And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us. For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. 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. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. 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. As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good. Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.
Read 2 Thessalonians 3
Listen to 2 Thessalonians 3
Share
Compare All Versions: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
3 Days
Written shortly after 1 Thessalonians, Paul’s second letter continues to encourage the Thessalonian church by admonishing them to stand firm on the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:15). As Paul instructs the church about the coming of Christ, we are reminded to be made worthy of God’s calling and fulfill all the good works of faith.
This plan offers a 3-day journey through the book of 2 Thessalonians, making it ideal for both individual and group study.
5 Days
The Scriptures give a number of reasons for people to work—all of them profound in their own way—because what we do for a living matters to God. Work has value in and of itself, it is intrinsically a good thing, and when work is done with excellence, it reflects God. The Bible tells us that our work accomplishes God’s work and purpose in the Kingdom through His grace.
Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica to clear up confusion circulating about Jesus’ return. In a previous letter, Paul had said Jesus’ return was imminent. Some in the church took that to mean Jesus was coming back immediately. Paul corrects them and instructs the church on how to live in the meantime. Reading this study, you’ll face the reality of Jesus’ return and our responsibility to live for him.
Save verses, read offline, watch teaching clips, and more!
Home
Bible
Plans
Videos