The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians

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- Chapter 3 -

Concerning other things, brothers, pray for us, so that the Word of God may advance and be glorified, just as it is among you,(a)

and so that we may be freed from pertinacious and evil men. For not everyone is faithful.

But God is faithful. He will strengthen you, and he will guard you from evil.

And we have confidence about you in the Lord, that you are doing, and will continue to do, just as we have instructed.

And may the Lord direct your hearts, in the charity of God and with the patience of Christ.

A Warning against Idleness

But we strongly caution you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to draw yourselves away from every brother who is walking in disorder and not according to the tradition that they received from us.(b)

For you yourselves know the manner in which you ought to imitate us. For we were not disorderly among you.

Nor did we eat bread from anyone for free, but rather, we worked night and day, in hardship and weariness, so as not to be burdensome to you.

It was not as if we had no authority, but this was so that we might present ourselves as an example to you, in order to imitate us.

Then, too, while we were with you, we insisted on this to you: that if anyone was not willing to work, neither should he eat.

For we have heard that there are some among you who act disruptively, not working at all, but eagerly meddling.

Now we charge those who act in this way, and we beg them in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they work in silence and eat their own bread.

And you, brothers, do not grow weak in doing good.

But if anyone does not obey our word by this epistle, take note of him and do not keep company with him, so that he may be ashamed.

But do not be willing to consider him as an enemy; instead, correct him as a brother.

Signature and Final Greetings

(1 Corinthians 16:19–24; Colossians 4:15–18)

Then may the Lord of peace himself give you an everlasting peace, in every place. May the Lord be with all of you.

The greeting of Paul with my own hand, which is the seal in every epistle. So do I write.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Footnotes

(a)3:1 May run:That is, may spread itself, and have free course.(Challoner)

(b)3:6 The prefix ‘de’ intensifies the meaning of the word.(Conte)

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you,

and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command.

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and into the perseverance of Christ.

A Warning against Idleness

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion and not after the tradition which they received from us.

For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you,

neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you.

This was not because we don’t have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us.

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.”

For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies.

Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness and eat their own bread.

But you, brothers, don’t be weary in doing what is right.

If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man and have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Signature and Final Greetings

(1 Corinthians 16:19–24; Colossians 4:15–18)

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter. This is how I write.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.