Scripture Folios
Genesis 1:31 And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Chapter Related Genesis 2:5 Now no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth, nor had any plant of the field sprouted, for the Lord God had not yet sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. Chapter Related Genesis 2:15 Then the Lord God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it. Chapter Related Genesis 3:17–19 And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Chapter Related Exodus 1:13–14 They worked the Israelites ruthlessly and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh. Chapter Related Exodus 31:3–5 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for settings, and to carve wood, so that he may be a master of every craft. Chapter Related Psalm 90:17 May 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! Chapter Related Psalm 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the Lord protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain. Chapter Related Isaiah 26:12 O Lord , You will establish peace for us. For all that we have accomplished, You have done for us. Chapter Related Isaiah 65:21–22 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses for others to inhabit, nor plant for others to eat. For as is the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands. Chapter Related Haggai 2:4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord . Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord . Work! For I am with you, declares the Lord of Hosts. Chapter Related Matthew 9:37–38 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.” Chapter Related John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.” Chapter Related John 5:19 So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” Chapter Related John 6:28–29 Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” Chapter Related John 17:4 I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do. Chapter Related Romans 8:28 And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Chapter Related 1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. Chapter Related 1 Corinthians 3:13–14 his 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. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. Chapter Related 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Chapter Related 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Chapter Related 2 Corinthians 6:1 As God’s fellow workers, then, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. Chapter Related Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life. Chapter Related Philippians 2:12–13 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose. Chapter Related Colossians 1:29 To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me. Chapter Related Colossians 3:23–24 Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as 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. Chapter Related Revelation 22:3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him. Chapter Related
Work is in the garden before anything goes wrong. God holds back the rain because there is no man to cultivate the ground, then places the man in Eden to cultivate and keep it. When the ground is cursed, work becomes toil, sweat and thorns; in Egypt it becomes brick and mortar for a tyrant, and lives made bitter. Then God fills a craftsman with his Spirit for work in gold, stone and wood, the first person Scripture describes as filled with the Spirit of God. A psalmist asks God to establish the work of our hands and knows that unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Jesus says his Father is still at work, and so is he, doing only what he sees the Father doing. Paul calls us God’s fellow workers. He worked harder than anyone, yet not he, but the grace of God with him; work out your salvation, for it is God who works in you. The Bible’s last picture is a city where the curse on the ground is gone, and his servants worship him.