The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.

Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,

Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”

Whoever is slothful in his work is brother to him who destroys.

If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.

I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. I observed and took it to heart; 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 need like a bandit.

The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.

Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.

Laziness brings on deep sleep, and an idle soul will suffer hunger.

The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.

But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.”

Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.

The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!” As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed. The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.

There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.

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.

And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.

Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

Whatever 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.

Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest. Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

A lazy man does not roast his game, but a diligent man prizes his possession.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the slacker to those who send him.

Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men, because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

The way of the slacker is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,

In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.

because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, . . .

Here is a call for the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.

And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.

And you are indeed showing this love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you. Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to indulge in revelry.”

Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him. He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

The slacker buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth.

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own.

The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”

He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.

Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land. But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Stand up, you complacent women; listen to me. Give ear to my word, you overconfident daughters. In a little more than a year you will tremble, O secure ones. For the grape harvest will fail and the fruit harvest will not arrive. Shudder, you ladies of leisure; tremble, you daughters of complacency. Strip yourselves bare and put sackcloth around your waists. Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines, and for the land of my people, overgrown with thorns and briers—even for every house of merriment in this city of revelry. . . .

While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the word which is now at work in you who believe.

Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we will support you. Be strong and take action!”

The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”

For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.

As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.

For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.

O LORD, I have heard the report of You; I stand in awe, O LORD, of Your deeds. Revive them in these years; make them known in these years. In Your wrath, remember mercy!

Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.

Be sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds;

nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

“You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’

He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction is prudent. The house of the righteous has great treasure, but the income of the wicked is trouble. The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the hearts of fools. The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue righteousness. . . .

Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.

The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.

I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!

I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.

Cursed is the one who is remiss in doing the work of the LORD, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from bloodshed.

When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,

They answered, “Come on, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and it is very good. Why would you fail to act? Do not hesitate to go there and take possession of the land!

The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.

Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need. With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.

yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! GOD the Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer; He makes me walk upon the heights! For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments.

These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight, and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity. To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young, let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel . . .

A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value. She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. . . .