85 Bible Verses about Occupations

A Song of the Ascents, by Solomon. If Jehovah doth not build the house, In vain have its builders laboured at it, If Jehovah doth not watch a city, In vain hath a watchman waked.

A stone the builders refused Hath become head of a corner.

Jesus saith to them, 'Did ye never read in the Writings, A stone that the builders disallowed, it became head of a corner; from the Lord hath this come to pass, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

And this Writing did ye not read: A stone that the builders rejected, it did become the head of a corner:

and he, having looked upon them, said, 'What, then, is this that hath been written: A stone that the builders rejected -- this became head of a corner?

This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a corner;

According to the grace of God that was given to me, as a wise master-builder, a foundation I have laid, and another doth build on it, for other foundation no one is able to lay except that which is laid, which is Jesus the Christ; and if any one doth build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw -- read more.
of each the work shall become manifest, for the day shall declare it, because in fire it is revealed, and the work of each, what kind it is, the fire shall prove; if of any one the work doth remain that he built on it, a wage he shall receive; if of any the work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; and himself shall be saved, but so as through fire.

for of more glory than Moses hath this one been counted worthy, inasmuch as more honour than the house hath he who doth build it,

to you, then, who are believing is the preciousness; and to the unbelieving, a stone that the builders disapproved of, this one did become for the head of a corner,

and with him is Aholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and designer, and embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and in linen.

And he maketh the upper robe of the ephod, work of a weaver, completely of blue;

Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.

and to those repairing the wall, and to hewers of stone, and to buy wood and hewn stones to strengthen the breach of the house of Jehovah, and for all that goeth out on the house, to strengthen it.

and they give it into the hand of the doers of the work, the overseers, in the house of Jehovah, and they give it to the doers of the work that is in the house of Jehovah, to strengthen the breach of the house, to artificers, and to builders, and to repairers of the wall, and to buy wood and hewn stones to strengthen the house;

is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

and the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, with cymbals of brass to sound, and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jeheil, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries besides virgins, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps, on the octave, to oversee.read more.
And Chenaniah, head of the Levites, is over the burden; he instructeth about the burden, for he is intelligent.

and with them -- Heman and Jeduthun -- are trumpets and cymbals for those sounding, and instruments of the song of God, and the sons of Jeduthun are at the gate.

Jehovah the Lord is my strength, And He doth make my feet like hinds, And on my high-places causeth me to tread. To the overseer with my stringed instruments!

and it came to pass, that he remained many days in Joppa, with a certain one, Simon a tanner.

this one doth lodge with a certain Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea; this one shall speak to thee what it behoveth thee to do.'

Sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er father of Lecah, and Laadah father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of the service of fine linen, of the house of Ashbea;

And Jehovah saith unto Isaiah, 'Go forth, I pray thee, to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-Jashub thy son, unto the end of the conduit of the upper pool, unto the highway of the fuller's field,

And the king of Asshur sendeth Tartan, and the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the butlers, from Lachish, unto king Hezekiah, with a heavy force, to Jerusalem, and they go up and come in to Jerusalem, and they go up, and come in and stand by the conduit of the upper pool that is in the highway of the fuller's field.

And the king of Asshur sendeth Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, unto the king Hezekiah, with a heavy force, and he standeth by the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fuller's field,

He hath wrought iron with an axe, And hath wrought with coals, And with hammers doth form it, And doth work it by his powerful arm, Yea, he is hungry, and there is no power, He doth not drink water, and he is wearied.

And an artificer is not found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, 'Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear;' and all Israel go down to the Philistines, to sharpen each his ploughshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock; and there hath been the file for mattocks, and for coulters, and for three-pronged rakes, and for the axes, and to set up the goads.

Lo, I -- I have prepared an artisan, Blowing on a fire of coals, And bringing out an instrument for his work, And I have prepared a destroyer to destroy.

