Pray for Us

Finally, brothers,[a] (A)pray for us, that (B)the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored,[b] as happened among you, and (C)that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For (D)not all have faith. But (E)the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and (F)guard you against (G)the evil one.[c] And (H)we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord (I)direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Warning Against Idleness

Now we command you, brothers, (J)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (K)that you keep away from any (L)brother (M)who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know (N)how you ought to imitate us, because (O)we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but (P)with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was (Q)not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves (R)an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: (S)If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you (T)walk in idleness, not busy at work, but (U)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.[d]

13 As for you, brothers, (V)do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and (W)have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 (X)Do not regard him as an enemy, but (Y)warn him as a brother.

Benediction

16 Now may (Z)the Lord of peace himself (AA)give you peace at all times in every way. (AB)The Lord be with you all.

17 I, Paul, write (AC)this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 (AD)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 13
  2. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Or glorified
  3. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 Or evil
  4. 2 Thessalonians 3:12 Greek to eat their own bread

Paul’s Request for Prayer

Finally, dear brothers and sisters,[a] we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.[b] And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you. May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

An Exhortation to Proper Living

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers[c] who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received[d] from us. 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. 13 As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.

14 Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. 15 Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.[e]

Paul’s Final Greetings

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

17 HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. I DO THIS IN ALL MY LETTERS TO PROVE THEY ARE FROM ME.

18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 3:1 Greek brothers; also in 3:6, 13.
  2. 3:3 Or from evil.
  3. 3:6a Greek from every brother.
  4. 3:6b Some manuscripts read you received.
  5. 3:15 Greek as a brother.

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

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.

For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

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:

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.

Furthermore, brethren, do pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may speed on (spread rapidly and run its course) and be glorified (extolled) and triumph, even as [it has done] with you,

And that we may be delivered from perverse (improper, unrighteous) and wicked (actively malicious) men, for not everybody has faith and is held by it.

Yet the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen [you] and set you on a firm foundation and guard you from the evil [one].

And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do the things which we suggest and with which we charge you.

May the Lord direct your hearts into [realizing and showing] the love of God and into the steadfastness and patience of Christ and [a]in waiting for His return.

Now we charge you, brethren, in the name and on the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that you withdraw and keep away from every brother (fellow believer) who is slack in the performance of duty and is disorderly, living as a shirker and not walking in accord with the traditions and instructions that you have received from us.

For you yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate our example, for we were not disorderly or shirking of duty when we were with you [we were not idle].

Nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and struggle we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden or impose on any of you [for our support].

[It was] not because we do not have a right [to such support], but [we wished] to make ourselves an example for you to follow.

10 For while we were yet with you, we gave you this rule and charge: If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.

11 Indeed, we hear that some among you are disorderly [that they are passing their lives in idleness, neglectful of duty], being busy with other people’s affairs instead of their own and doing no work.

12 Now we charge and exhort such persons [as [b]ministers in Him exhorting those] in the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that they work in quietness and earn their own food and other necessities.

13 And as for you, brethren, do not become weary or lose heart in doing right [but continue in well-doing without weakening].

14 But if anyone [in the church] refuses to obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.

15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but simply admonish and warn him as [being still] a brother.

16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace (the peace of His kingdom) at all times and in all ways [under all circumstances and conditions, whatever comes]. The Lord [be] with you all.

17 I, Paul, write you this final greeting with my own hand. This is the mark and sign [that it is not a forgery] in every letter of mine. It is the way I write [my handwriting and signature].

18 The grace (spiritual blessing and favor) of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) be with you all. Amen (so be it).

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 3:5 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
  2. 2 Thessalonians 3:12 Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown, A Commentary.