2 Thessalonians 3

1 Furthermore, brethren, pray for vs, that the worde of the Lord may haue free passage and be glorified, euen as it is with you,

In conclusion, friends, pray for us – pray that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly, and be received everywhere with honour, as it was among you;

2 And that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men: for all men haue not fayth.

and that we may be preserved from wrong-headed and wicked people – for it is not everyone who believes in Christ.

3 But the Lord is faithfull, which wil stablish you, and keepe you from euill.

But the Lord will not fail you. He will give you strength, and guard you from evil.

4 And we are perswaded of you through the Lord, that ye both doe, and will doe the things which we warne you of.

Yes, and the confidence that our union with the Lord enables us to place in you leads us to believe that you are doing, and will do, what we direct you.

5 And the Lord guide your hearts to the loue of God, and the waiting for of Christ.

May the Lord bring you to the love of God, and to the patience of the Christ.

6 We warne you, brethren, in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, that ye withdrawe your selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately, and not after the instruction, which hee receiued of vs.

We beg you, friends, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to avoid any follower who is living an ill-ordered life, which is not in agreement with the teaching that you received from us.

7 For ye your selues know, how ye ought to follow vs: for we behaued not our selues inordinately among you,

For you know well that you ought to follow our example. When we were with you, our life was not ill-ordered,

8 Neither tooke we bread of any man for nought: but we wrought with labour and trauaile night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you.

nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it. Night and day, labouring and toiling, we used to work at our trades, so as not to be a burden on any of you.

9 Not because we haue not authoritie, but that we might make our selues an ensample vnto you to follow vs.

This was not because we had not a right to receive support, but our object was to give you a pattern for you to copy.

10 For euen when we were with you, this we warned you of, that if there were any, which would not worke, that he should not eate.

Indeed, when we were with you, the rule we laid down was – “Whoever does not choose to work will not get to eat.”

11 For we heare, that there are some which walke among you inordinately, and worke not at all, but are busie bodies.

We hear that there are among you people who are living ill-ordered lives, and who, instead of attending to their own business, are mere busybodies.

12 Therefore them that are such, we warne and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ, that they worke with quietnes, and eate their owne bread.

All such people we beg, and implore, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to attend quietly to their business, and earn their own living.

13 And ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

You, friends, must not grow weary of doing what is right.

14 If any man obey not this our saying in this letter, note him, and haue no company with him, that he may be ashamed:

If anyone disregards what we have said in this letter, take note of them and avoid their company, so that they may feel ashamed.

15 Yet count him not as an enemie, but admonish him as a brother.

Yet do not think of them as an enemy, but caution them as you would a brother or sister.

16 Now the Lord himselfe of peace giue you peace alwayes by all meanes. The Lord be with you all.

May the Lord, from whom all peace comes, himself give you his peace at all times and in all ways. May he be with you all.

17 The salutation of me Paul, with mine owne hand, which is ye token in euery Epistle: so I write,

I, Paul, add this greeting in my own handwriting. It is my signature to every letter. This is how I write.

18 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all, Amen. ‘The second Epistle to the Thessalonians, written from Athens.’

May the blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.