2 Thessalonians 3
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
3 For the rest, brethren, pray for us, that the word of God may run, and may be glorified, even as among you;
2 And that we may be delivered from importunate and evil men; for all men have not faith.
3 But God is faithful, who will strengthen and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence concerning you in the Lord, that the things which we command, you both do, and will do.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts, in the charity of God, and the patience of Christ.
6 And we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us.
7 For yourselves know how you ought to imitate us: for we were not disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nothing, but in labour and in toil we worked night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you.
9 Not as if we had not power: but that we might give ourselves a pattern unto you, to imitate us.
10 For also when we were with you, this we declared to you: that, if any man will not work, neither let him eat.
11 For we have heard there are some among you who walk disorderly, working not at all, but curiously meddling.
12 Now we charge them that are such, and beseech them by the Lord Jesus Christ, that, working with silence, they would eat their own bread.
13 But you, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed:
15 Yet do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you everlasting peace in every place. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand; which is the sign in every epistle. So I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
2 Thessalonians 3
King James Version
3 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
6 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.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 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:
9 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.
2 Thessalonians 3
New King James Version
Pray for Us
3 Finally, brethren, (A)pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and (B)that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; (C)for not all have faith.
3 But (D)the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and (E)guard you from the evil one. 4 And (F)we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.
5 Now may (G)the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
Warning Against Idleness
6 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. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 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, 9 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.
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 NU, M they
- 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Lit. for nothing
- 2 Thessalonians 3:12 encourage
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14 letter
- 2 Thessalonians 3:15 warn
- 2 Thessalonians 3:17 letter
2 Thessalonians 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 1 He desireth them to further the preaching of the Gospel with their prayers, 6 and to withdraw themselves from those, who through idleness, 11 and curiosity pervert good order: 14 Whom he excludeth from the company of the faithful.
1 Furthermore, [a]brethren, (A)pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free passage and be glorified, even as it is with you.
2 And that we may be delivered from [b]unreasonable and evil men: [c]for all men have not faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, which will stablish you, and keep you from [d]evil.
4 [e]And we are persuaded of you through the Lord, that ye both do, and will do the things which we warn you of.
5 [f]And the Lord guide your hearts to the love of God, and the waiting for of Christ.
6 [g]We warn you, brethren, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walked inordinately, and not after the instruction, which he received of us.
7 [h]For ye yourselves know, (B)how ye ought to follow us: (C)for we behaved not ourselves inordinately among you,
8 Neither took we bread of any man for nought: but we wrought with labor and travail night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you.
9 Not because we have not authority, but that we might make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, this we warned you of, that if there were any, which would not work, that he should not [i]eat.
11 For we hear, that there are some which walk among [j]you inordinately, and work not at all, [k]but are busybodies.
12 [l]Therefore them that are such, we warn and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness, and eat their own bread.
13 [m]And ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
14 [n]If any man obey not this our saying in this letter, note him, and have no [o]company with him, [p]that he may be ashamed.
15 [q]Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 [r]Now the Lord himself of peace give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
17 [s]The salutation of me 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.
¶ The second Epistle to the Thessalonians, written from Athens.
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 3:1 He addeth now consequently according to his manner, divers admonitions: The first of them is, that they make prayers for the increase and free passage of the Gospel, and for the safety of the faithful ministers of the same.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:2 Which have no care of their duty.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:2 It is no marvel that the Gospel is hated of so many, seeing that faith is a rare gift of God. Notwithstanding, the Church shall never be destroyed by the multitude of the wicked, because it is grounded and stayed upon the faithful promise of God.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3 From Satan’s snares, or from evil.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:4 The second admonition is, that they follow always the doctrine of the Apostles as a rule for their life.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:5 Thirdly, he diligently and earnestly admonisheth them of two things which are given us by the only grace of God, to wit, of charity, and a watchful mind to the coming of Christ.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Fourthly, he saith, that idle and lazy persons ought not to be relieved of the Church, nay, that they are not to be suffered.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7 Lest he might seem to deal harshly with them, he setteth forth himself as an example, who besides his travail in preaching labored with his hands, which he saith he was not simply bound to do.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 What shall we do then with those idle bellied Monks, and sacrificing Priests? A Monk (saith Socrates, book 8, of his Tripartite history) which worketh not with hands, is like a thief.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:11 How great a fault idleness is, he declareth by that that God created no man in vain or to no purpose, neither is there any unto whom he hath not allotted as it were a certain standing and room. Whereupon it followeth, that the order which God hath appointed, is troubled by the idle, yea, broken, which is great sin and wickedness.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:11 He reprehendeth a vice which is joined with the former, whereupon follow an infinite sort of mischiefs: to wit, that there are none more busy in other men’s matters than they which neglect their own.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:12 The Lord commandeth, and the Apostles pray in the name of Christ, first that no men be idle, and next, that every man do quietly and carefully see to do his duty in that office and calling wherein the Lord hath placed him.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:13 We must take heed that some men’s unworthiness cause us not to be slacker in well doing.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14 Excommunication is a punishment for the obstinate.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14 We must have no familiarity nor fellowship with the excommunicate.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14 The end of the excommunication is not the destruction, but the salvation of the sinner, that at least through shame he may be driven in repentance.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:15 We must so eschew familiarity with the excommunicate, that we diligently seek all occasions and means that may be to bring them again into the right way.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Prayers are the seals of all exhortations.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:17 The Apostle subscribeth his letters with his own hand, that false letters might not be brought and put in place of true.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.

