⁸nor did we ^aeat ¹anyone’s bread ²without paying for it, but with ^blabor and hardship we kept ^cworking night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;

⁹not because we do not have ^athe right to this, but in order to offer ourselves ^bas a model for you, so that you would ¹follow our example.

¹⁰For even ^awhen we were with you, we used to give you this order: ^bif anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

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Footnotes

1Lit imitate us
1Lit from anyone
2Lit freely
1Lit imitate us

Cross references

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For you yourselves know how you should imitate us: We were not idle among you; we did not eat anyone’s food free of charge; instead, we labored and toiled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you. It is not that we don’t have the right to support, but we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”

NLTNew Living Translation

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.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For you yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate us, that we did not behave irresponsibly among you, nor 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, not 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. For 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.

KJV 1900King James Version

For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Public Domain