Bible Verses About Work And Occupations

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

Direct command to work with hands.

Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

Direct command to work quietly and earn a living.

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Core apostolic command on work and eating.

Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

Directly praises skilled artistic work.

The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.

Names many crafts and skilled trades.

Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Connects laziness with hunger.

In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Labor is profitable; empty talk is not.

For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

Explicit New Testament warning about idleness.

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Lazy person ends in forced labor.

He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

Shows the poverty result of foolish pursuits.

He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

Similar proverb about foolish pursuits and work.

He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

Direct proverb against slack work.

The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

Proverb about laziness.

By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

Idleness damages the house.

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Strong proverb on diligence and wealth.

And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Paul and Aquila are tentmakers; clear occupational example.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

General command to work heartily.

The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Diligence versus empty desire.

Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Labor leads to sharing with others.

And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

Apostolic labor done while serving.

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

Paul worked to avoid burdening others while preaching.

And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

Craft work in stone and wood.

And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.

Another craft-work passage.

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

Positive example of willing handwork.

And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.

Women’s textile work is presented positively.

Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

Laborers in the harvest is a biblical work image.

The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.

Shows many kinds of skilled labor.

Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.