2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Evangelical Heritage Version

Warnings Against Idleness

⁶ We instruct you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to avoid every brother who is walking idly and not in accordance with the teaching that you received from us. ⁷ In fact, you yourselves know how necessary it is for you to imitate us, because we were not idle among you. ⁸ We never ate anyone’s bread without paying for it. Instead, with labor and hardship we worked night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ This was not because we lacked authority, but to provide an example for you to imitate. ¹⁰ In fact, when we were with you, this was our command to you: If anyone does not want to work, he should not eat. ¹¹ Indeed, we hear that some among you are idle, not busy working, but being busybodies. ¹² In the Lord Jesus Christ, we command and urge these people to work quietly and eat their own bread.

¹³ But you, brothers, do not grow weary of doing good. ¹⁴ And if anyone does not obey our word in this letter, take note of him so that you do not associate with him, in order that he may be put to shame. ¹⁵ Yet do not consider him an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.