¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers, admonish ^(A)the idle,^{[a] (B)}encourage the fainthearted, ^(C)help the weak, ^(D)be patient with them all.

² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^(A)reprove, rebuke, and ^(B)exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Warning Against Idleness

⁶ Now we command you, brothers, ^(A)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(B)that you keep away from any ^(C)brother ^(D)who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. ⁷ For you yourselves know ^(E)how you ought to imitate us, because ^(F)we were not idle when we were with you,

Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another

14 As for ^(A)the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

¹¹ For we hear that some among you ^(A)walk in idleness, not busy at work, but ^(B)busybodies. ¹² Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.^[a]

¹³ As for you, brothers, ^(C)do not grow weary in doing good.

³⁵ In all things ^(A)I have shown you that ^(B)by working hard in this way we must ^(C)help the weak and ^(D)remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed ^(E)to give than to receive.’”

²⁴ And ^(A)the Lord's servant^[a] must not be quarrelsome but ^(B)kind to everyone, ^(C)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents ^(D)with gentleness. God ^(E)may perhaps grant them repentance ^(F)leading to a knowledge of the truth,

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

¹¹ But as for you, ^(A)O man of God, ^(B)flee these things. ^(C)Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

⁷ But we were ^(A)gentle^[a] among you, ^(B)like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. ⁸ So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God ^(C)but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

⁹ For you remember, brothers, ^(D)our labor and toil: we ^(E)worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰ You are witnesses, and ^(F)God also, ^(G)how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. ¹¹ For you know how, ^(H)like a father with his children, ¹² we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and ^(I)charged ^(J)you to walk in a manner worthy of God, ^(K)who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.