--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have nothing to do but to save souls…" description: "\"You have nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.\" — John Wesley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/john-wesley-1398_saving-souls_you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls_1775801.jpg" --- # You have nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend… ![“You have nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.” quote by John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/john-wesley-1398_saving-souls_you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls_1775801.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/john-wesley-1398_saving-souls_you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls_1775801.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/john-wesley-1398_saving-souls_you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls_1775801.jpg) > “You have nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.” [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One's purpose is to save souls, dedicating oneself fully to spiritual work and being used by God. **In simple terms:** Serve others spiritually. Key Takeaway Commit to spiritual service. Themes faith service spirituality Mood devotional serious Type religious motivational When to use this quote - church ministry - volunteer outreach - personal devotion Key Concepts theology missionary work Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance service and self‑care? - What does “be spent” mean to you? A Different Perspective May neglect personal well‑being. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Saving souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving-souls/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go not only to those that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls-therefore-spend-and-be-spent-2/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [It is a tragedy when the church saves money instead of saving souls. We MUST spend to save.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/it-is-a-tragedy-when-the-church-saves-money-instead-of-saving-souls/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [“Hazel Grace. No. I will grant you that you did spend my one and only Wish, but you did not spend it on him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/hazel-grace-no-i-will-grant-you-that-you-did-spend-my-one-and-only/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Labor-saving technology was supposed to give us more leisure time, but a greater percentage of our waking hours is spent in work or work-related…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-finney/labor-saving-technology-was-supposed-to-give-us-more-leisure-time-but/) [Jack Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-finney/) > [You can't save souls in an empty church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/you-can-t-save-souls-in-an-empty-church/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [You have one business on earth – to save souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/you-have-one-business-on-earth-to-save-souls/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [It is not the tempest, nor the earthquake, nor the fire, but the still small voice of the Spirit that carries on the glorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-the-tempest-nor-the-earthquake-nor-the-fire-but-the-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We'll probably never save our souls, but hell, at least we'll get our hair sorted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-dhanvant-shanghvi/we-ll-probably-never-save-our-souls-but-hell-at-least-we-ll-get-our/) [Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-dhanvant-shanghvi/) > [“So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/so-get-rid-of-all-uncleanness-and-the-rampant-outgrowth-of-wickedness/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“They were trying to save their souls- and who but a fool could fail to see that all that was the matter with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/they-were-trying-to-save-their-souls-and-who-but-a-fool-could-fail-to/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [This society is not only to relieve the poor, but to save souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/this-society-is-not-only-to-relieve-the-poor-but-to-save-souls/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [“I would find a way to save souls while eradicating demons from this world. I’d find a way to save my own soul. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketley-allison/i-would-find-a-way-to-save-souls-while-eradicating-demons-from-this/) Ketley Allison > [It is the great business of every Christian to save souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-grandison-finney/it-is-the-great-business-of-every-christian-to-save-souls/) [Charles Grandison Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-grandison-finney/) > [It is the great business of every Christian to save souls. People complain that they do not know how to take hold of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-the-great-business-of-every-christian-to-save-souls-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I care not where I go, or how I live, or what I endure so that I may save souls. When I sleep I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brainerd/i-care-not-where-i-go-or-how-i-live-or-what-i-endure-so-that-i-may/) [David Brainerd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brainerd/) ## More by John Wesley > [I build on Christ, the rock of ages; on his sure mercies described in his word, and on his promises, all which I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-build-on-christ-the-rock-of-ages-on-his-sure-mercies-described-in/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“I set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-set-myself-on-fire-and-people-come-to-watch-me-burn/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [Having, First, gained all you can, and, Secondly saved all you can, Then give all you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/having-first-gained-all-you-can-and-secondly-saved-all-you-can-then/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [People who wish to be offended will always find some occasion for taking offense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/people-who-wish-to-be-offended-will-always-find-some-occasion-for/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“Those without enough love experience rage, but love drives rage away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/those-without-enough-love-experience-rage-but-love-drives-rage-away/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [I reflected much on that vain desire, which had pursued me for so many years, of being in solitude in order to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-reflected-much-on-that-vain-desire-which-had-pursued-me-for-so-many/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“By salvation I mean not barely according to the vulgar notion deliverance from hell or going to heaven but a present deliverance from sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/by-salvation-i-mean-not-barely-according-to-the-vulgar-notion/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [They say I killed six or seven men for snoring. Well, it ain't true. I only killed one man for