After him hath Malchijah son of the refiner strengthened, unto the house of the Nethinim, and of the merchants, over-against the gate of the Miphkad, and unto the ascent of the corner. And between the ascent of the corner and the sheep-gate, have the refiners and the merchants strengthened.

And the weight of the gold that hath come to Solomon in one year is six hundred sixty and six talents of gold, apart from that of the tourists, and of the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the land.

And the source of the horses that are to Solomon is from Egypt and from Keva; merchants of the king from Keva take at a price, and they come up, and bring out from Egypt a chariot for six hundred silverlings, and a horse for fifty and a hundred, and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Aram -- by their hand they bring out.

And it cometh to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem have been dark before the sabbath, that I speak, and the doors are shut, and I say, that they do not open them till after the sabbath; and of my servants I have stationed at the gates; there doth not come in a burden on the sabbath-day. And they lodge -- the merchants and sellers of all ware -- at the outside of Jerusalem, once or twice, and I testify against them, and say unto them, 'Wherefore are ye lodging over-against the wall? if ye repeat it, a hand I put forth upon you;' from that time they have not come in on the sabbath.

Canaan! in his hand are balances of deceit! To oppress he hath loved.

'Again, the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a merchant, seeking goodly pearls, who having found one pearl of great price, having gone away, hath sold all, as much as he had, and bought it.

And after these things, Paul having departed out of Athens, came to Corinth, and having found a certain Jew, by name Aquilas, of Pontus by birth, lately come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife -- because of Claudius having directed all the Jews to depart out of Rome -- he came to them, and because of being of the same craft, he did remain with them, and was working, for they were tent-makers as to craft;

And Naaman, head of the host of the king of Aram, was a great man before his lord, and accepted of face, for by him had Jehovah given salvation to Aram, and the man was mighty in valour -- leprous.

And Jesus having entered into Capernaum, there came to him a centurion calling upon him, and saying, 'Sir, my young man hath been laid in the house a paralytic, fearfully afflicted,' and Jesus saith to him, 'I, having come, will heal him.'read more.
And the centurion answering said, 'Sir, I am not worthy that thou mayest enter under my roof, but only say a word, and my servant shall be healed; for I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers, and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Be coming, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it.' And Jesus having heard, did wonder, and said to those following, 'Verily I say to you, not even in Israel so great faith have I found; and I say to you, that many from east and west shall come and recline (at meat) with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the reign of the heavens, but the sons of the reign shall be cast forth to the outer darkness -- there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth.' And Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go, and as thou didst believe let it be to thee;' and his young man was healed in that hour.

And when he completed all his sayings in the ears of the people, he went into Capernaum; and a certain centurion's servant being ill, was about to die, who was much valued by him, and having heard about Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews, beseeching him, that having come he might thoroughly save his servant.read more.
And they, having come near unto Jesus, were calling upon him earnestly, saying -- 'He is worthy to whom thou shalt do this, for he doth love our nation, and the synagogue he did build to us.' And Jesus was going on with them, and now when he is not far distant from the house the centurion sent unto him friends, saying to him, 'Sir, be not troubled, for I am not worthy that under my roof thou mayest enter; wherefore not even myself thought I worthy to come unto thee, but say in a word, and my lad shall be healed; for I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers, and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Be coming, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it.' And having heard these things Jesus wondered at him, and having turned to the multitude following him, he said, 'I say to you, not even in Israel so much faith did I find;' and those sent, having turned back to the house, found the ailing servant in health.

And questioning him also were those warring, saying, 'And we, what shall we do?' and he said unto them, 'Do violence to no one, nor accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.'

