2 Thessalonians 3
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Request for Prayer
3 Finally, brothers and sisters,[a] pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, 2 and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.[b] 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Warning against Idleness
6 Now we command you, beloved,[c] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are[d] living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they[e] received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters,[f] do not be weary in doing what is right.
14 Take note of those who do not obey what we say in this letter; have nothing to do with them, so that they may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard them as enemies, but warn them as believers.[g]
Final Greetings and Benediction
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you.
17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.[h]
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Gk brothers
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3 Or from evil
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Gk brothers
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Gk from every brother who is
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Other ancient authorities read you
- 2 Thessalonians 3:13 Gk Brothers
- 2 Thessalonians 3:15 Gk a brother
- 2 Thessalonians 3:18 Other ancient authorities add Amen
2 Thessalonians 3
Good News Translation
Pray for Us
3 Finally, our friends, pray for us that the Lord's message may continue to spread rapidly and be received with honor, just as it was among you. 2 Pray also that God will rescue us from wicked and evil people; for not everyone believes the message.
3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and keep you safe from the Evil One. 4 And the Lord gives us confidence in you, and we are sure that you are doing and will continue to do what we tell you.
5 May the Lord lead you into a greater understanding of God's love and the endurance that is given by Christ.
The Obligation to Work
6 Our friends, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to keep away from all believers who are living a lazy life and who do not follow the instructions that we gave them. 7 You yourselves know very well that you should do just what we did. We were not lazy when we were with you. 8 We did not accept anyone's support without paying for it. Instead, we worked and toiled; we kept working day and night so as not to be an expense to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to demand our support; we did it to be an example for you to follow. 10 While we were with you, we used to tell you, “Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat.”
11 We say this because we hear that there are some people among you who live lazy lives and who do nothing except meddle in other people's business. 12 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we command these people and warn them to lead orderly lives and work to earn their own living.
13 But you, friends, must not become tired of doing good. 14 It may be that some there will not obey the message we send you in this letter. If so, take note of them and have nothing to do with them, so that they will be ashamed. 15 But do not treat them as enemies; instead, warn them as believers.
Final Words
16 May the Lord himself, who is our source of peace, give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.
17 With my own hand I write this: Greetings from Paul This is the way I sign every letter; this is how I write.
18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
2 Thessalonians 3
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 3
Request for Prayers. 1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, as it was with you. 2 Pray too that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not all have faith.
3 However, the Lord is faithful. He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do all that we direct you to do. 5 May the Lord guide your hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ.
Christian Value of Work.[a] 6 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, brethren, we command you to keep your distance from any of the brethren who are living an idle existence and who disregard the tradition you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you should follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you. 8 We did not ever accept food from anyone, but with toil and drudgery we worked night and day so that we would not burden any of you. 9 We did so, not because we have no right to accept such help, but to present ourselves as a model for you to imitate.
10 In fact, even when we were with you, we charged that anyone who was unwilling to work should not eat. 11 Now we have been told that some among you are living a life of idleness, not working but acting as busybodies. 12 We command and urge such people in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and earn their own living.
13 Brethren, never grow weary of doing what is right. 14 If anyone refuses to obey our instructions in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him so that he may be put to shame. 15 However, do not treat him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Conclusion[b]
16 Final Prayer. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
17 Final Blessing. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. It is the distinguishing mark of every letter of mine. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 In putting work at the service of the community, Paul places it under the sign of love for God, for one’s brothers and sisters, and for the Church. To eat one’s own bread constitutes the primary dignity of a person (v. 10). By demanding exemplary conduct from Christians, Paul remains in line with Jesus and the primitive Church (see Mt 18:15-18; 1 Cor 5:1-13).
- 2 Thessalonians 3:16 In order to discourage forgeries of his letters (see 2 Thes 2:2), Paul takes care to authenticate the letters that he dictates and causes to be set down—he writes out a few words with his own hand (see also 1 Cor 16:21 and Col 4:18). In the cases of Galatians and Philemon, it appears that Paul wrote more than just the concluding phrases (see Gal 6:11 and Philem 19).
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
New American Standard Bible 1995
Exhortation
3 (A)Finally, brethren, (B)pray for us that (C)the word of the Lord will [a]spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2 and that we will be (D)rescued from [b]perverse and evil men; for not all have [c]faith. 3 But (E)the Lord is faithful, [d]and He will strengthen and protect you [e]from (F)the evil one. 4 We have (G)confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you (H)are doing and will continue to do what we command. 5 May the Lord (I)direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.
6 Now we command you, brethren, (J)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you [f](K)keep away from every brother who [g]leads an [h](L)unruly life and not according to (M)the tradition which [i]you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to [j](N)follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, 8 nor did we (O)eat [k]anyone’s bread [l]without paying for it, but with (P)labor and hardship we kept (Q)working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; 9 not because we do not have (R)the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves (S)as a model for you, so that you would [m]follow our example. 10 For even (T)when we were with you, we used to give you this order: (U)if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11 For we hear that some among you are (V)leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like (W)busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and (X)exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to (Y)work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, (Z)brethren, (AA)do not grow weary of doing good.
14 If anyone does not obey our [n]instruction [o](AB)in this letter, take special note of that person [p](AC)and do not associate with him, so that he will be (AD)put to shame. 15 Yet (AE)do not regard him as an enemy, but [q](AF)admonish him as a (AG)brother.
16 Now (AH)may the Lord of peace (AI)Himself continually grant you peace in every [r]circumstance. (AJ)The Lord be with you all!
17 [s]I, Paul, write this greeting (AK)with my own hand, and this is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write. 18 (AL)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Lit run
- 2 Thessalonians 3:2 Lit improper
- 2 Thessalonians 3:2 Or the faith
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3 Lit who will
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3 Or from evil
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or avoid
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Lit walks disorderly
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or undisciplined
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 One early ms reads they
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7 Lit imitate us
- 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Lit from anyone
- 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Lit freely
- 2 Thessalonians 3:9 Lit imitate us
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14 Lit word
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14 Lit through
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14 Lit not to associate
- 2 Thessalonians 3:15 Or keep admonishing
- 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Lit way
- 2 Thessalonians 3:17 Lit The greeting by my hand of Paul
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
