Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Six days you shall labor and do all your work, New Living Translation You have six days each week for your ordinary work, English Standard Version Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, Berean Standard Bible Six days you shall labor and do all your work, King James Bible Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: New King James Version Six days you shall labor and do all your work, New American Standard Bible For six days you shall labor and do all your work, NASB 1995 “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, NASB 1977 “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, Legacy Standard Bible Six days you shall labor and do all your work, Amplified Bible Six days you shall labor and do all your work, Christian Standard Bible You are to labor six days and do all your work, Holman Christian Standard Bible You are to labor six days and do all your work, American Standard Version Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; Contemporary English Version You have six days when you can do your work, English Revised Version Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: GOD'S WORD® Translation You have six days to do all your work. Good News Translation You have six days in which to do your work, International Standard Version Yu are to labor and do all your work during six days, NET Bible For six days you may labor and do all your work, New Heart English Bible Six days you may labor, and do all your work, Webster's Bible Translation Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSix days you shall labor and do all your work, World English Bible You shall labor six days, and do all your work, Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionsix days you labor and have done all your work, Young's Literal Translation six days thou dost labour, and hast done all thy work, Smith's Literal Translation Six days thou shalt work and do all thy service: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleSix days shalt thou labour, and shalt do all thy works. Catholic Public Domain Version For six days, you will work and accomplish all your tasks. New American Bible Six days you may labor and do all your work, New Revised Standard Version Six days you shall labor and do all your work. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleSix days shall you labor and do all your work; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Six days you shall serve and you shall do all your work: OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; Brenton Septuagint Translation Six days thou shalt labour, and shalt perform all thy work. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Ten Commandments…8Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.… Cross References Genesis 2:2-3 And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work. / Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished. Deuteronomy 5:13-14 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, / but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. Leviticus 23:3 For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a day of sacred assembly. You must not do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD. Exodus 23:12 For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your maidservant may be refreshed, as well as the foreign resident. Exodus 31:15 For six days work may be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death. Exodus 35:2 For six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on that day must be put to death. Nehemiah 13:15-22 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day. / Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem. / Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? ... Isaiah 58:13-14 If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable, if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, / then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Jeremiah 17:21-27 This is what the LORD says: Take heed for yourselves; do not carry a load or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. / You must not carry a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day, but you must keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your forefathers. / Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive My discipline. ... Ezekiel 20:12 I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. Matthew 12:8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28 Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. / Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Luke 6:5 Then Jesus declared, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Hebrews 4:4-10 For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in this manner: “And on the seventh day God rested from all His works.” / And again, as He says in the passage above: “They shall never enter My rest.” / Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience, ... Colossians 2:16-17 Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ. Treasury of Scripture Six days shall you labor, and do all your work: Exodus 23:12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. Luke 13:14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. Jump to Previous Labor Six WorkJump to Next Labor Six WorkExodus 20 1. The ten commandments are spoken by Jehovah18. The people are afraid, but Moses comforts them 21. Idolatry is forbidden 23. Of what sort the altar should be Six days you shall labor This phrase establishes a pattern of work that reflects the creation account in Genesis, where God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. It underscores the value of diligent work and the importance of a structured workweek. In ancient Israel, this command was part of the covenantal law given to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. The six-day workweek was a counter-cultural practice in the ancient Near East, where labor was often continuous without a structured rest period. This commandment highlights the dignity of work and the divine order established by God. It also foreshadows the ultimate rest found in Christ, who invites believers to find rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-30). and do all your work Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe prophet and leader of the Israelites who received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. 