请求代祷

弟兄姊妹,最后我还要请你们为我们祷告,好使主的道像在你们那里一样迅速传开,受到尊崇, 并使我们能避开那些邪恶的人,因为不是人人都有信心。

主是信实的,祂必使你们刚强,保护你们脱离那恶者。 我们靠着主深信你们现在遵行了我们的吩咐,而且以后还会继续遵行。

愿主引导你们的心领悟上帝的爱和基督的坚忍。

不可游手好闲

弟兄姊妹,现在我们奉主耶稣基督的名吩咐你们,要远离那些游手好闲、不遵守我们教导的信徒。 你们自己知道应该怎样效法我们,因为我们在你们那里的时候,并没有懒懒散散, 也没有白吃谁的饭,而是昼夜辛勤工作,免得成为你们任何人的负担。 我们并不是没有权利接受供应,而是要给你们树立学习的榜样。 10 我们在你们那里的时候,曾吩咐过你们:不肯工作的人没有资格吃饭。 11 我们听说在你们当中有些人游手好闲,无所事事,却专管闲事。 12 我们奉主耶稣基督的名吩咐并劝诫这些人要安分守己,自食其力。

13 弟兄姊妹,你们要坚持行善,不要灰心。 14 如果有人不听从这信上的教导,要注意提防他,不要和他来往,好使他羞愧。 15 只是不可把他当作仇人,要像对待弟兄姊妹一样劝诫他。

问候

16 愿平安之主随时随地亲自赐你们平安!愿主与你们同在! 17 我保罗在这里亲笔问候你们,这是我的笔迹,我所有的信都以此为记号。

18 愿我们主耶稣基督的恩典与你们众人同在!

III. Concluding Exhortations

Chapter 3[a]

Request for Prayers. Finally, brothers, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified, as it did among you,(A) and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people, for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.(B) We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you, you [both] are doing and will continue to do.(C) May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.

Neglect of Work. We instruct you, brothers, in the name of [our] Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us.[b] For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you.(D) Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us.(E) 10 In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.(F) 11 We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.(G) 12 Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food. 13 But you, brothers, do not be remiss in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey our word as expressed in this letter, take note of this person not to associate with him, that he may be put to shame. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother.(H) 16 May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.(I)

IV. Final Greetings

17 This greeting is in my own hand, Paul’s. This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write.(J) 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Footnotes

  1. 3:1–18 The final chapter urges the Thessalonians to pray for Paul and his colleagues (2 Thes 3:1–2) and reiterates confidence in the Thessalonians (2 Thes 3:3–5), while admonishing them about a specific problem in their community that has grown out of the intense eschatological speculation, namely, not to work but to become instead disorderly busybodies (2 Thes 3:6–15). A benediction (2 Thes 3:16) and postscript in Paul’s own hand round out the letter. On 2 Thes 3:17–18, cf. note on 2 Thes 2:2.
  2. 3:6 Some members of the community, probably because they regarded the parousia as imminent or the new age of the Lord to be already here (2 Thes 2:2), had apparently ceased to work for a living. The disciplinary problem they posed could be rooted in distorted thinking about Paul’s own teaching (cf. 1 Thes 2:16; 3:3–4; 5:4–5) or, more likely, in a forged letter (2 Thes 2:2) and the type of teaching dealt with in 2 Thes 2:1–15. The apostle’s own moral teaching, reflected in his selfless labors for others, was rooted in a deep doctrinal concern for the gospel message (cf. 1 Thes 2:3–10).

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

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

Pray for Us

Finally, brethren, (A)pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and (B)that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; (C)for not all have faith.

But (D)the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and (E)guard you from the evil one. And (F)we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.

Now may (G)the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

Warning Against Idleness

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (H)that you withdraw (I)from every brother who walks (J)disorderly and not according to the tradition which [a]he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread [b]free of charge, but worked with (K)labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have (L)authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are (M)busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and [c]exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ (N)that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

13 But as for you, brethren, (O)do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this [d]epistle, note that person and (P)do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 (Q)Yet do not count him as an enemy, (R)but [e]admonish him as a brother.

Benediction

16 Now may (S)the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

17 (T)The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every [f]epistle; so I write.

18 (U)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.