snoring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/they-say-i-killed-six-or-seven-men-for-snoring-well-it-ain-t-true-i/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“I had a sort of faith during my early life. But devils also have a sort of faith. Still, neither they nor I received…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-had-a-sort-of-faith-during-my-early-life-but-devils-also-have-a/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [Preach faith till you have it; and then, because you have it, you will preach faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/preach-faith-till-you-have-it-and-then-because-you-have-it-you-will/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/do-all-the-good-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you-can-to-all-the-souls-you/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [If I had 300 men who feared nothing but God, hated nothing but sin, and were determined to know nothing among men but Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/if-i-had-300-men-who-feared-nothing-but-god-hated-nothing-but-sin-and/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [The case is this: God offers you one of the greatest mercies on this side of heaven and commands you to accept it. Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/the-case-is-this-god-offers-you-one-of-the-greatest-mercies-on-this/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [Though I am always in haste, I am never in a hurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/though-i-am-always-in-haste-i-am-never-in-a-hurry/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/in-all-cases-the-church-is-to-be-judged-by-the-scripture-not-the/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) [Explore all 246 John Wesley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) ## More Saving souls quotes > [“Redemption isn’t as simple or cheap as they’d suggest; not as easy as winning some vapid and pointless competition. Redemption for us means saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-crane/redemption-isn-t-as-simple-or-cheap-as-they-d-suggest-not-as-easy-as/) [Robert J. Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-crane/) > [Many council leaders and members will be surprised to discover how much more focused their work will become when they examine it through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-russell-ballard/many-council-leaders-and-members-will-be-surprised-to-discover-how/) [M. Russell Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-russell-ballard/) > [“We all remember how many religious wars were fought for a religion of love and gentleness; how many bodies were burned alive with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-r-popper/we-all-remember-how-many-religious-wars-were-fought-for-a-religion-of/) [Karl R. Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-r-popper/) > [John Wesley taught that the gospel of Christ involved more than saving souls. It should have an impact on all of society, and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/john-wesley-taught-that-the-gospel-of-christ-involved-more-than/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [We all remember how many religious wars were fought for a religion of love and gentleness; how many bodies were burned alive with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/we-all-remember-how-many-religious-wars-were-fought-for-a-religion-of-2/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [It is not the tempest, nor the earthquake, nor the fire, but the still small voice of the Spirit that carries on the glorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-the-tempest-nor-the-earthquake-nor-the-fire-but-the-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we assist Him in His mission of saving souls, we too will be rescued in the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-hong-wong/when-we-assist-him-in-his-mission-of-saving-souls-we-too-will-be/) Chi Hong Wong > [It is a tragedy when the church saves money instead of saving souls. We MUST spend to save.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/it-is-a-tragedy-when-the-church-saves-money-instead-of-saving-souls/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [“The great historian of religion Martin Marty once said every religion serves two functions: First, it is a message of personal salvation telling is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/the-great-historian-of-religion-martin-marty-once-said-every-religion/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [Can we go too fast in saving souls? If anyone still wants a reply, let him ask the lost souls in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/can-we-go-too-fast-in-saving-souls-if-anyone-still-wants-a-reply-let/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Love one another, but make not a bond of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/love-one-another-but-make-not-a-bond-of-love/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Consider as sin any minute of life spent on something other than saving souls for eternity from this world doomed to destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wurmbrand/consider-as-sin-any-minute-of-life-spent-on-something-other-than/) [Richard Wurmbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wurmbrand/) > [God is using people to accomplish His work, of saving souls, but we have to remember that it is not us doing the work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/god-is-using-people-to-accomplish-his-work-of-saving-souls-but-we/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [“You can’t save anyone who wouldn’t save themselves without you. It’s the hardest lesson to learn in life, take it from me. - p.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jampole/you-can-t-save-anyone-who-wouldn-t-save-themselves-without-you-it-s/) Marc Jampole > [The whole point of what -Jesus was up to was that he was doing close up, in the present, what he was promising long-term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/the-whole-point-of-what-jesus-was-up-to-was-that-he-was-doing-close/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) [Browse all 26 Saving souls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving-souls/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Wesley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls-therefore-spend-and-be-spent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Saving souls" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls-therefore-spend-and-be-spent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/john-wesley-1398_saving-souls_you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls_1775801.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/john-wesley-1398_saving-souls_you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls_1775801.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/145/john-wesley-1398_saving-souls_you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls_1775801.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.” — John Wesley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Wesley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You have nothing to do but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls-therefore-spend-and-be-spent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/you-have-nothing-to-do-but-to-save-souls-therefore-spend-and-be-spent/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```