3Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may progress and be honored, just as also it was with you, ²and that we may be delivered from evil and wicked people, for not all have the faith^a. ³But the Lord is faithful, who will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. ⁴And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are both doing and you will do the things that we are commanding. ⁵Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God and toward the patient endurance of Christ.

Warning Against Lazy, Irresponsible Behavior

⁶But we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who lives irresponsibly and not according to the tradition that they received from us. ⁷For you yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate us, that we did not behave irresponsibly among you, ⁸nor did we eat bread from anyone without paying, but with toil and labor, we were working night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you, ⁹not that we do not have the right, but so that we may give ourselves as an example to you, so that you may imitate us. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, we used to command this to you: that if anyone does not want to work, neither should he eat. ¹¹For we hear that some among you are living irresponsibly, working at nothing, but being busybodies. ¹²Now we command and we exhort such people in the Lord Jesus Christ that, working with quietness, they eat their own bread. ¹³But as for you, brothers, do not be discouraged while^* doing what is right. ¹⁴But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note not to associate with him, in order that he may be put to shame. ¹⁵And do not consider him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Final Greeting and Benediction

¹⁶Now may the Lord of peace himself grant you peace through everything in every way. May the Lord be with all of you. ¹⁷The greeting is by my hand, Paul’s, which is a sign of genuineness^b in every letter: this is how I write^c. ¹⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

aLiterally “for not of all is the faith”
*Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“doing what is right”) which is understood as temporal
bLiterally “a sign”
cLiterally “in this way I write”