And there was a certain man in Caesarea, by name Cornelius, a centurion from a band called Italian, pious, and fearing God with all his house, doing also many kind acts to the people, and beseeching God always, he saw in a vision manifestly, as it were the ninth hour of the day, a messenger of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, 'Cornelius;'read more.
and he having looked earnestly on him, and becoming afraid, said, 'What is it, Lord?' And he said to him, 'Thy prayers and thy kind acts came up for a memorial before God, and now send men to Joppa, and send for a certain one Simon, who is surnamed Peter, this one doth lodge with a certain Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea; this one shall speak to thee what it behoveth thee to do.' And when the messenger who is speaking to Cornelius went away, having called two of his domestics, and a pious soldier of those waiting on him continually, and having declared to them all things, he sent them to Joppa.

thou, therefore, suffer evil as a good soldier of Jesus Christ; no one serving as a soldier did entangle himself with the affairs of life, that him who did enlist him he may please;

And born to Joseph in the land of Egypt (whom Asenath daughter of Poti-Pherah, priest of On, hath borne to him) are Manasseh and Ephraim.

And Melchizedek king of Salem hath brought out bread and wine, and he is priest of God Most High;

And Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heareth all that God hath done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that Jehovah hath brought out Israel from Egypt,

and thou -- thou dost speak unto all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, and they have made the garments of Aaron to sanctify him for his being priest to Me.

and thou hast clothed Aaron with the holy garments, and anointed him, and sanctified him, and he hath acted as priest to Me.

And Micah consecrateth the hand of the Levite, and the young man is to him for a priest, and he is in the house of Micah, and Micah saith, 'Now I have known that Jehovah doth good to me, for the Levite hath been to me for a priest.'

And there cometh a man of God unto Eli, and saith unto him, 'Thus said Jehovah, Was I really revealed unto the house of thy father in their being in Egypt, before Pharaoh's house, even to choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to Me for a priest, to go up on Mine altar, to make a perfume, to bear an ephod before Me, and I give to the house of thy father all the fire-offerings of the sons of Israel? Why do ye kick at My sacrifice, and at Mine offering which I commanded in My habitation, and dost honour thy sons above Me, to make yourselves fat from the first part of every offering of Israel, of My people?

and these are the heads whom he hath: Azariah son of Zadok is the priest; Elihoreph and Ahiah sons of Shisha are scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud is remembrancer; and Benaiah son of Jehoiada is over the host; and Zadok and Abiathar are priests;read more.
and Azariah son of Nathan is over the officers; and Zabud son of Nathan is minister, friend of the king;

For the lips of a priest preserve knowledge, And law they do seek from his mouth, For a messenger of Jehovah of Hosts he is.

And Jesus saith to him, 'See, thou mayest tell no one, but go, thyself shew to the priest, and bring the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony to them.'

and thou, appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its vessels, and over all that it hath; they bear the tabernacle, and all its vessels, and they serve it; and round about the tabernacle they encamp. 'And in the journeying of the tabernacle, the Levites take it down, and in the encamping of the tabernacle, the Levites raise it up; and the stranger who is coming near is put to death.'

And David saith to the heads of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers, with instruments of song, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, sounding, to lift up with the voice for joy.

And he putteth before the ark of Jehovah, of the Levites, ministers, even to make mention of, and to thank, and to give praise to Jehovah, God of Israel,

And the priests dwell, and the Levites, and of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, in their cities; even all Israel in their cities.

And certain are appointed on that day over the chambers for treasures, for heave-offerings, for first-fruits, and for tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for priests, and for Levites, for the joy of Judah is over the priests, and over the Levites, who are standing up. And the singers and the gatekeepers keep the charge of their God, even the charge of the cleansing -- according to the command of David and Solomon his son, for in the days of David and Asaph of old were heads of the singers, and a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.read more.
And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, are giving the portions of the singers, and of the gatekeepers, the matter of a day in its day, and are sanctifying to the Levites, and the Levites are sanctifying to the sons of Aaron.

and in like manner also, a Levite, having been about the place, having come and seen, passed over on the opposite side.

And David is sitting between the two gates, and the watchman goeth unto the roof of the gate, unto the wall, and lifteth up his eyes, and looketh, and lo, a man running by himself. And the watchman calleth, and declareth to the king, and the king saith, 'If by himself, tidings are in his mouth;' and he cometh, coming on and drawing near. And the watchman seeth another man running, and the watchman calleth unto the gatekeeper, and saith, 'Lo, a man running by himself;' and the king saith, 'Also this one is bearing tidings.'read more.
And the watchman saith, 'I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.' And the king saith, 'This is a good man, and with good tidings he cometh.'

