2 Thessalonians
Chapter 3
Overview
This closing chapter turns from prayer to practical community life. Paul and his coworkers ask the believers in Thessalonica to pray that the Lord’s message will spread quickly and that they will be rescued from hostile people. Then they address a stubborn problem: some members have stopped working and are meddling in other people’s affairs. The response must be firm without becoming cruel—distance should correct them, not turn them into enemies. Paul points to his own hard work as an example, then closes with a prayer for peace, his handwritten signature, and a final blessing.
1Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread quickly and be honored, just as it was among you.
2Pray also that we will be rescued from unreasonable and evil people, because not everyone believes.
3But the Lord is faithful. He will strengthen you and protect you from evil.
4Because of the Lord, we are confident about you. You are following our instructions, and you will continue to do so.
5May the Lord guide your hearts toward God’s love and the patient endurance shown by the Messiah.
6Brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, we instruct you to keep away from any fellow believer who lives irresponsibly instead of following the teaching they received from us.
7You yourselves know that you should follow our example, because we did not live irresponsibly while we were among you.
8We did not eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, we worked hard night and day so that we would not burden any of you.
9We did this not because we had no right to receive support, but because we wanted to give you an example to follow.
10Even when we were with you, we gave you this instruction: “Anyone who refuses to work must not eat.”
11We hear that some among you are living irresponsibly. They do no work at all but keep interfering in other people’s business.
12In the Lord Jesus the Messiah, we instruct and urge such people to settle down, work quietly, and earn the food they eat.
13But you, brothers and sisters, must not grow tired of doing what is good.
14If anyone refuses to obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person and do not associate with them, so that they may become ashamed of their behavior.
15Yet do not treat that person as an enemy. Instead, warn them as a fellow member of your spiritual family.
16May the Lord, who gives peace, give you peace at all times and in every way. May the Lord be with all of you.
17I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. It is my identifying mark in every letter; this is how I write.
18May the generous kindness of our Lord Jesus the Messiah be with all of you.