19 Bible Verses about Work, As Ordained By God

so that your way of life may stand fair to the world, and prevent your being dependent upon any man.

let him that stole, steal no more: but rather let him labour, to encrease his fortune with his own hands, that he may have wherewithal to relieve the needy:

for you remember, my brethren, our labour and toil: how we worked day and night, that in preaching the gospel of God, we might not be chargeable to any of you.

he that takes no care of his relations, especially those of his own family, has renounc'd the faith and is worse than an infidel.

let your discourse and your actions be all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father by him.

whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Servants, be obedient to your legal masters, with awful reverence and sincerity of heart, as unto Christ: not doing your work meerly out of regard to their presence or their pleasure, but as the servants of Christ, in hearty obedience to the will of God: serve them with affection, as if it was to the Lord,read more.
and not to men: considering that whatever good any man doth, he shall be rewarded for it by the Lord, whether he be a slave or free.

servants, be entirely obedient to those, whom the laws have made your masters, and not meerly out of regard to their observation, as designing only to please men, but from a principle of integrity, as fearing God: and whatever you do, do it heartily, as serving the Lord, and not men: knowing that as you are the servants of Christ our Lord, you shall receive from him the inheritance for your reward.

Let our brethren too learn some honest profession to supply their occasions, that they may not be destitute of an income.

to study your own quiet, to mind your own affairs, and follow some handicraft trade, as we recommended it to you:

for you know what an example we have given for your imitation: that our conduct among you was regular: that we did not eat any man's bread for nothing: but with toil and fatigue work'd night and day to avoid being chargeable to any of you: not, that we had no just claim, but to present ourselves as a pattern, which you should imitate,read more.
pursuant to the maxim, which we laid down, when among you, "he that refuses to work should be deny'd food." now being inform'd, that there are among you people of an irregular conduct, who neglect their own business, and busy themselves with the affairs of others: we command these persons, and exhort them by the Lord Jesus Christ, to stay at home, and earn their bread by labour.

is not this the carpenter's son? is not Mary his mother? and James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas, are they not his brothers?

is not he the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses, of Juda and Simon? are not these his sisters, who are here with us? and they were scandalized at him.

from a principle of conscience. for this is the reason why you also pay tribute, because under God, they are continually

Whatever condition God has allotted to any man, let him go on in the same state he was in when he became a christian: this I give as a standing rule to all churches.

and whatever you do, do it heartily, as serving the Lord, and not men: knowing that as you are the servants of Christ our Lord, you shall receive from him the inheritance for your reward.

So it was when a man was going to travel into a foreign country, he called his servants, and delivered to them his stock: to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his respective ability, and then set out on his journey. now he that had received five talents, immediately employed them in trade, and gain'd five talents more.read more.
so he that had received two, gained likewise other two. but he that had received one, went to dig a hole in the ground, and hid his lord's money. after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them. accordingly he that had received five talents, came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents: besides those, there's five talents more, which I have gain'd. his lord said to him, well done, thou art an honest faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a small trust, I will give thee a much larger trust; go in and partake of thy master's diversions. he also that had received two talents, came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents: here are two other talents which I have gain'd besides them. his lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a small trust, I will give thee a much larger trust: go in and partake of your master's joy. then came he who had received the one talent, and said, Lord, I knew that you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered: fear made me hide the talent under ground: but there you have what is your own. his lord answered and said unto him, thou vile slothful wretch, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not scatter'd: should not you then have lodged my money at the banker's, and so at my return I should have received my own with interest. here, take the talent from him, and give it to him that has the ten. for he that makes use of what he has, shall have more; but if he makes no improvement thereof, it shall be taken from him. take then that worthless fellow, turn him out in the dark, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

a nobleman, said he, was going to travel to a foreign country, in order to have his kingdom confirm'd to him at his return. and he called ten of his servants, to whom he deliver'd ten pounds: improve that, said he, till I return. but he being hated by the citizens, after he was gone, they sent a deputation to court, to make this protest, "we will not have him for our king."read more.
upon his return, being confirm'd king, he order'd the servants, he had trusted with the money, to appear, and inform him, what improvement each of them had made. the first came and said, Lord, your one pound has gained ten more. he answer'd, honest servant, that's well: since your industry has made so much of so little, I give you the government of ten cities. then the second came, and said, Lord, your pound has produc'd five more. his master replied, you shall be governor of five cities. but another came and said, Lord, here's your money, which I laid up safe in a napkin. for I was in fear of you, knowing you to be a hard master, who exact what you never gave, and reap where you have never sown. wicked slave, said he, from your own mouth will I convict thee. "you knew I was a hard master, exacting what I never gave, and reaping where I never sowed: " why then did you not lodge my money in the bank, that on my return I might have drawn it out with interest? then he said to his attendants, take the one pound from him, and give it him, that gain'd ten. but they objected, Lord, he has already ten pounds: I tell you, said he, that to every one who improves, more shall be given: and he that makes no improvement, shall be stript of what he has. as for those enemies of mine, who would not have me for their king, bring them here, and slay them in my presence.

pursuant to the maxim, which we laid down, when among you, "he that refuses to work should be deny'd food." now being inform'd, that there are among you people of an irregular conduct, who neglect their own business, and busy themselves with the affairs of others: