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Life and work

What the Bible says about work

The 13 verses readers most often turn to for this topic, quoted in full from the Berean Standard Bible.

Col 3:23Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,
Prov 16:3Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.
Prov 14:23There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
Prov 13:4The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.
Prov 12:24The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
2 Thess 3:10–12For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.” Yet we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives and accomplishing nothing but being busybodies. We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living.
Gen 2:15Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.
Ps 90:17May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands— yes, establish the work of our hands!
Eccl 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
1 Tim 5:8If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
2 Tim 2:6The hardworking farmer should be the first to partake of the crops.
Prov 12:11The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
Eccl 3:12–13I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live, and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.

These are the verses readers most often turn to for this topic — not a teaching on it. Read each in its chapter.

Sources

The verses of each topic and their order: OpenBible.info topical data, by readers’ votes: OpenBible.info · CC BY 4.0

Berean Standard Bible · Public domain