2 Thessalonians 3

1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you,

2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.

3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

4 We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command.

5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and into the perseverance of Christ.

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion and not after the tradition which they received from us.

7 For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you,

8 neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you.

9 This was not because we don’t have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us.

10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.”

11 For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies.

12 Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness and eat their own bread.

13 But you, brothers, don’t be weary in doing what is right.

14 If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man and have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.

15 Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.

17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter. This is how I write.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Around 2 Thessalonians 3

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

2 Thessalonians 3 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for him and his companions, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and that they may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men. The Lord is faithful and will guard them from the evil one.

Then comes a matter that has to be settled. Some in the church are living in rebellion against the teaching they received. They are not working, and they are busybodies. Paul points to his own example. He did not eat anyone’s bread without paying, but worked night and day so as not to burden them, though he had the right to be supported. The rule he gave them was blunt: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.” Those people are told to work quietly and eat their own bread.

The discipline has a gentle limit. Do not count such a person as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Paul closes with a greeting in his own hand, which he says is the sign in every letter.

Background

Some members of the church had stopped working, and Paul answers with his own record of hard labor. The saying is aimed at those who were unwilling, not at those who could not work. The letter is usually dated shortly after 1 Thessalonians, and many scholars accept Paul as its author, though some doubt it. Closing in his own hand was a way to guard against letters falsely sent in his name, which he mentions in chapter 2. See 1 Thessalonians 4 for the earlier teaching on work.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 18 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

Report a mistake

CommunityVoices, not sources

Readers share what this chapter means to them in the app.

See what readers say about 2 Thessalonians 3

World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes