Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5200 Human civilisation » 5603 wages
Payment by an employer for work done; all labourers should be paid fairly and regularly.
Laws relating to wages
Payment should be made regularly
Deuteronomy 24:14-15 See also Leviticus 19:13
Regular rates of pay
Leviticus 25:50; Mark 6:37 pp John 6:7; Mark 14:5 pp John 12:5
Labourers should not be defrauded
Malachi 3:5; James 5:4 See also Jeremiah 22:13
A fair wage should be paid
Matthew 20:2-4 A normal day's pay for a labourer in NT times was one denarius. See also Colossians 4:1
A fair day's work should be done
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 See also Ephesians 6:7-8; Colossians 3:23
Labourers should be content with a fair wage
Luke 3:14
Wage earners suffer in times of trouble
Egypt under judgment
Isaiah 19:10
Jerusalem under judgment
Haggai 1:6 See also Zechariah 8:10
The world under judgment
Revelation 6:6
The example of Jacob as a wage earner
Hosea 12:12 See also Genesis 29:15 He agreed his wages beforehand; Genesis 29:18 He was paid in kind; Genesis 29:25-27 He was cheated by Laban; Genesis 30:28-34 He makes an arrangement he can turn to advantage; Genesis 31:6-7 He accuses Laban of dishonesty; Genesis 31:8-9 He protests his own honesty; Genesis 31:38-42 He looks back on his experience.
The wages of God's servants
The Levites
Numbers 18:30-31; Nehemiah 12:44; Nehemiah 13:10-13
Temple workers
1 Kings 5:6; 2 Kings 12:11-15; Kings 22:3-7 pp 2 Chronicles 34:8-11; 2 Kings 22:9 pp 2 Chronicles 34:16-17
Zechariah's derisory pay
Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 27:3-10
Labourers in the parable of the workers in the vineyard
Matthew 20:1-16
Ministers of the gospel
1 Timothy 5:17-18 See also Deuteronomy 25:4; Luke 10:7; John 4:36-38; 1 Corinthians 9:7-14; Galatians 6:6
The apostle Paul
It was Paul's choice to work freely:
1 Corinthians 9:15; 2 Corinthians 11:7-9 Philippians 4:18 He expressed gratitude for gifts he received.
Spiritual lessons from wages
Life's rewards are hard-earned
Job 7:1-3; Galatians 6:7-10
The wages of sin
Romans 6:21-23 See also Job 15:31-32; Isaiah 65:7; Jeremiah 51:6; 2 Peter 2:13
The freeness of God's grace
Romans 4:4-5
The generosity of God
Matthew 20:9-16
The rewards of righteousness
Proverbs 10:16; Proverbs 11:18; Proverbs 31:31; Matthew 10:42 pp Mark 9:41; 1 Corinthians 3:14; Hebrews 6:10; 2Jn 8
See also
5094 Jacob 5253 cheating 5311 extortion 5318 fraud 5337 hiring 5498 reward 5628 work 7720 elders in the church 7724 evangelists 7939 ministry 8714 dishonesty 8790 oppression
