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What the Bible Says About Missionary Work By Ministers

Overview

The Bible addresses missionary work by ministers across 93 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Luke, Acts and Isaiah. Closely related themes include Ministers, Minister (1), Seventy and Zeal, Religious. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jesus, Peter, Barnabas and Paul.

Key Bible verses about missionary work by ministers

Old Testament

Exodus

Exodus 3:11

And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

Exodus 3:18

And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

Exodus 4:11

And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

Exodus 4:12

Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Exodus 4:15

And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

Isaiah

Isaiah 6:5

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. undone: Heb. cut off

Isaiah 6:6

Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: having: Heb. and in his hand a live coal

Isaiah 6:7

And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. laid: Heb. caused it to touch

Isaiah 6:8

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Here: Heb. behold me

Isaiah 6:9

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. indeed, but understand: or, without ceasing, etc: Heb. in hearing, etc

Isaiah 11:9

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 42:10

Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. all: Heb. the fulness thereof

Isaiah 42:11

Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

Isaiah 42:12

Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.

Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

Isaiah 66:19

And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

New Testament

Matthew

Luke

Luke 8:1

And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

Luke 9:59

And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

Luke 9:60

Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

Luke 9:61

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

Luke 9:62

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Luke 10:1

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Luke 10:2

Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

Luke 10:3

Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

Luke 10:4

Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

Luke 10:5

And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

Luke 10:6

And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

Luke 10:7

And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

Luke 10:8

And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

Luke 10:9

And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

Luke 10:10

But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

Luke 10:11

Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

Luke 10:17

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Luke 24:46

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Luke 24:47

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts

Acts 4:19

But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

Acts 4:20

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Acts 8:5

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

Acts 11:18

When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Acts 13:2

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Acts 13:3

And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Acts 13:4

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

Acts 13:5

And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

Acts 15:3

And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

Acts 15:40

And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

Acts 15:41

And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

Acts 16:3

Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

Acts 21:19

And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

Acts 21:20

And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

Romans

Romans 1:13

Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. among: or, in

Romans 1:14

I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

Romans 1:15

So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

Romans 10:14

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Romans 10:15

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Romans 16:1

I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

Romans 16:2

That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

People in the Bible and missionary work by ministers

Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.

Studying missionary work by ministers for yourself

  • Begin with Exodus 3:11, then read the passages below in canonical order.
  • Compare how Luke, Acts and Isaiah each treat the theme.
  • Consider the lives of Jesus, Peter and Barnabas and how their stories intersect with it.
  • Widen the study to related themes: Ministers, Minister (1), Seventy and Zeal, Religious.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about missionary work by ministers?

The Bible addresses missionary work by ministers across 93 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Luke, Acts and Isaiah. Closely related themes include Ministers, Minister (1), Seventy and Zeal, Religious. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Jesus, Peter, Barnabas and Paul.

How many Bible verses are about missionary work by ministers?

The Bible references missionary work by ministers in 93 verses (King James Version).

Where does the Bible first mention missionary work by ministers?

In canonical order, the first of these passages is Exodus 3:11: “And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

Which people in the Bible are associated with missionary work by ministers?

Jesus, Peter, Barnabas, Paul and Moses.

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