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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)
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and so that we may be freed from pertinacious and evil men. For not everyone is faithful.
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But God is faithful. He will strengthen you, and he will guard you from evil.
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And we have confidence about you in the Lord, that you are doing, and will continue to do, just as we have instructed.
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And may the Lord direct your hearts, in the charity of God and with the patience of Christ.
A Warning against Idleness
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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)
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For you yourselves know the manner in which you ought to imitate us. For we were not disorderly among you.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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For we have heard that there are some among you who act disruptively, not working at all, but eagerly meddling.
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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.
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And you, brothers, do not grow weak in doing good.
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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.
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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)
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Then may the Lord of peace himself give you an everlasting peace, in every place. May the Lord be with all of you.
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The greeting of Paul with my own hand, which is the seal in every epistle. So do I write.
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May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Footnotes