The burden of Dumah. Unto me is one calling from Seir 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?' The watchman hath said, 'Come hath morning, and also night, If ye inquire, inquire ye, turn back, come.'

Blind are his watchmen -- all of them, They have not known, All of them are dumb dogs, they are not able to bark, Dozing, lying down, loving to slumber.

Son of man, speak unto the sons of thy people, and thou hast said unto them: A land -- when I bring in against it a sword, And the people of the land have taken one man out of their borders, And made him to them for a watchman. And he hath seen the sword coming against the land, And hath blown with a trumpet, and hath warned the people, And the hearer hath heard the voice of the trumpet, and he hath not taken warning, And come in doth the sword, and taketh him away, His blood is on his head.read more.
The voice of the trumpet he heard, And he hath not taken warning, his blood is on him, And he who took warning his soul hath delivered. And the watchman, when he seeth the sword coming in, And he hath not blown with a trumpet, And the people hath not been warned, And come in doth a sword, And taketh away of them -- a soul, He in his iniquity is taken away, And his blood from the hand of the watchman I require.

'Verily, verily, I say to you, He who is not entering through the door to the fold of the sheep, but is going up from another side, that one is a thief and a robber; and he who is entering through the door is shepherd of the sheep; to this one the doorkeeper doth open, and the sheep hear his voice, and his own sheep he doth call by name, and doth lead them forth;

and Pharaoh saith unto his brethren, 'What are your works?' and they say unto Pharaoh, 'Thy servants are feeders of a flock, both we and our fathers;'

And Jacob lifteth up his feet, and goeth towards the land of the sons of the east; and he looketh, and lo, a well in the field, and lo, there three droves of a flock crouching by it, for from that well they water the droves, and the great stone is on the mouth of the well. (When thither have all the droves been gathered, and they have rolled the stone from off the mouth of the well, and have watered the flock, then they have turned back the stone on the mouth of the well to its place.)read more.
And Jacob saith to them, 'My brethren, from whence are ye?' and they say, 'We are from Haran.' And he saith to them, 'Have ye known Laban, son of Nahor?' and they say, 'We have known.' And he saith to them, 'Hath he peace?' and they say, 'Peace; and lo, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock.' And he saith, 'Lo, the day is still great, it is not time for the cattle to be gathered; water ye the flock, and go, delight yourselves.' And they say, 'We are not able, till that all the droves be gathered together, and they have rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and we have watered the flock.' He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel hath come with the flock which her father hath, for she is shepherdess; and it cometh to pass when Jacob hath seen Rachel, daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the flock of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob cometh nigh and rolleth the stone from off the mouth of the well, and watereth the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

And Joseph saith unto his brethren, and unto the house of his father, 'I go up, and declare to Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and the house of my father who are in the land of Canaan have come in unto me; and the men are feeders of a flock, for they have been men of cattle; and their flock, and their herd, and all that they have, they have brought.' And it hath come to pass when Pharaoh calleth for you, and hath said, What are your works?read more.
that ye have said, Thy servants have been men of cattle from our youth, even until now, both we and our fathers, -- in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen, for the abomination of the Egyptians is every one feeding a flock.'

And to a priest of Midian are seven daughters, and they come and draw, and fill the troughs, to water the flock of their father, and the shepherds come and drive them away, and Moses ariseth, and saveth them, and watereth their flock.

And David riseth early in the morning, and leaveth the flock to a keeper, and lifteth up, and goeth, as Jesse commanded him, and he cometh in to the path, and to the force which is going out unto the rank, and they have shouted for battle;

And there is a man of the servants of Saul on that day detained before Jehovah, and his name is Doeg the Edomite, chief of the shepherds whom Saul hath.

