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!

为我们祈祷

最后,兄弟们,请为我们祈祷,让主的信息得到迅速地传播,并得到赞美,就像在你们中间发生的那样; 也请为我们祈祷,让我们从邪恶的人们中解救出来。(不是所有的人都信主。)

主是守信的,他会给你们力量,保护你们不受魔鬼的侵害。 我们在主内对你们有信心,并相信你们正在坚持做我们吩咐你们做的事情,并将继续做下去。 愿主引导你们的心归于上帝的爱和基督的忍耐。

工作义务

兄弟们,我们现在以我们主耶稣基督的名义命令你们,要疏远那些过懒散生活和不遵守从我们这里领受到教导的人。 因为你们明白,应该如何效仿我们,我们在你们中间不曾懒惰, 也没有吃东西不付账,相反,我们日夜辛劳,为的是不给你们任何人增添负担。 这并非因为我们无权要求你们的帮助,而是要给你们树立一个榜样,使你们可以模仿。 10 所以,我们和你们在一起时,给了你们这条规则∶“不劳者不得食。”

11 我们说这些,是因为我们听说你们中间有人生活懒散,游手好闲,专管别人的事。 12 我们在主耶稣基督里命令和督促这些人,他们应该安静地工作,自食其力。 13 不过,兄弟们,做为你们不要放弃行善。

14 如果有人不服从这封信里我们的指示,那么就记住他,不要跟他来往,让他感到惭愧。 15 但是,不要像对待敌人一样对待他,而是应该像对待兄弟一样警告他。

最后的话

16 愿主,和平之源时时处处赐予你们平安。愿主与你们所有的人同在。

17 我,保罗亲笔写下了这问候。这是我签每封信和写每封信的方式。

18 愿我们的主耶稣基督的恩典与你们所有的人同在。

祈求主的道快快传开

最后,弟兄们,请为我们祷告,好叫主的道也像在你们那里一样快快传开,得着荣耀, 也使我们能够脱离那些不讲理的恶人,因为不是人人都有信心。 主是信实的,他必坚定你们,保护你们脱离那恶者。 我们靠着主深深相信,你们现在以及将来都会遵行我们所吩咐的, 愿主引导你们的心,使你们有 神的爱和基督的坚忍。

不可游手好闲

弟兄们,我们奉主耶稣基督的名吩咐你们,凡是游手好闲的弟兄,不按着你们从我们所领受的教训去行,就应当远离他。 你们自己本来就知道应当怎样效法我们,因为我们在你们中间并没有游手好闲, 也没有白吃过谁的饭,反而辛苦劳碌,昼夜作工,免得加重你们任何一人的负担。 这不是因为我们没有权利,而是要给你们作榜样,好让你们效法我们。 10 我们在你们那里的时候,曾经吩咐过你们,如果有人不肯作工,就不可吃饭。 11 因为我们听说,你们中间有人游手好闲,甚么工也不作,反倒专管闲事。 12 我们靠着主耶稣基督,吩咐劝戒这样的人,要安静作工,自食其力。 13 弟兄们,你们行善不可灰心。 14 如果有人不听从我们这封信上的训勉,要把这个人记下来,不可和他来往,好叫他自己觉得惭愧。 15 但不要把他看作仇敌,却要劝他好象劝弟兄一样。

祝福

16 愿赐平安的主亲自随时随地赐平安给你们。愿主与你们众人同在。

17 我保罗亲笔问候你们。这是我每一封信的记号;我的笔迹就是这样。 18 愿我们主耶稣基督的恩惠与你们众人同在。

Chapter 3

Request for Prayers. Finally, brethren, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, as it was with you. Pray too that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not all have faith.

However, the Lord is faithful. He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do all that we direct you to do. May the Lord guide your hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ.

Christian Value of Work.[a] In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, brethren, we command you to keep your distance from any of the brethren who are living an idle existence and who disregard the tradition you received from us. For you yourselves know how you should follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you. We did not ever accept food from anyone, but with toil and drudgery we worked night and day so that we would not burden any of you. We did so, not because we have no right to accept such help, but to present ourselves as a model for you to imitate.

10 In fact, even when we were with you, we charged that anyone who was unwilling to work should not eat. 11 Now we have been told that some among you are living a life of idleness, not working but acting as busybodies. 12 We command and urge such people in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and earn their own living.

13 Brethren, never grow weary of doing what is right. 14 If anyone refuses to obey our instructions in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him so that he may be put to shame. 15 However, do not treat him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Conclusion[b]

16 Final Prayer. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

17 Final Blessing. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. It is the distinguishing mark of every letter of mine. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 In putting work at the service of the community, Paul places it under the sign of love for God, for one’s brothers and sisters, and for the Church. To eat one’s own bread constitutes the primary dignity of a person (v. 10). By demanding exemplary conduct from Christians, Paul remains in line with Jesus and the primitive Church (see Mt 18:15-18; 1 Cor 5:1-13).
  2. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 In order to discourage forgeries of his letters (see 2 Thes 2:2), Paul takes care to authenticate the letters that he dictates and causes to be set down—he writes out a few words with his own hand (see also 1 Cor 16:21 and Col 4:18). In the cases of Galatians and Philemon, it appears that Paul wrote more than just the concluding phrases (see Gal 6:11 and Philem 19).