³ For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah, to this day, the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened.

⁷ Yet you did not listen to me, says the Lord, and so you have provoked me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.

⁸ Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words,

¹³ We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.

Warning against Idleness

⁶ Now we command you, beloved,^[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are^[b] living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they^[c] received from us.

¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters,^[a] stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.

² and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.

Head Coverings

² I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I handed them on to you.

¹³ We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.