3 Now, friends, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that more and more people will soon hear the Lord's message. Pray that people will receive the message well and accept it as true. That is how you received it. 2 Pray also that God will not let bad people cause trouble for us. Not everyone believes the message about our Lord. 3 But the Lord always does what he has promised. So he will help you to be strong inside yourselves. He will keep you safe when Satan attacks you.
4 Because you belong to the Lord, he makes us sure about you. We know that you are doing the things that we tell you to do. And we know that you will continue to do those things. 5 We pray that the Lord will lead you in your thoughts. Then you will understand God's love better and better. And you will be patient and strong, as Christ is.
6 Our friends, you must stay away from every believer who is living in a lazy way. We tell you this with the authority that the Lord Jesus Christ gives to us. Lazy people like that are not living in the way that we taught you. 7 You yourselves know that you ought to copy our example. You know that we were not lazy when we lived among you. 8 We always paid for the food that anyone gave to us. We worked hard all the time, during the day and at night. We did that so that we would not make trouble for any of you. 9 We could have told you to give us what we needed. We have authority to do that. But we wanted to show you how to live properly. Then you could copy our example. 10 Even when we were there with you, we told you this rule: ‘If anyone refuses to work, you should not give food to him.’ [ a ]
11 We say this because someone has told us news about you. They have told us that some people among you are living in a lazy way. [ b ] Those people do not work at their own jobs. Instead, they cause trouble to other people who are working. 12 We have something to say to people who are lazy like that. We warn them with the authority that the Lord Jesus Christ gives to us. They must stop causing trouble. They must work properly, so that they get their own food to eat.
13 But you must never stop doing what is right, our Christian friends, even when it causes trouble for you. 14 Maybe someone among you will not obey the message that we have written in this letter. Make sure that everyone knows about someone like that. Do not be friends with him, so that he may become ashamed. 15 But remember that he is a believer, as you are. So warn him carefully.
16 The Lord helps us to have peace in our minds. I pray that the Lord himself will give that peace to you at all times, whatever happens. I pray that the Lord will be with all of you.
17 I, Paul, am writing these words at the end of my letter with my own hand. I say ‘hello’ to you. That is how I write in every letter that comes from me.
18 I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to be very kind to all of you.
3 And now, brothers and sisters, pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s teaching will continue to spread quickly. And pray that people will give honor to that teaching, the same as happened with you. 2 And pray that we will be protected from crooked and evil people. Not everyone believes in the Lord, you know.
3 But the Lord is faithful. He will give you strength and protect you from the Evil One. 4 The Lord gives us confidence that you are doing what we told you and that you will continue to do it. 5 We pray that the Lord will cause you to feel God’s love and remember Christ’s patient endurance.
6 Brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ we tell you to stay away from any believer who refuses to work. People who refuse to work are not following the teaching that we gave them. 7 You yourselves know that you should live like we do. We were not lazy when we were with you. 8 We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked and worked so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We worked night and day. 9 We had the right to ask you to help us. But we worked to take care of ourselves so that we would be an example for you to follow. 10 When we were with you, we gave you this rule: “Whoever will not work should not be allowed to eat.”
11 We hear that some people in your group refuse to work. They are doing nothing except being busy in the lives of others. 12 Our instruction to them is to stop bothering others, to start working and earn their own food. It is by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ that we are urging them to do this. 13 Brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.
14 If there are some there who refuse to do what we tell you in this letter, remember who they are. Don’t associate with them. Then maybe they will feel ashamed. 15 But don’t treat them as enemies. Counsel them as fellow believers.
16 We pray that the Lord of peace will give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.
17 Here’s my greeting in my own handwriting— Paul . I do this in all my letters to show they are from me. This is the way I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
3 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
3 ( A ) Finally, brothers and sisters , ( B ) pray for us that ( C ) the word of the Lord will [ a ] spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it was also with you; 2 and that we will be ( D ) rescued from troublesome and evil people; for not all have the faith. 3 But ( E ) the Lord is faithful, [ b ] and He will strengthen and protect you [ c ] from ( F ) the evil one. 4 We have ( G ) confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you ( H ) are doing, and will do, what we command. 5 May the Lord ( I ) direct your hearts to the love of God and to the perseverance of Christ.
6 Now we command you, brothers and sisters , ( J ) in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you [ d ] ( K ) keep away from every brother or sister who [ e ] leads a [ f ] ( L ) disorderly life and not one in accordance with ( M ) the tradition which [ g ] you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to [ h ] ( N ) follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined way among you, 8 nor did we ( O ) eat [ i ] anyone’s bread [ j ] without paying for it, but with ( P ) labor and hardship we kept ( Q ) working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; 9 not because we do not have ( R ) the right to this , but in order to offer ourselves ( S ) as a role model for you, so that you would [ k ] follow our example. 10 For even ( T ) when we were with you, we used to give you this order: ( U ) if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11 For we hear that some among you are ( V ) leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like ( W ) busybodies. 12 Now we command and ( X ) exhort such persons in the Lord Jesus Christ to ( Y ) work [ l ] peacefully and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, ( Z ) brothers and sisters , ( AA ) do not grow weary of doing good.
14 If anyone does not obey our [ m ] instruction [ n ] ( AB ) in this letter, take special note of that person so as ( AC ) not to associate with him, so that he will be ( AD ) put to shame. 15 And yet ( AE ) do not regard that person as an enemy, but [ o ] ( AF ) admonish that one as a ( AG ) brother or sister .
16 Now ( AH ) may the Lord of peace ( AI ) Himself continually grant you peace in every [ p ] circumstance. ( AJ ) The Lord be with you all!
17 [ q ] I, Paul, write this greeting ( AK ) with my own hand, and this is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write. 18 ( AL ) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, ( A ) pray for us ( B ) that the message of the Lord ( C ) may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. ( D ) 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, ( E ) for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, ( F ) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. ( G ) 4 We have confidence ( H ) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts ( I ) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, ( J ) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from ( K ) every believer who is idle and disruptive ( L ) and does not live according to the teaching [ a ] you received from us. ( M ) 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. ( N ) We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked ( O ) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, ( P ) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. ( Q ) 10 For even when we were with you, ( R ) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work ( S ) shall not eat.”
11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. ( T ) 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ ( U ) to settle down and earn the food they eat. ( V ) 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. ( W )
14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, ( X ) in order that they may feel ashamed. ( Y ) 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer. ( Z )
16 Now may the Lord of peace ( AA ) himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. ( AB )
17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, ( AC ) which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. ( AD )
