2 Thessalonians 3
1 Finally, pray for us, Family, that the Lord’s message would take off at a run and be renowned just like it has been with you 2 and that we would be rescued from inappropriate and harmful people since not everyone is faithful. 3 But the Lord is faithful and will strengthen and protect you from hardship.a 4 As for you, we have confidence in the Lord that you are both doing and will continue to do what we instructed. 5 The Lord will guide your hearts toward God’s love and Christ’s endurance.b
6 As representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ, Family, we are instructing you to keep your distance from every member of the Family who walks impulsivelyc and not based on the instructiond they received from us. 7 You saw for yourselves what it takes to walk the way we walke because we did not behave without moderation among you 8 or eat people’s food without paying; instead, with hard work and labor night and day, we made effort not to be a burdenf for any of you. 9 We did that not because we do not have the right, but rather so we would give ourselves to you as a model for you to imitate. 10 It was while we were with you that we gave you this instruction: “If someone does not want to work, then they should not eat either.” 11 You see, we hear some among you are walking without moderation, doing no work but involving themselves in other people’s work. 12 So, we instruct these people and encourage them in connection with the Lord Jesus Christ to work in silenceg and then they can eat their own food. 13 But you, Family, may you not get worn out while doing what is admirable. 14 If someone does not listen to what we have to say in this letter, take it as a sign not to be closely connected with them, so that he may feel remorse,h 15 but don’t think of them as an enemy; instead, instruct them how to grow as a member of the Family.
16 May the Lord of Peace himself give you peace through everything in every way. 17 This greeting in my own handwriting is from Paul, which is a mark of authenticityi in every letter; this is how I write. 18 Good fortune from our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
FOOTNOTES:
a Or ‘harm’ or ‘the harmful one.’
b The phrases ten agapen tou theo (‘the love of God’) and ten upomonen tou christou (‘the endurance of Christ’) could be taken as either God’s love and Christ’s love respectively or as love for God and enduring for Christ respectively. Both meanings could be appropriate here, and it is impossible to know with certainty which was intended. ‘Christ’s endurance’ seems more likely than ‘enduring for Christ’ and the pairing with ‘love of God’ suggests they would most likely be intended to be interpreted in the same way. The context seems to suggest that the desire is for the audience to desire to emulate God’s love and Christ’s endurance.
c Compare to 1 Thessalonians 5:14. Or ‘irregularly’ or ‘excessively’
d Traditionally, ‘tradition.’ It is meant in the sense of teaching or instruction passed on from one generation to another or from authoritative figures to others, not repeated and meaningful actions such as ‘holiday traditions.’
e Literally, ‘what is required to imitate us’
f Compare to 1 Thessalonians 2:6
g This is a literal translation. The sentiment might be closer to ‘keep their mouths shut’ or ‘mind their own business.’
h Traditionaly, ‘ashamed.’ However, the understanding of the word ‘ashamed’ has been shifting in English to mean something more like ‘feeling or believing oneself to be worthless.’ It is clearly not the intent here to imply someone’s worthlessness. In fact, based on the next verse, their worth within the Family of God is unassailable and only how they treat others is in question.
i The Greek word is semeion, often translated in other places as ‘sign’ like throughout the book “John” and 2 Thessalonians 2:9 translated in this document as ‘dramatic demonstration.’