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11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.

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11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,(A) just as we told you,

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28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

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28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,(A) doing something useful with their own hands,(B) that they may have something to share with those in need.(C)

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And yet,

“Better to have one handful with quietness
    than two handfuls with hard work
    and chasing the wind.”

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Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil(A)
    and chasing after the wind.

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You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

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Rather, it should be that of your inner self,(A) the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.(B)

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Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

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for kings and all those in authority,(A) that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness(B) and holiness.

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26 So it is good to wait quietly
    for salvation from the Lord.

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26 it is good to wait quietly(A)
    for the salvation of the Lord.(B)

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14 Our people must learn to do good by meeting the urgent needs of others; then they will not be unproductive.

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14 Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good,(A) in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.

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So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.

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So we make it our goal to please him,(A) whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

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12 We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.

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12 We work hard with our own hands.(A) When we are cursed, we bless;(B) when we are persecuted,(C) we endure it;

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17 Better a dry crust eaten in peace
    than a house filled with feasting—and conflict.

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17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
    than a house full of feasting, with strife.(A)

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15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.

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15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.

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13 And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t.

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13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies(A) who talk nonsense,(B) saying things they ought not to.

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For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”

11 Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. 12 We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.

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For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.(A) We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked(B) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,(C) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.(D) 10 For even when we were with you,(E) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work(F) shall not eat.”

11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.(G) 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ(H) to settle down and earn the food they eat.(I)

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