2 Thessalonians 3

1 As for the other matters, [our] fellow believers, pray for us that more and more [people will] hear [PRS] our message [about our] Lord [Jesus]. Pray that they will believe this message, as you [have done].

For the rest, brethren, pray for us, that the word of God may run, and may be glorified, even as among you;

2 Pray also for us that we will be rescued {that God will rescue us} from those very perverse/evil people [here] who [cause us to suffer. Pray like that] because [they and many others] refuse to believe [LIT] [this message].

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

3 [Remember that our] Lord [Jesus] is trustworthy! [So we are sure that] he will cause you to continue to be steadfast. [We are also sure that] he will protect you from [Satan], the evil one (OR, from evil).

But God is faithful, who will strengthen and keep you from evil.

4 [Because of your close relationship with our] Lord [Jesus], we are confident that you are obeying what we have commanded you, and we are confident that you will obey what we are commanding [you in this letter].

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

5 [We pray that our] Lord [Jesus] would enable you to continue [knowing] that God loves you. [We pray] also that Christ will cause you to continue [being] steadfast (OR, being steadfast as he [was steadfast]).

And the Lord direct your hearts, in the charity of God, and the patience of Christ.

6 [Our] fellow believers, we command you, with the authority [MTY] that our Lord Jesus Christ [has given to us], that you stop associating with every fellow believer who is lazy and refuses to work. That is, you must stay away from those who are not [conducting their lives] in the manner that we taught you.

And we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us.

7 [We tell you this] because you yourselves know that you should [behave] like we [behaved]. We (did not just sit [around] without working/were never lazy) [while we were living] among you.

For yourselves know how you ought to imitate us: for we were not disorderly among you;

8 Specifically, we did not eat anyone’s food if we did not pay [that person] for it. Instead, we worked very hard ([to support ourselves/to earn the money to buy what we needed]). We worked hard [DOU] during the day and during the night, in order that we would not have to depend on any of you [to supply what we needed].

Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nothing, but in labour and in toil we worked night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you.

9 We have always had the right [to depend on you for money, but instead we worked hard in order to make ourselves] examples for you, in order that you should behave like we behave.

Not as if we had not power: but that we might give ourselves a pattern unto you, to imitate us.

10 Remember that when we were [there] with you, we kept commanding you that if any [fellow believer] refuses to work, [you should not give] him food to eat.

For also when we were with you, this we declared to you: that, if any man will not work, neither let him eat.

11 [We are commanding the same thing] again now, because someone has told us that some of you are lazy and not working at all, just interfering [with what other people are doing]!

For we have heard there are some among you who walk disorderly, working not at all, but curiously meddling.

12 We command those fellow believers who are not working, and urge [them] by the authority [MTY] of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they settle down and (support themselves by working/work to earn money to buy what they need).

Now we charge them that are such, and beseech them by the Lord Jesus Christ, that, working with silence, they would eat their own bread.

13 Fellow believers! Do not ever get tired of doing what is right!

But you, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

14 If any [fellow believer refuses to work] and does not obey what I have written in this letter, ([publicly] identify that person/tell the congregation what that person is doing). Then do not associate with him, in order that he may become ashamed.

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed:

15 Do not think of him as though he was [your] enemy; instead, warn him as [you would warn your other] fellow believers.

Yet do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

16 [I pray that our] Lord [Jesus] himself, who [gives inner] peace [to his people], will give [inner] peace to you always (and in every situation/whatever happens). 2 Thessalonians 3:16b-18 I [pray that our] Lord [Jesus will continue to] help you all.

Now the Lord of peace himself give you everlasting peace in every place. The Lord be with you all.

17 Now, having taken the pen from my scribe, I, Paul, am sending this greeting to you as I write this myself [SYN]. I do this in all my letters in order that you may know that it is truly I who have sent this letter. This is how I always end my letters.

The salutation of Paul with my own hand; which is the sign in every epistle. So I write.

18 I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to act kindly to you all.

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