Work, diligence and everyday witness

30 Then Mosheh (Moses) said to the Israelis, “Listen, Yahweh has called Betsalel by name (the son of Hur’s son Uri, from the tribe of Yehudah (Judah)) 31 and he has filled him with his spirit, with skill and understanding, and with knowledge and with all kinds of craftsmanship. 32 He can design designs, work in gold, silver, and bronze, 33 in cutting gemstones for setting, and in wood-carving—to do all kinds of design and crafting. 34 Yahweh has also given him the desire to teach, along with Oholiav (Ahisamak’s son from the tribe of Dan). 35 He’s given them both skills to do all the work of craftsmen and of skillful workmen and of embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and in the fine linen and of weavers—both as designers as well as the various, actual crafts.

6 Brothers and sisters, we’re instructing you to avoid those who are only lazily living out their faith, and not following the practices that they were taught by us. 7 You yourselves know that it’s appropriate to be imitating us, because we didn’t loaf when we were among you all, 8 nor did we eat food from anyone that we didn’t deserve, but we worked even when it was hard—day and night, so that we wouldn’t be a burden on anybody, 9 not that we didn’t have the right, but in order to make ourselves a good example that you could emulate. 10 Even when we were there with you, brothers and sisters, we instructed you that anyone who’s not willing to work doesn’t deserve to eat.

11 Yes, we’ve heard that there are some who associate with you, brothers and sisters, who are lazy—not doing any work, but just meddling, 12 so we’re instructing those people, and urging them by the authority of the master Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) Messiah, to just quietly get down to work, and then they’ll have food to eat. 13 But the rest of you, brothers and sisters, don’t get discouraged from doing good.

13 Don’t keep two stone weights in your bag—a lighter one and a heavier one for when you’re buying and selling.[ref] 14 Don’t keep two measuring containers in your house—a smaller one and a larger one. 15 You must use exact stone weights and measuring containers so that your god Yahweh will prolong your time in the country that he’s giving you—16 he can’t stand people who cheat others.

5 So you wealthy people, come and cry about the miseries that are about to hit you all. 2 Your riches have rotted and your clothes have become moth-eaten.[ref] 3 Your gold and silver has corroded, and that corrosion will speak out against you and will eat away your bodies like fire because you stored up wealth in this final age. 4 The unpaid wages of the workers who harvested your fields are crying out[ref] and the desperate requests of those harvesters have been heard by army commander Yahweh. 5 You have indulged yourselves and lived luxuriously but you’ve been fattening yourselves up as the time for your slaughter approaches. 6 You all convicted innocent people and had them executed, even when they weren’t doing anything against you.