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2 Thessalonians 3
New International Version
2 Thessalonians 3
New International Version
Request for Prayer
3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,(A) pray for us(B) that the message of the Lord(C) may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.(D) 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,(E) for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful,(F) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.(G) 4 We have confidence(H) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts(I) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Warning Against Idleness
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,(J) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from(K) every believer who is idle and disruptive(L) and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us.(M) 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.(N) We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked(O) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,(P) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.(Q) 10 For even when we were with you,(R) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work(S) shall not eat.”
11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.(T) 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ(U) to settle down and earn the food they eat.(V) 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.(W)
14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them,(X) in order that they may feel ashamed.(Y) 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.(Z)
Final Greetings
16 Now may the Lord of peace(AA) himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.(AB)
17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand,(AC) which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.(AD)
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or tradition
2 Thessalonians 3
English Standard Version
2 Thessalonians 3
English Standard Version
Pray for Us
3 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, 2 and (C)that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For (D)not all have faith. 3 But (E)the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and (F)guard you against (G)the evil one.[c] 4 And (H)we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord (I)direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Warning Against Idleness
6 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. 7 For you yourselves know (N)how you ought to imitate us, because (O)we were not idle when we were with you, 8 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. 9 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
- 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 13
- 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Or glorified
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3 Or evil
- 2 Thessalonians 3:12 Greek to eat their own bread
2 Thessalonians 3
GOD’S WORD Translation
2 Thessalonians 3
GOD’S WORD Translation
Paul’s Final Instructions for the Thessalonians
3 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray that we spread the Lord’s word rapidly and that it will be honored the way it was among you. 2 Also pray that we may be rescued from worthless and evil people, since not everyone shares our faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful and will strengthen you and protect you against the evil one.
4 The Lord gives us confidence that you are doing and will continue to do what we ordered you to do. 5 May the Lord direct your lives as you show God’s love and Christ’s endurance.
6 Brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we order you not to associate with any believer who doesn’t live a disciplined life and doesn’t follow the tradition you received from us. 7 You know what you must do to imitate us. We lived a disciplined life among you. 8 We didn’t eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, we worked hard and struggled night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you. 9 It’s not as though we didn’t have a right to receive support. Rather, we wanted to set an example for you to follow. 10 While we were with you, we gave you the order: “Whoever doesn’t want to work shouldn’t be allowed to eat.”
11 We hear that some of you are not living disciplined lives. You’re not working, so you go around interfering in other people’s lives. 12 We order and encourage such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to pay attention to their own work so they can support themselves. 13 Brothers and sisters, we can’t allow ourselves to get tired of doing what is right.
14 It may be that some people will not listen to what we say in this letter. Take note of them and don’t associate with them so that they will feel ashamed. 15 Yet, don’t treat them like enemies, but instruct them like brothers and sisters.
Farewell
16 May the Lord of peace give you his peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
17 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. In every letter that I send, this is proof that I wrote it.
18 The good will [a] of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
Footnotes
- 3:18 Or “grace.”
2 Thessalonians 3
New Century Version
2 Thessalonians 3
New Century Version
Pray for Us
3 And now, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the Lord’s teaching will continue to spread quickly and that people will give honor to that teaching, just as happened with you. 2 And pray that we will be protected from stubborn and evil people, because not all people believe.
3 But the Lord is faithful and will give you strength and will protect you from the Evil One. 4 The Lord makes us feel sure that you are doing and will continue to do the things we told you. 5 May the Lord lead your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s patience.
The Duty to Work
6 Brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ we command you to stay away from any believer who refuses to work and does not follow the teaching we gave you. 7 You yourselves know that you should live as we live. We were not lazy when we were with you. 8 And when we ate another person’s food, we always paid for it. We worked very hard night and day so we would not be an expense to any of you. 9 We had the right to ask you to help us, but we worked to take care of ourselves so we would be an example for you to follow. 10 When we were with you, we gave you this rule: “Anyone who refuses to work should not eat.”
11 We hear that some people in your group refuse to work. They do nothing but busy themselves in other people’s lives. 12 We command those people and beg them in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and earn their own food. 13 But you, brothers and sisters, never become tired of doing good.
14 If some people do not obey what we tell you in this letter, then take note of them. Have nothing to do with them so they will feel ashamed. 15 But do not treat them as enemies. Warn them as fellow believers.
Final Words
16 Now may the Lord of peace give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
17 I, Paul, end this letter now in my own handwriting. All my letters have this to show they are from me. This is the way I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
2 Thessalonians 3
Young's Literal Translation
2 Thessalonians 3
Young's Literal Translation
3 As to the rest, pray ye, brethren, concerning us, that the word of the Lord may run and may be glorified, as also with you,
2 and that we may be delivered from the unreasonable and evil men, for the faith [is] not of all;
3 and stedfast is the Lord, who shall establish you, and shall guard [you] from the evil;
4 and we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that the things that we command you ye both do and will do;
5 and the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God, and to the endurance of the Christ.
6 And we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw yourselves from every brother disorderly walking, and not after the deliverance that ye received from us,
7 for yourselves have known how it behoveth [you] to imitate us, because we did not act disorderly among you;
8 nor for nought did we eat bread of any one, but in labour and in travail, night and day working, not to be chargeable to any of you;
9 not because we have not authority, but that ourselves a pattern we might give to you, to imitate us;
10 for even when we were with you, this we did command you, that if any one is not willing to work, neither let him eat,
11 for we hear of certain walking among you disorderly, nothing working, but over working,
12 and such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness working, their own bread they may eat;
13 and ye, brethren, may ye not be weary doing well,
14 and if any one do not obey our word through the letter, this one note ye, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed,
15 and as an enemy count [him] not, but admonish ye [him] as a brother;
16 and may the Lord of the peace Himself give to you the peace always in every way; the Lord [is] with you all!
17 The salutation by the hand of me, Paul, which is a sign in every letter; thus I write;
18 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [is] with you all! Amen.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
New Century Version (NCV) 
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.