2 Thessalonians 3:9

3:9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate. ¹ 

2 Thessalonians 3:13

3:13 But you, brothers and sisters, ²  do not grow weary in doing what is right.

2 Thessalonians 3:10

3:10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8

1:8 With flaming fire he will mete out ³  punishment on those who do not know God ⁴  and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 3:2

3:2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil people. For not all have faith.

2 Thessalonians 3:14

3:14 But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed.

2 Thessalonians 2:12

2:12 And so ⁵  all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned. ⁶ 

2 Thessalonians 3:7

3:7 For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline ⁷  among you,

2 Thessalonians 3:15

3:15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. ⁸ 

2 Thessalonians 3:8

3:8 and we did not eat anyone’s food without paying. ⁹  Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked ¹⁰  night and day in order not to burden any of you.

2 Thessalonians 2:5

2:5 Surely you recall ¹¹  that I used to tell you these things while I was still with you.

2 Thessalonians 3:11

3:11 For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, ¹²  not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. ¹³ 

2 Thessalonians 2:2-3

2:2 not to be easily ¹⁴  shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, ¹⁵  to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. 2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes ¹⁶  and the man of lawlessness ¹⁷  is revealed, the son of destruction. ¹⁸ 

2 Thessalonians 3:6

Response to the Undisciplined

3:6 But we command you, brothers and sisters, ¹⁹  in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined ²⁰  life ²¹  and not according to the tradition they ²²  received from us.

2 Thessalonians 2:10

2:10 and with every kind of evil deception directed against ²³  those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth ²⁴  so as to be saved.

2 Thessalonians 3:17

3:17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, which is how I write in every letter. ²⁵ 

¹ tn Grk “an example for you to imitate us.”

² tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:3.

³ tn Grk “meting out,” as a description of Jesus Christ in v. 7. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 8 in the translation.

⁴ sn An allusion to Jer 10:25, possibly also to Ps 79:6 and Isa 66:15.

⁴ tn Grk “that.” A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁵ tn Grk “be judged,” but in this context the term clearly refers to a judgment of condemnation (BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α; cf. KJV “that they all might be damned”). CEV views the condemnation as punishment (“will be punished”).

⁵ tn This is the verbal form of the words occurring in vv. 6 and 11, meaning “to act out of line, in an unruly way.”

⁶ tn That is, as a fellow believer.

⁷ tn Grk “we did not eat bread freely from anyone.”

⁸ tn Grk “but working,” as a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started with the word “Instead” in the translation.

⁸ tn Grk “You do remember, don’t you?”

⁹ tn Grk “walking in an undisciplined way” (“walking” is a common NT idiom for one’s way of life or conduct).

¹⁰ tn There is a play on words in the Greek: “working at nothing, but working around,” “not keeping busy but being busybodies.”

¹⁰ tn Or “quickly, soon.”

¹¹ tn Grk “as through us.”

¹¹ tn Grk “for unless the rebellion comes first.” The clause about “the day” is understood from v. 2.

¹² tc Most mss (A D F G Ψ Ï lat sy) read ἁμαρτίας (Jamartia", “of sin”) here, but several important mss (א B 0278 6 81 1739 1881 al co) read ἀνομίας (anomia", “of lawlessness”). Although external support for ἁμαρτίας is broader, the generally earlier and better witnesses are on the side of ἀνομίας. Internally, since ἁμαρτία (Jamartia, “sin”) occurs nearly ten times as often as ἀνομία (anomia, “lawlessness”) in the corpus Paulinum, scribes would be expected to change the text to the more familiar term. At the same time, the mention of ἀνομία in v. 7 and ὁ ἄνομος (Jo anomo", “the lawless one”) in v. 8, both of which look back to v. 3, may have prompted scribes to change the text toward ἀνομίας. The internal evidence is thus fairly evenly balanced. Although a decision is difficult, ἀνομίας has slightly greater probability of authenticity than ἁμαρτίας.

¹³ tn Or “the one destined for destruction.”

¹² tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:3.

¹³ tn Or “unruly, out of line.” The particular violation Paul has in mind is idleness (as described in vv. 8-11), so this could be translated to reflect that.

¹⁴ tn Grk “walking in an undisciplined way” (“walking” is a common NT idiom for one’s way of life or conduct).

¹⁵ tc The reading “you received” (παρελάβετε, parelabete) is found predominately in Western witnesses (F G 1505 2464 pc), although the support of B and the Sahidic version strengthens the reading considerably. The reading “they received” is found in two different forms: παρελάβοσαν (parelabosan; in א* A [D*] 0278 33 pc) and παρέλαβον (parelabon; in א² D² Ψ 1739 1881 Ï). (παρέλαβον is evidently a correction of παρελάβοσαν to the more common spelling for the third person aorist form). The external evidence is divided fairly evenly, with παρελάβετε and παρελάβοσαν each having adequate support. Internal evidence leans toward “they received”: Given the second person reading, there is little reason why scribes would intentionally change it to a third person plural, and especially an archaic form at that. There is ample reason, however, for scribes to change the third person form to the second person form given that in the prior context παράδοσις (paradosis, “tradition”) is used with a relative clause (as here) with a second person verb (see 2:15). The third person form should be regarded as original.

¹³ tn Grk “deception for/toward.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “they did not accept the love of the truth.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “The greeting in my hand, Paul, which is a sign in every letter, thus I write.”