There are many Bible verses about hard work, and they give us a good idea of what God expects of us when it comes to our labor…
God wants us to work hard for Him, but also to be hard workers in our jobs and vocations.
That doesn’t mean that you have to become a work-a-holic or anything like that (I’m guilty of being unmotivated to work sometimes too)…
But we should not be lazy or procrastinate, and we should have a good work ethic. To help understand this, here are 40 Bible verses about hard work…
Bible Verses – Hard Work…
Proverbs 21:25
“Desires kill the slothful: for his hands have refused to work at all.”
Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ.”
Proverbs 13:4
“The sluggard willeth and willeth not: but the soul of them that work, shall be made fat.”
Psalm 90:17
“And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”
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Proverbs 12:11
“He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that pursueth idleness is very foolish. He that is delighted in passing his time over wine, leaveth a reproach in his strong holds.”
Genesis 2:15
“And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”
Romans 12:11-12
“Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer”
Nehemiah 4:6
“So we built the wall, and joined it all together unto the half thereof: and the heart of the people was excited to work.”
Proverbs 14:23
“In much work there shall be abundance: but where there are many words, there is oftentimes want.”
John 5:16-17
Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them: My Father worketh until now; and I work.
Ephesians 4:28
“He that stole, let him now steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him that suffereth need.”
Jeremiah 29:5
“Build ye houses, and dwell in them: and plant orchards, and eat the fruit of them.”
Proverbs 31:30-31
“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.”
Philippians 4:13
“I can do all these things in him who strengtheneth me.”
1 Corinthians 4:12
“And we labour, working with our own hands: we are reviled, and we bless; we are persecuted, and we suffer it.”
Proverbs 16:26
“The soul of him that laboureth, laboureth for himself, because his mouth hath obliged him to it.”
Proverbs 6:6-8
“Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom: Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain, Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
“For also when we were with you, this we declared to you: that, if any man will not work, neither let him eat. For we have heard there are some among you who walk disorderly, working not at all, but curiously meddling. Now we charge them that are such, and beseech them by the Lord Jesus Christ, that, working with silence, they would eat their own bread.” [source]
1 Corinthians 10:31
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.”
James 2:17
“So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.”
Matthew 5:16
“So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Proverbs 20:13
“Love not sleep, lest poverty oppress thee: open thy eyes, and be filled with bread.”
Acts 20:35
“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the word of the Lord Jesus, how he said: It is a more blessed thing to give, rather than to receive.”
Proverbs 10:4
“The slothful hand hath wrought poverty: but the hand of the industrious getteth riches. He that trusteth to lies feedeth the winds: and the same runneth after birds that fly away.”
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
“And that you use your endeavour to be quiet, and that you do your own business, and work with your own hands, as we commanded you: and that you walk honestly towards them that are without; and that you want nothing of any man’s. And we will not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, that you be not sorrowful, even as others who have no hope.”
Psalm 128:2
“For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.”
Titus 2:7-8
“In all things shew thyself an example of good works, in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity, The sound word that can not be blamed: that he, who is on the contrary part, may be afraid, having no evil to say of us.” [source]
2 Timothy 2:6
“The husbandman, that laboureth, must first partake of the fruits.”
Genesis 2:3
“And he blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”
Proverbs 16:3
“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”
Proverbs 22:29
“Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.”
Deuteronomy 24:14
“Thou shalt not refuse the hire of the needy, and the poor, whether he be thy brother, or a stranger that dwelleth with thee in the land, and is within thy gates”
1 Timothy 5:8
“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
Proverbs 18:9
“He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works.”
Proverbs 12:24
“The hand of the valiant shall bear rule: but that which is slothful, shall be under tribute.”
Luke 1:37
“Because no word shall be impossible with God.”
Philippians 2:14-15
“And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
Proverbs 6:10-12
“Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep: And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee. A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth”
Ecclesiastes 9:10
“Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell, whither thou art hastening.”
Colossians 3:17
“All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
What To Do Next…
I hope these Bible verses were able to encourage you to be a hard worker for Christ, but also to be a hard worker in whatever job you happen to have…
And if you feel like you could use a little bit of extra help in that endeavor, then just click the button below that best applies to you…
God Bless You! And remember when you’re feeling unmotivated, work hard for the Christ our Lord!