God’s Message to Employees

¹⁸ Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters [employers and work supervisors] with all respect—not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 1 PETER 2

¹ All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. ² Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them. 1 TIMOTHY 6

⁵ Slaves, obey your masters; be eager to give them your best. Serve them as you would the Messiah. ^6-7 Don’t work hard only when your master is watching and then shirk when he isn’t looking; work hard and with gladness all the time, as though working for the Messiah, doing the will of God with all your hearts. ⁸ Remember, the Lord will pay you for each good thing you do, whether you are slave or free. EPHESIANS 6 tlb

²² You slaves must always obey your earthly masters, not only trying to please them when they are watching you but all the time; obey them willingly because of your love for the Lord and because you want to please Him. ²³ Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord and not merely for your masters, ²⁴ remembering that it is the Lord Messiah who is going to pay you, giving you your full portion of all He owns. He is the one you are really working for. ²⁵ And if you don’t do your best for Him, He will pay in a way you won’t like—for He has no special favorites who can get away with shirking. COLOSSIANS 3 tlb

²⁵ A wise slave will have free men waiting on him, and the man of sense will not grumble. ECCLESIASTICUS 10

God’s Message to the Young

⁵ Young men… be submissive to those who are older. 1 PETER 5

³² Rise in the presence of the aged; show respect for the elderly, [in reverence of] the Lord. LEVITICUS 19 

³⁴ Attend the gathering of elders; if there is a wise man there, attach yourself to him. ³⁵ Listen willingly to any discourse coming from God, and do not let shrewd proverbs escape you. ³⁶ If you see a man of understanding, visit him early, let your feet wear out his doorstep. ECCLESIASTICUS 6

⁸ Do not ignore the talk of the wise, be conversant with their proverbs, since from these you will learn the theory and art of serving the great. ⁹ Do not underrate the talk of the old men, after all, they themselves learned it from their fathers; from them you will learn how to think, and the art of timely answer. ECCLESIASTICUS 8

¹⁴ Take advice only from those who are qualified to give it. ¹⁵ Engage in conversation with intelligent men, and let the Law of the Most High be the topic of your discussions. ¹⁶ Choose righteous people for your dinner [table] companions. SIRACH 9

¹⁸ Ask advice of every wise person; never scorn any profitable advice. TOBIT 4 jb