Overview
The Bible addresses employer across 24 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Matthew, Job and Deuteronomy. Closely related themes include Wages, Employee, Labor and Contracts.
Key Bible verses about employer
Old Testament
Deuteronomy
Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:
At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee. setteth: Heb. lifteth his soul unto it
Job
If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;
What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb? did not one: or, did he not fashion us in one womb?
New Testament
Matthew
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. penny: the Roman penny is the eighth part of an ounce, which after five shillings the ounce is seven pence halfpenny; about fourteen cents
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. have wrought: or, have continued one hour only
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
Take that thine is, and go thy way I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?1487 Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
Philemon
James
Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying employer for yourself
- Begin with Deuteronomy 24:14, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Matthew, Job and Deuteronomy each treat the theme.
- Widen the study to related themes: Wages, Employee, Labor and Contracts.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about employer?
The Bible addresses employer across 24 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Matthew, Job and Deuteronomy. Closely related themes include Wages, Employee, Labor and Contracts.
How many Bible verses are about employer?
The Bible references employer in 24 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention employer?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is Deuteronomy 24:14: “Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:”
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