2 Thessalonians 3
- Who wrote it
- Paul (debated), with Silvanus and Timothy
- Who it was for
- The church in Thessalonica
- What was happening
- Pray for us, the Lord is faithful, and a firm word about idleness: if anyone will not work, he should not eat
What’s happening
Finally, Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for him and his friends "that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one." Paul has confidence in the Lord that they both do and will do the things he commands, and he prays that the Lord would direct their hearts into the love of God and into the perseverance of Christ. "Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in idleness and not after the tradition which they received from us." They know how they ought to imitate Paul and his friends, because they did not behave in idleness among them, nor did they eat bread from anyone without paying; "but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you; not because we don't have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us." And when they were with them, they commanded this: "If any man will not work, neither let him eat." For they hear that some walk among them in idleness, "who don't work at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." But they, brothers, are not to be weary in doing well. If anyone doesn't obey the word by this letter, "note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. Don't count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." Now may the Lord of peace himself give them peace at all times in all ways; the Lord be with them all. Paul writes the greeting with his own hand, "which is the sign in every letter. This is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."
Why the setting matters
The command about work is a response to a practical problem rather than a general rule against helping the poor. Some Thessalonians seem to have stopped working, perhaps because they expected the Lord to return soon (the same concern as in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 and 5:14), and had begun to depend on others' generosity and to interfere in other people's affairs. Paul's answer is to point to his own example: he worked as a tentmaker so as not to be a burden, though as an apostle he had the right to support (1 Corinthians 9:3-18). The sentence "if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat" refers to those who "will not" work, not those who cannot; it has often been taken out of context. The advice to "note that man" and "have no company with him" is meant to produce shame and restoration, not rejection: "Don't count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." The final lines, about the greeting in his own hand "which is the sign in every letter," are a response to the forged-letter worry of 2:2. This is also the point where some scholars see Paul himself asserting authorship; others read it as part of a letter written in his name.
Who’s in this chapter
Paul
Asks for prayer and gives a firm word about work, signing with his own hand.
The believers in Thessalonica
Told to keep doing good and to work.
The idle
Those not working but meddling.
Satan
The evil one, from whom the Lord will guard them.
The Lord Jesus
The faithful Lord and Lord of peace.
Talk it through
- Paul asks for prayer that the word may "spread rapidly." What does that image suggest about what prayer is for?
- "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat." How does the setting (people who could but would not) change how the verse reads?
- He tells them to "admonish him as a brother," not treat him as an enemy. How do firmness and care go together here?
- Paul points to his own example rather than just giving rules. Why is example often stronger than instruction?
Read 2 Thessalonians 3
World English Bible
1Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you, 2and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. 3But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. 5May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love, and into the perseverance of Christ.
6Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us. 7For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you, 8neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you, 9not because we don’t have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us. 10For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.” 11For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies. 12Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness and eat their own bread.
13But you, brothers, don’t be weary in doing what is right. 14If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. 15Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
17The greeting of me, Paul, with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter: this is how I write. 18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources