel. When the messengers returned to the house they found the servant in good health.

Soldiers also asked him: What must we do? And he said: Do not take money from any one by force. Never falsely accuse any one wrongfully and be content with your wages.

There was a man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Band. He was a devout man who respected God with his entire household. He gave many gifts of mercy to the people and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw a vision. An angel of God came to him and said, Cornelius.read more.
He looked at him and was afraid. What is it, Lord? He replied. The angel said: God hears your prayers and sees your gifts of mercy. Send men to Joppa to bring back Simon, whose surname is Peter: He is staying with a tanner named Simon whose house is by the sea. When the angel who spoke to Cornelius left, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier who was his attendant. He told them what happened and sent them to Joppa.

You must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No soldier entangles himself in the affairs of this life. That way, he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest from the city of On.

King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High.

Jethro was the priest of Midian and the father-in-law of Moses. He heard what Jehovah God had done for Moses and his people, after rescuing them from Egypt.

Tell all the skilled men whom I have given this ability to make Aaron's clothes. These clothes will set him apart as holy when he serves me as priest.

Dress Aaron in the priestly garments and anoint him. Consecrate him so that he can serve me as priest.

He lived in Micah's home. Micah made him his priest. Micah said: Now I know that Jehovah will be good to me, since I have a Levite as a priest.

A man of God came to Eli. He said: Thus says Jehovah: 'Did I plainly appear to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod in my presences me? Did I give to the house of your father all the offerings made by fire from the sons of Israel? Why do you kick at my sacrifice and my offering, which I have commanded in my house? Do you honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?'

His high officials were as follows: The priest: Azariah son of Zadok, the court secretaries: Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha In charge of the records: Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud. Commander of the army: Benaiah son of Jehoiada. Priests: Zadok and Abiathar.read more.
Chief of the district governors: Azariah son of Nathan Royal Adviser: the priest Zabud son of Nathan.

The priests should teach the true knowledge of God. They are the messengers of Jehovah of Hosts. Therefore the people should learn (my will) the law from them.

Jesus told him not to tell anyone. Show yourself to the priests and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.

Put the Levites in charge of the tent of God's words, including the equipment for the tent and everything else having to do with the tent. The Levites will carry the tent and all its equipment. They will take care of the tent and camp around it. When the tent is to be moved, the Levites will take it down. When we camp, they will set it up. Anyone else who comes near the tent will be put to death.

David told the Levite leaders to appoint some of their brothers to serve as musicians. They were expected to play music on harps, lyres, and cymbals to produce joyful music for singing.

David appointed some Levites to serve in front of Jehovah's Ark by offering prayers, thanks, and praise to Jehovah the God of Israel.

So the priests and the Levites, the people and the music-makers, the doorkeepers and the Nethinim, took their places in their towns.

Men were stationed over the houses where the contributions and the first fruits and the tenths were stored. They were to take into them the amounts, from the fields of every town. The law fixed this for the priests and the Levites: Judah was glad on account of the priests and the Levites who were in their places. They kept the watch of their God, and were responsible for making things clean. So did the music-makers and the gatekeepers, as David and Solomon his son ordered it. For in the days of David and Asaph in the past, there was a master of the music, and songs of blessing and praise to God.read more.
All Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave what the music-makers and the gatekeepers deeded day by day. They made the offerings holy for the Levites; and the Levites did the same for the sons of Aaron.

When a Levite came to the place he saw the man and passed by on the other side.

David was sitting between the two gates. The watchman walked along the roof of the gate by the wall. He looked at the man running alone. The watchman called and alerted the king. If he is alone, the king said, He has good news to tell. The runner came closer. The watchman saw another man running. He called: There is another man running alone. The king said: This one is also bringing good news.read more.
The watchman said: It appears the first one runs like Ahimaaz, Zadok's son. He's a good man, the king said. He must be coming with good news.

This is the divine REVELATION ABOUT EDOM. He calls to me from Seir: Watchman, what of the night? How much of the night is left? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman replies: Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.

Israel's watchmen are blind. They all lack knowledge they are all mute dogs. They cannot bark. They just lie around and dream, they love to sleep.

Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them: 'Suppose I bring war on this country and the people of this country choose one of their men and make him their watchman. If he sees the enemy coming to attack the country he will blow his horn to warn the people. If the people hear the horn and ignore the warning and the enemy comes and takes them, they will be responsible for their own deaths.read more.
They heard the sound of the horn but ignored its warning. In that case they are responsible for their own deaths. If they had taken the warning they would have saved themselves. But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and does not blow his horn to warn the people and the enemy comes and kills someone, that watchman must die because of his sin. I will hold him responsible for their deaths.'

Truly I tell you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way is a thief and a robber. He who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens to him and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them.

