Work & Business

¹⁵Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

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!

³Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.

²⁹Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

²²Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord. ²³Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

¹Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.

¹⁰Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches? ¹²And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own? ¹³No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

²Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

⁸He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

²⁶Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” ²⁷So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”

⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.

¹Then the LORD said to Moses, ²“See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, ⁴to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, ⁵to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every craft. ⁶Moreover, I have selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, as his assistant. I have also given skill to all the craftsmen, that they may fashion all that I have commanded you:

³⁰Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³¹And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, ³²to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, ³³to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every artistic craft. ³⁴And the LORD has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. ³⁵He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and as weavers—as artistic designers of every kind of craft.

¹³You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him. You must not withhold until morning the wages due a hired hand. ³⁵You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume. ³⁶You shall maintain honest scales and weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁸But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers even to this day.

¹⁰Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.

¹⁴Do not oppress a hired hand who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. ¹⁵You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

¹³You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light. ¹⁴You shall not have two differing measures in your house, one large and one small. ¹⁵You must maintain accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. ¹⁶For everyone who behaves dishonestly in regard to these things is detestable to the LORD your God.

²And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go into the fields and glean heads of grain after someone in whose sight I may find favor.” “Go ahead, my daughter,” Naomi replied. ³So Ruth departed and went out into the field and gleaned after the harvesters. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech. ⁴Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, “The LORD be with you.” “The LORD bless you,” they replied. ⁵And Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?” ⁶The foreman answered, “She is the Moabitess who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab. ⁷She has said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the harvesters.’ So she came out and has continued from morning until now, except that she rested a short time in the shelter.” ⁸Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Do not go and glean in another field, and do not go away from this place, but stay here close to my servant girls. ⁹Let your eyes be on the field they are harvesting, and follow along after these girls. Indeed, I have ordered the young men not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.” ¹⁰At this, she fell on her face, bowing low to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me, even though I am a foreigner?” ¹¹Boaz replied, “I have been made fully aware of all you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and how you came to a people you did not know before. ¹²May the LORD repay your work, and may you receive a rich reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.”

¹³Now King Solomon sent to bring Huram from Tyre. ¹⁴He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a craftsman in bronze. Huram had great skill, understanding, and knowledge for every kind of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and carried out all his work.

¹¹After I had arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days, ¹²I set out at night with a few men. I did not tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal with me was the one on which I was riding. ¹³So I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Well of the Serpent and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and the gates that had been destroyed by fire. ¹⁴Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was no room for the animal under me to get through; ¹⁵so I went up the valley by night and inspected the wall. Then I headed back and reentered through the Valley Gate. ¹⁶The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews or priests or nobles or officials or any other workers. ¹⁷Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned down. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.” ¹⁸I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me, and what the king had said to me. “Let us start rebuilding,” they replied, and they set their hands to this good work.

⁶So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. ⁹So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night. ¹⁷who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. ¹⁸And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.

³So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?”

¹A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain. ²In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat—for He gives sleep to His beloved.

⁶Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. ⁷Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, ⁸it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. ⁹How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? ¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, ¹¹and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

⁴Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. ⁵He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

¹¹The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment. ¹⁴By fruitful speech a man is filled with good things, and the work of his hands returns to him. ²⁴The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.

⁴The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied. ¹¹Dishonest wealth will dwindle, but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.

⁴Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox. ²³There is profit in all labor, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

²²Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

⁸Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice. ¹¹Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are His concern.

⁹Whoever is slothful in his work is brother to him who destroys.

¹⁰Differing weights and unequal measures—both are detestable to the LORD. ¹⁸Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance. ²³Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.

⁵The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.

¹A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.

³By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established; ⁴through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure. ²⁷Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house. ³⁰I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. ³¹Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. ³²I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction: ³³A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, ³⁴and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

¹⁸Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored. ²³Be sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds; ²⁴for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation. ²⁵When hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered, ²⁶the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. ²⁷You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you—food for your household and nourishment for your maidservants.

