Loving and Working

About brotherly love: You don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God(A) to love one another.(B) 10 In fact, you are doing this toward all the brothers and sisters in the entire region of Macedonia.(C) But we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do this even more, 11 to seek to lead a quiet life,(D) to mind your own business,[a] and to work(E) with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 so that you may behave properly(F) in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.[b](G)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:11 Lit to practice one’s own things
  2. 4:12 Or not need anything, or not be in need

Now on the topic of brotherly love[a] you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 10 And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters[b] in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,[c] 11 to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you. 12 In this way you will live[d] a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.[e]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 tn Grk “concerning brotherly love.”
  2. 1 Thessalonians 4:10 tn Grk “brothers”; this applies to the second occurrence as well. See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:4.
  3. 1 Thessalonians 4:10 sn To do so more and more. See a similar phrase in 1 Thess 4:1.
  4. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 tn Grk “that you may live,” continuing the sentence of 4:10b-11.
  5. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 tn Or “not be dependent on anyone”; Grk “and have need of nothing,” “of no one.”