40 Bible Verses about Work Ethic

Go to the ant, O lazy one;
Observe her ways and be wise,

Do not be excessively righteous [like those given to self-conceit], and do not be overly wise (pretentious)—why should you bring yourself to ruin?

“If God should determine to do so,
If He should gather to Himself [that is, withdraw from man] His [life-giving] spirit and His breath,

This is a faithful and trustworthy saying; and concerning these things I want you to speak with great confidence, so that those who have believed God [that is, those who have trusted in, relied on, and accepted Christ Jesus as Savior,] will be careful to participate in doing good and honorable things. These things are excellent [in themselves] and profitable for the people.

so that you will not be [spiritually] sluggish, but [will instead be] imitators of those who through faith [lean on God with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in His power] and by patient endurance [even when suffering] are [now] inheriting the promises.

God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Now to a laborer, his wages are not credited as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation [something owed to him].

Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and his life [seemingly] is prolonged [in spite of his wickedness], still I know that it will be well with those who [reverently] fear God, who fear and worship Him openly [realizing His omnipresence and His power].

“When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?
When He hides His face [withdrawing His favor and help], who then can behold Him [and make supplication to Him],
Whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—

So Moses issued a command, and it was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the sanctuary offering.” So the people were restrained from bringing anything more;

“It is He who spreads out the north over emptiness
And hangs the earth on nothing.

They profess to know God [to recognize and be acquainted with Him], but by their actions they deny and disown Him. They are detestable and disobedient and worthless for good work of any kind.

After a first and second warning reject a divisive man [who promotes heresy and causes dissension—ban him from your fellowship and have nothing more to do with him],

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him.

and at the appointed time has made known His word and revealed it as His message, through preaching, which was entrusted to me according to the command of God our Savior—

But as for me, I will look expectantly for the Lord and with confidence in Him I will keep watch;
I will wait [with confident expectation] for the God of my salvation.
My God will hear me.

“He strikes them like the wicked
In a public place,

but if it is of God [and it appears that it is], you will not be able to stop them; or else you may even be found fighting against God!”

to slander or abuse no one, to be kind and conciliatory and gentle, showing unqualified consideration and courtesy toward everyone.

“Have you given the horse his might?
Have you clothed his neck with quivering and a shaking mane?

All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.

To the pure, all things are pure; but to the corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure; both their mind and their conscience are corrupted.

“Shall one who hates justice [and is an enemy of right] govern?
And will you condemn Him who is just and mighty?

But avoid foolish and ill-informed and stupid controversies and genealogies and dissensions and quarrels about the Law, for they are unprofitable and useless.

We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,

And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

It shall be a day for building your walls,
On that day the boundary [of Israel] shall be [greatly] extended.

“Look to the heavens and see;
And behold the skies which are [much] higher than you.

But none of the rest [of the people, the non-believers] dared to associate with them; however, the people were holding them in high esteem and were speaking highly of them.

“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured my chastisement;
I will not offend anymore;

“For God pays a man according to his work,
And He will make every man find [appropriate] compensation according to his way.

Now when they heard this, they were infuriated and they intended to kill the apostles.

One of them [Epimenides, a Cretan], a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

“Therefore hear me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God that He would do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.

whom He poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior,

“Surely God will not act wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men [merely human in origin], it will fail and be destroyed;

At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders (attesting miracles) were continually taking place among the people. And by common consent they all met together [at the temple] in [the covered porch called] Solomon’s portico.

“He wraps the waters in His clouds [which otherwise would spill on earth all at once],
And the cloud does not burst under them.

“He stirred up the sea by His power,
And by His understanding He smashed [proud] Rahab.