Words of Amos -- who hath been among herdsmen of Tekoa -- that he hath seen concerning Israel, in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the shaking;

And there were shepherds in the same region, lodging in the field, and keeping the night-watches over their flock, and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood over them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared a great fear. And the messenger said to them, 'Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to all the people -- read more.
because there was born to you to-day a Saviour -- who is Christ the Lord -- in the city of David, and this is to you the sign: Ye shall find a babe wrapped up, lying in the manger.' And suddenly there came with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among men -- good will.' And it came to pass, when the messengers were gone away from them to the heavens, that the men, the shepherds, said unto one another, 'We may go over indeed unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that hath come to pass, that the Lord did make known to us.' And they came, having hasted, and found both Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger, and having seen, they made known abroad concerning the saying spoken to them concerning the child. And all who heard, did wonder concerning the things spoken by the shepherds unto them;

and he who is entering through the door is shepherd of the sheep; to this one the doorkeeper doth open, and the sheep hear his voice, and his own sheep he doth call by name, and doth lead them forth; and when his own sheep he may put forth, before them he goeth on, and the sheep follow him, because they have known his voice;

And it hath come to pass, in that day, Ashamed are the prophets, each of his vision, in his prophesying, And they put not on a hairy robe to deceive. And one hath said, 'I am not a prophet, A man, a tiller of ground I am, For ground is my possession from my youth.'

The whole day plougheth the ploughman to sow? He openeth and harroweth his ground! Hath he not, if he have made level its face, Then scattered fitches, and cummin sprinkle, And hath placed the principal wheat, And the appointed barley, And the rie in its own border?

Again thou dost plant vineyards In mountains of Samaria, Planters have planted, and made common.

Be ashamed, ye husbandmen, Howl, vine-dressers, for wheat and for barley, For perished hath the harvest of the field.

and he spake to them many things in similes, saying: 'Lo, the sower went forth to sow, and in his sowing, some indeed fell by the way, and the fowls did come and devour them, and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth, and immediately they sprang forth, through not having depth of earth,read more.
and the sun having risen they were scorched, and through not having root, they withered, and others fell upon the thorns, and the thorns did come up and choke them, and others fell upon the good ground, and were giving fruit, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty. He who is having ears to hear -- let him hear.'

'Hearken, lo, the sower went forth to sow; and it came to pass, in the sowing, some fell by the way, and the fowls of the heaven did come and devour it; and other fell upon the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang forth, because of not having depth of earth,read more.
and the sun having risen, it was scorched, and because of not having root it did wither; and other fell toward the thorns, and the thorns did come up, and choke it, and fruit it gave not; and other fell to the good ground, and was giving fruit, coming up and increasing, and it bare, one thirty-fold, and one sixty, and one an hundred.'

'The sower went forth to sow his seed, and in his sowing some indeed fell beside the way, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the heaven did devour it. 'And other fell upon the rock, and having sprung up, it did wither, through not having moisture. 'And other fell amidst the thorns, and the thorns having sprung up with it, did choke it.read more.
And other fell upon the good ground, and having sprung up, it made fruit an hundred fold.' These things saying, he was calling, 'He having ears to hear -- let him hear.'

'Hear ye another simile: There was a certain man, a householder, who planted a vineyard, and did put a hedge round it, and digged in it a wine-press, and built a tower, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad.

And he began to speak to them in similes: 'A man planted a vineyard, and put a hedge around, and digged an under-wine-vat, and built a tower, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad;

And he began to speak unto the people this simile: 'A certain man planted a vineyard, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad for a long time,

the labouring husbandman it behoveth first of the fruits to partake;

Be patient, then, brethren, till the presence of the Lord; lo, the husbandman doth expect the precious fruit of the earth, being patient for it, till he may receive rain -- early and latter;

which, when it was filled, having drawn up again upon the beach, and having sat down, they gathered the good into vessels, and the bad they did cast out,

And lamented have the fishers, And mourned have all casting angle into a brook, And those spreading nets on the face of the waters have languished.