1 For the rest, my brothers, let there be prayer for us that the word of the Lord may go forward with increasing glory, even as it does with you; 2 And that we may be made free from foolish and evil men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is true, who will give you strength and keep you safe from evil. 4 And we have faith in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things about which we give you orders. 5 And may your hearts be guided by the Lord into the love of God and quiet waiting for Christ. 6 Now we give you orders, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from all those whose behaviour is not well ordered and in harmony with the teaching which they had from us. 7 For you yourselves are used to taking us as your example, because our life among you was ruled by order, 8 And we did not take food from any man for nothing, but were working hard night and day not to be a trouble to any of you: 9 Not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, so that you might do the same. 10 For even when we were with you we gave you orders, saying, If any man does no work, let him not have food. 11 For it has come to our ears that there are some among you whose behaviour is uncontrolled, who do no work at all, but are over-interested in the business of others. 12 Now to such we give orders and make request in the Lord Jesus, that, working quietly, they get their living. 13 And you, my brothers, do not get tired of well-doing. 14 And if any man does not give attention to what we have said in this letter, take note of that man, and keep away from him, so that he may be shamed. 15 Have no feeling of hate for him, but take him in hand seriously as a brother. 16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. May the Lord be with you all. 17 These words of love to you at the end are in my writing, Paul's writing, and this is the mark of every letter from me. 18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
2 Thessalonians · Bible in Basic English
2 Thessalonians 3 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (18)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Thessalonians 5:25; Colossians 4:3; 1 Corinthians 16:9; Ephesians 6:19–20; Acts 19:20
- 2 2 Corinthians 4:3–4; Romans 15:31; Deuteronomy 32:20; Romans 10:16; Luke 18:8
- 3 2 Timothy 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Psalm 121:7; 1 Corinthians 1:9
- 4 Philippians 1:6; Philemon 21; 1 Thessalonians 4:10; 2 Corinthians 2:3; Philippians 2:12
- 5 Psalm 119:36; 1 Chronicles 29:18; Deuteronomy 30:6; 1 John 4:19; Hebrews 12:2–3
- 6 2 Thessalonians 3:10–11; 2 Thessalonians 3:7; Colossians 3:17; Romans 16:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:14
- 7 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; 1 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Titus 2:7
- 8 Matthew 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; Ephesians 4:28; Acts 18:3; 1 Corinthians 4:12
- 9 2 Thessalonians 3:7; 1 Corinthians 9:4–14; 1 Thessalonians 2:6; Galatians 6:6; John 13:15
- 10 Genesis 3:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 20:4; Proverbs 21:25
- 11 1 Timothy 5:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 1 Peter 4:15
- 12 Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:8; Luke 11:3; Proverbs 17:1
- 13 Galatians 6:9–10; Hebrews 12:3; 2 Corinthians 4:1; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Isaiah 40:29–31
- 14 Titus 3:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Psalm 83:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:8
- 15 Titus 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Corinthians 4:14; Galatians 6:1
- 16 Psalm 29:11; John 16:33; Matthew 1:23; John 14:27; Romans 15:33
- 17 1 Corinthians 16:21; Colossians 4:18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; Joshua 2:12; 1 Samuel 17:18
- 18 Romans 16:20; Romans 16:23
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Neither ought we, having committed everything to the prayers of the Saints, to be idle ourselves, and run into wickedness, and to lay hold of nothing; nor again when working good to despise that succor. For great indeed are the things which prayer for us can effect, but it is when we ourselves also work.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
Since Paul also, having made infinite complaints, and said, "If any will not work, neither let him eat," stopped not at this, but added, "But ye, be not weary in well doing." "Nay, but these things are contradictory.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
We have learnt from the Apostle, "the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ" for our tribulations.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)
But although Paul saith, "If any will not work, neither let him eat," to them he saith it; but to us he saith not this, but, on the contrary, "Be not weary in well doing." Even thus do we at home; when any two are striving with each other, we take each apart, and give them the opposite advice.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
if where they are strangers they shine so bright, how great will they become when they shall have won their native land!" Thus they too will be reformed, and the word of godliness "will have free course," not less than in the apostles' times.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)