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2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
New International Version
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
New International Version
Warning Against Idleness
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,(A) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from(B) every believer who is idle and disruptive(C) and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us.(D) 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.(E) 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(F) 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,(G) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.(H) 10 For even when we were with you,(I) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work(J) shall not eat.”
11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.(K) 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ(L) to settle down and earn the food they eat.(M) 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.(N)
14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them,(O) in order that they may feel ashamed.(P) 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.(Q)
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or tradition
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Warning against Irresponsible Behavior
6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name(A) of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother(B) who walks irresponsibly and not according to the tradition(C) received(D) from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you must imitate(E) us: We were not irresponsible among you; 8 we did not eat(F) anyone’s food[a] free of charge;(G) instead, we labored(H) and struggled,(I) working(J) night and day, so that we would not be a burden(K) to any of you. 9 It is not that we don’t have the right(L) to support, but we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate(M) us. 10 In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”(N) 11 For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work of others.(O) 12 Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ that quietly working, they may eat their own food.[b] 13 Brothers, do not grow weary(P) in doing good.
14 And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don’t associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet don’t treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Or bread
- 2 Thessalonians 3:12 Or bread
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
New Living Translation
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
New Living Translation
An Exhortation to Proper Living
6 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers[a] who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received[b] from us. 7 For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. 8 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. 9 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.[c]
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2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
New King James Version
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
New King James Version
Warning Against Idleness
6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (A)that you withdraw (B)from every brother who walks (C)disorderly and not according to the tradition which [a]he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread [b]free of charge, but worked with (D)labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have (E)authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are (F)busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and [c]exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ (G)that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, (H)do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this [d]epistle, note that person and (I)do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 (J)Yet do not count him as an enemy, (K)but [e]admonish him as a brother.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 NU, M they
- 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Lit. for nothing
- 2 Thessalonians 3:12 encourage
- 2 Thessalonians 3:14 letter
- 2 Thessalonians 3:15 warn
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.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.