'Works' in the Bible

Then Moses said, "This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.

"O, Lord God, you have begun to show me your greatness and strength. (What god in heaven or earth can rival your works and mighty deeds?)

However, you may chop down any tree you know is not suitable for food, and you may use it to build siege works against the city that is making war with you until that city falls.

May his blood whirl over the head of Joab and the entire house of his father! May the males of Joab's house never cease to have someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!"

He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a craftsman in bronze from Tyre. He had the skill and knowledge to make all kinds of works of bronze. He reported to King Solomon and did all the work he was assigned.

So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: "He will not enter this city, nor will he shoot an arrow here. He will not attack it with his shield-carrying warriors, nor will he build siege works against it.

"Pay attention to this, Job! Stand still and consider the wonders God works.

It ranks first among the works of God, the One who made it has furnished it with a sword.

I will remember the works of the Lord. Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago!

Then they will place their confidence in God. They will not forget the works of God, and they will obey his commands.

How great are your works, O Lord! Your plans are very intricate!

The Lord created me as the beginning of his works, before his deeds of long ago.

The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy.

The one who works his field will have plenty of food, but whoever chases daydreams lacks wisdom.

Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

The Lord works everything for its own ends -- even the wicked for the day of disaster.

A laborer's appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him to work.

A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds.

A lying tongue hates those crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

The one who works his land will be satisfied with food, but whoever chases daydreams will have his fill of poverty.

Give her credit for what she has accomplished, and let her works praise her in the city gates.

So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated -- no one knows what lies ahead.

Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works.

There was once a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it.

I will lay siege to you on all sides; I will besiege you with troops; I will raise siege works against you.

So this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria: 'He will not enter this city, nor will he shoot an arrow here. He will not attack it with his shielded warriors, nor will he build siege works against it.

A blacksmith works with his tool and forges metal over the coals. He forms it with hammers; he makes it with his strong arm. He gets hungry and loses his energy; he drinks no water and gets tired.

Lay siege to it! Build siege works against it. Erect a siege ramp against it! Post soldiers outside it and station battering rams around it.

In all your dwellings, the cities will be laid waste and the high places ruined so that your altars will be laid waste and ruined, your idols will be shattered and demolished, your incense altars will be broken down, and your works wiped out.

As he approached the road leading down from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen:

At that time they made an idol in the form of a calf, brought a sacrifice to the idol, and began rejoicing in the works of their hands.

He will reward each one according to his works:

eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality,

For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded! By what principle? Of works? No, but by the principle of faith!

For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law.

For if Abraham was declared righteous by the works of the law, he has something to boast about -- but not before God.

Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace but due to obligation.

So even David himself speaks regarding the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God's purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling) --

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light.

yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?

Does God then give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law or by your believing what you heard?

For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law."

But the law is not based on faith, but the one who does the works of the law will live by them.

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity,

it is not from works, so that no one can boast.

For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.

Toward this goal I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me.

and has a reputation for good works: as one who has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, helped those in distress -- as one who has exhibited all kinds of good works.

Similarly good works are also obvious, and the ones that are not cannot remain hidden.

He is the one who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not based on our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

The farmer who works hard ought to have the first share of the crops.

showing yourself to be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,

he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit,

This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people.

Here is another way that our people can learn to engage in good works to meet pressing needs and so not be unfruitful.

And, "You founded the earth in the beginning, Lord, and the heavens are the works of your hands.

"There your fathers tested me and tried me, and they saw my works for forty years.

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my anger, 'They will never enter my rest!'" And yet God's works were accomplished from the foundation of the world.

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,"

For the one who enters God's rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.

Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God,

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works,

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him?

So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself.

But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works.

But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way?

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings.

The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil.

I know your works as well as your labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil. You have even put to the test those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false.

The rest of humanity, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they did not stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood -- idols that cannot see or hear or walk about.