The king asked: What is your occupation? We are shepherds, Sir, just as our ancestors were, they answered.

Jacob continued on his trip and arrived at the land in the east. Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields. There were three flocks of sheep lying around it. The flocks were watered from this well. It had a large stone over the opening. When all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. Then they would put the stone back in place.read more.
Jacob asked the shepherds: Where are you from? They answered: We are from Haran. Then he asked: Do you know Nahor's grandson Laban? Yes, we do, they replied. Jacob asked: How is he? They replied: He is well. Here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep. It is still the heat of the day. It is not time for livestock to be gathered. Would you like to water the sheep so they can get back to grazing? They said: We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep. While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. Jacob saw Rachel, daughter of his uncle Laban, with his uncle Laban's sheep. He came forward and rolled the stone off the opening of the well and watered his uncle Laban's sheep.

Joseph said to his brothers and the rest of his father's family: I must go and tell the king that my brothers and all my father's family, who were living in Canaan, have come to me. I will tell him that you are shepherds and take care of livestock. And that you have brought your flocks and herds and everything else that belongs to you. The king will call for you. He will ask what your occupation is.read more.
Be sure to tell him that you have taken care of livestock all your lives, just as your ancestors did. In this way he will let you live in the region of Goshen. Joseph said this because Egyptians will have nothing to do with shepherds (consider shepherds loathsome).

The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. Then the shepherds came and drove them away. Moses stood up and helped them water their flock.

David obeyed his father. He got up early the next morning and left someone else in charge of the sheep. He loaded the supplies and started off. He reached the army camp just as the soldiers were taking their places and shouting the battle cry.

That same day one of Saul's servants who was obligated to stay in Jehovah's presence was there. His name was Doeg. He was chief herdsman for Saul's shepherds from Edom.

The words of Amos concerning Israel. He was among the herdsmen of Tekoa in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel. It was two years before the earthquake.

Shepherds in the same country were in the field keeping watch by night over their flock. God's angel stood by them and His glory gave illumination around them and they were very afraid. The angel spoke to them: Do not be afraid. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy to all the people.read more.
Christ (Messiah) the Lord, a Savior, is born this day in the city of David. This is the sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth among men with whom he is pleased. The angels went away from them into heaven. Then the shepherds said to one another, Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which God told us about. They hurried to see the baby. They found Mary and Joseph. And they saw the baby lying in the manger. As soon as they saw it they told what they had heard about the child. All that heard it wondered at the things that were spoken to them by the shepherds.

He who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens to him and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them. When all of his own are out he leads them. The sheep follow him for they know his voice.

It will happen! The prophets, each one of them will be ashamed of his vision and his prophesy. They will not wear a hairy mantle to deceive. He will say I am no prophet! I am a tiller of the ground. I have been made a slave from my youth.

Does the plowman keep plowing all day in order to sow seed? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods? When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow the black cummin and scatter the cummin, plant the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place?

You will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria. The planters will plant and will enjoy them.

Be ashamed you farmers. Cry you vinedressers. The wheat, the barley and the harvest of the field have perished.

He told them many illustrations. He said: A farmer went out to sow. Some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds devoured them. Others fell on rocky places and did not have much soil.read more.
When they grew, the sun scorched them, and because they had no root they withered and died. Others fell upon the thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them. Some fell on good ground and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He that has ears let him hear.

Listen, the sower went out to sow. As he sowed some seed fell by the road and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on the rocky ground and did not have good soil. Immediately it sprang up, because it had no good soilread more.
it became scorched when the sun came up. Then it withered because it had no root. Some seed fell among the thorns. The thorns grew up and choked it so it could yield no fruit. Others fell on good ground and yielded fruit. It grew up, increased and produced thirty fold, and sixty fold, and a hundred fold.

The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed some fell by the side of the road. It was trampled under foot and the birds of heaven devoured it. Other seed fell on the rock. As soon as it grew it withered away because it had no moisture. Still other seed fell among the thorns. The thorns grew with it, and choked it.read more.
Other seed fell on the good ground. It grew and produced fruit a hundredfold. As he said these things he cried. He said: He who has ears to hear let him hear.

Listen to another illustration. A master of a house made a vineyard, and put a wall around it. He made a wine press and built a tower. Then he rented it to workers and traveled to another country.

He taught them with illustrations: A man had a vineyard planted. He built a wall around it. He prepared a place for crushing out the wine and put up a tower. Then he rented it out to field workers, and went into another country.

He told the people an illustration: A man planted a vineyard. He rented it to tenants and went to another country for a long time.

The hard-working farmer should be first to receive his share of the crops.

Be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and late rains.

They drew it up on the beach when it was full. They gathered the good into containers and threw away the bad.

The fishermen will groan and lament. All who cast hooks into the Nile and throw nets on the water will be weak and sick.