What Does the Bible Say About Work?

Colossians 3:23 ESV / 98 helpful votes

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

Colossians 3:22-24 ESV / 58 helpful votes

Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Ephesians 4:28 ESV / 40 helpful votes

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Genesis 2:15 ESV / 39 helpful votes

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

Luke 1:37 ESV / 25 helpful votes

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV / 23 helpful votes

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Proverbs 22:7 ESV / 22 helpful votes

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Galatians 6:4-5 ESV / 21 helpful votes

But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV / 19 helpful votes

And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

John 6:27 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

Proverbs 21:5 ESV / 15 helpful votes

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

Luke 14:28 ESV / 14 helpful votes

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Matthew 11:28 ESV / 14 helpful votes

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Proverbs 13:22 ESV / 14 helpful votes

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.

James 2:18 ESV / 13 helpful votes

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Luke 16:11 ESV / 13 helpful votes

If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

Proverbs 16:3 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Luke 10:7 ESV / 11 helpful votes

And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.

James 2:26 ESV / 10 helpful votes

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV / 8 helpful votes

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

Proverbs 24:27 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

Hebrews 6:10-12 ESV / 7 helpful votes

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Matthew 25:14-30 ESV / 7 helpful votes

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ...

1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Let all that you do be done in love.

Ecclesiastes 3:13 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.

Proverbs 21:20 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV / 5 helpful votes

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Proverbs 24:30-34 ESV / 5 helpful votes

I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

Exodus 36:1-2 ESV / 5 helpful votes

“Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.” And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work.

Genesis 12:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 1:28 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

2 Thessalonians 2:17 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

1 Thessalonians 3:10-12 ESV / 4 helpful votes

As we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,

Isaiah 1:1-31 ESV / 4 helpful votes

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. ...

Psalm 75:6-7 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.

Job 1:10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

Genesis 39:1-23 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. ...

John 16:10-11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Isaiah 50:7 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.

Bible Verses about Work