2. Mount Sinai The mountain where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, including the commandment about labor and rest. 3. Israelites The chosen people of God who were delivered from slavery in Egypt and given the Law to guide their covenant relationship with God. Teaching Points The Divine Pattern of Work and RestGod established a rhythm of work and rest from the beginning of creation. This pattern is not only a command but a gift, allowing us to reflect God's order in our lives. The Dignity of Labor Work is not a curse but a calling. It is an opportunity to serve God and others, fulfilling our purpose and contributing to the common good. Balancing Work and Rest While work is important, rest is equally vital. Observing a day of rest helps us to recharge physically, mentally, and spiritually, and to refocus on our relationship with God. Work as Worship Our daily labor can be an act of worship when done with the right heart and attitude. By working diligently and ethically, we honor God and reflect His character. Trusting God with Our Time Observing a day of rest requires faith that God will provide for our needs. It is a reminder that our ultimate security and provision come from Him, not our efforts alone. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Exodus 20:9?2. How does Exodus 20:9 guide our understanding of a balanced work-life schedule? 3. What does "six days you shall labor" teach about God's design for work? 4. How can Exodus 20:9 be applied in today's fast-paced work environment? 5. How does Exodus 20:9 connect with Genesis 2:2-3 about rest and work? 6. In what ways can Exodus 20:9 influence our approach to vocational stewardship? 7. How does Exodus 20:9 relate to the concept of the Sabbath in modern times? 8. Why does Exodus 20:9 emphasize six days of labor? 9. What historical context influenced the command in Exodus 20:9? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 20? 11. How should we honor the Sabbath day? 12. Is working on the Sabbath considered wrong? 13. What does the Bible say regarding being busy? 14. What is the Bible's perspective on work? What Does Exodus 20:9 Mean Six days• God set a literal, rhythmic pattern for human life: “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11). • The weekly cycle is not arbitrary; it mirrors creation itself (Genesis 2:1-3). • Israel practiced this timetable even before Sinai: manna was gathered for six days, none fell on the seventh (Exodus 16:22-30). • The same six-day structure undergirds later commands: “For six days you may work, but on the seventh day you must rest” (Exodus 23:12; Deuteronomy 5:13). you shall labor • Work is not a curse but a calling. Adam worked before the Fall (Genesis 2:15). • Scripture commends industriousness: “All hard work brings profit” (Proverbs 14:23). • New-covenant believers are urged to “work with your own hands” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12) and to avoid idleness (2 Thessalonians 3:10). • Labor done “heartily, as for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23) turns the ordinary into worship. and do • The phrase highlights completion, not half-finished efforts. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). • God values follow-through: Noah built the ark “as God had commanded him; so he did” (Genesis 6:22). • Faith produces action—“faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). • Believers are “created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10), demonstrating obedience in tangible ways. all your work • Nothing is excluded: farm chores, business ventures, household duties, ministry tasks. • The sweep of the command teaches stewardship—managing every assignment within six days so the seventh can be wholly given to God (Exodus 31:15). • “Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). • Even mundane tasks become sacred when done “for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). summary Exodus 20:9 literally anchors our week: six successive days are ordained for diligent, comprehensive labor, echoing God’s own creative rhythm. Work undertaken during those six days is to be purposeful, wholehearted, and God-honoring, so that a full cessation on the seventh can spotlight the Creator and refresh His people. (9) Six days shalt thou labour.--The form is certainly imperative; and it has been held that the fourth commandment is "not limited to a mere enactment respecting one day, but prescribes the due distribution of a week, and enforces the six days' work as much as the seventh day's rest" (Garden in Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, vol. iii., p. 1068). But the work on the six days is really rather assumed as what will be than required as what must be; and the intention of the clause is prohibitory rather than mandatory--"thou shalt not work more than six days out of the seven."Verse 9. - Six days shalt thou labour. This is not so much a command as a prohibition" Thou shaft not labor more than six (consecutive) clays." In them thou shelf do all thy necessary work, so as to have the Sabbath free for the worship and service of God.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Sixשֵׁ֤֣שֶׁת (šê·šeṯ) Number - masculine singular construct Strong's 8337: Six (a cardinal number) days יָמִ֣ים֙ (yā·mîm) Noun - masculine plural Strong's 3117: A day you shall labor תַּֽעֲבֹ֔ד֮ (ta·‘ă·ḇōḏ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave and do וְעָשִׂ֖֣יתָ (wə·‘ā·śî·ṯā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 6213: To do, make all כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every your work, מְלַאכְתֶּֽךָ֒ (mə·laḵ·te·ḵā) Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 4399: Deputyship, ministry, employment, work, property Links Exodus 20:9 NIVExodus 20:9 NLT Exodus 20:9 ESV Exodus 20:9 NASB Exodus 20:9 KJV Exodus 20:9 BibleApps.com Exodus 20:9 Biblia Paralela Exodus 20:9 Chinese Bible Exodus 20:9 French Bible Exodus 20:9 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 20:9 You shall labor six days and do (Exo. 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