⁶Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a rich man whose ways are perverse. ¹⁹The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. ²⁰A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

¹⁰A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. ¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value. ¹²She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life. ¹³She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. ¹⁴She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. ¹⁵She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants. ¹⁶She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard. ¹⁷She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong. ¹⁸She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night. ¹⁹She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. ²⁰She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. ²¹When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet. ²²She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple. ²³Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land. ²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants. ²⁵Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come. ²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. ²⁷She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. ²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well: ²⁹“Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!” ³⁰Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. ³¹Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.

¹²I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live, ¹³and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God. ²²I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?

⁴I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. ⁵The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. ⁶Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind. ⁷Again, I saw futility under the sun. ⁸There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task. ⁹Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. ¹⁰For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up! ¹¹Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? ¹²And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

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.

¹Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. ²Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land. ³If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain upon the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie. ⁴He who watches the wind will fail to sow, and he who observes the clouds will fail to reap. ⁵As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. ⁶Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.

¹³“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages,

¹⁴For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey. ¹⁶The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more. ¹⁷Likewise, the one with the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸But the servant who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The servant who had received the five talents came and presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ ²¹His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ ²²The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’ ²³His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’ ²⁴Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’ ²⁶‘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. ²⁷Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest. ²⁸Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. ²⁹For 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. ³⁰And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

²⁸Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it? ²⁹Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, ³⁰saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’

¹After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. ²There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them, ³and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.

³³I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. ³⁴You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my own needs and those of my companions. ³⁵In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

⁷Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. ⁸Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

³¹So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.

²⁸He 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.

⁵Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. ⁶And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷Serve with good will, as to the Lord and not to men, ⁸because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. ⁹And masters, do the same for your slaves. Give up your use of threats, because you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.

¹⁴Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world ¹⁶as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

¹Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

⁹Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another. ¹⁰And you are indeed showing this love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more ¹¹and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you. ¹²Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone.

⁶Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received from us. ⁷For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you, ⁸nor 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. ⁹Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate. ¹⁰For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.” ¹¹For we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies. ¹²We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living. ¹³But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary in well-doing.

⁸If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

¹⁷Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. ¹⁸Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, ¹⁹treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

⁹Slaves are to submit to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰not stealing from them, but showing all good faith, so that in every respect they will adorn the teaching about God our Savior.

¹³Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” ¹⁴You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.

⁴Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.

²¹the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. ²²And the warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care, so that he was responsible for all that was done in the prison. ²³The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

¹¹Now, my son, may the LORD be with you, and may you succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as He said you would. ¹²Above all, may the LORD give you insight and understanding when He puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the Law of the LORD your God. ¹³Then you will succeed, if you carefully follow the statutes and ordinances that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

²⁰So this is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the LORD his God. ²¹He acted with all his heart in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered.

⁵Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

²⁷Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. ²⁸Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”—when you already have the means.

⁴Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land, ⁵asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales. ⁶Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”

¹²Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” ¹³“Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered. ¹⁴Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.”

¹⁸For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”

³Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. ⁴Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.

⁶You know that I have served your father with all my strength. ³⁸I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock. ³⁹I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night. ⁴⁰As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes. ⁴¹Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times! ⁴²If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”

¹⁷But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸Surely you and these people with you will wear yourselves out, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone. ¹⁹Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their causes to Him. ²⁰Teach them the statutes and laws, and show them the way to live and the work they must do. ²¹Furthermore, select capable men from among the people—God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. ²²Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you. ²³If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”

³³Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. ³⁵Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities. ³⁶This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.” ³⁷This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials. ³⁸So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?” ³⁹Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. ⁴⁰You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

¹⁸Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable. ¹⁹For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended. ²⁰How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

¹⁸One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”

¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

¹¹Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

⁸He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. ⁹For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. ¹⁰By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds. ¹¹For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, ¹³his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. ¹⁴If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.

¹As the time drew near for David to die, he charged his son Solomon, ²“I am about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and prove yourself a man. ³And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn, ⁴and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’