2 Thessalonians 3:10

2 Thessalonians 3:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
• New International Version (NIV)For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

Context of 2 Thessalonians 3:10

8We didn’t eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, we worked hard and struggled night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you. 9It’s not as though we didn’t have a right to receive support. Rather, we wanted to set an example for you to follow. While we were with you, we gave you the order: “Whoever doesn’t want to work shouldn’t be allowed to eat.” 11We hear that some of you are not living disciplined lives. You’re not working, so you go around interfering in other people’s lives. 12We order and encourage such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to pay attention to their own work so they can support themselves.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 word by word

καὶ γὰρ ὅτε ἦμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, τοῦτο παρηγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν ὅτι εἴ τις οὐ θέλει ἐργάζεσθαι μηδὲ ἐσθιέτω.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• evenκαίkai · andG2532
• whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• we wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• withπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• youσύsu · youG4771
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• we commandedπαραγγέλλωparaggellō · to orderG3853
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• anyτιςtis · oneG5100
• wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• notοὐou · noG3756
• workἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
• neitherμηδέmēde · norG3366
• should he eatἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068

Cross-references for 2 Thessalonians 3:10

• Luke 24:44Then he said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you. I told you that everything written about me in Moses’ Teachings, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to come true.”
• John 16:4But I’ve told you this so that when it happens you’ll remember what I’ve told you. I didn’t tell you this at first, because I was with you.
• Acts 20:18When they were with him, he said to them, “You know how I spent all my time with you from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.
• Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow, you will produce food to eat until you return to the ground, because you were taken from it. You are dust, and you will return to dust.”
• Proverbs 13:4A lazy person craves food and there is none, but the appetite of hard-working people is satisfied.
• Proverbs 20:4A lazy person does not plow in the fall. He looks for something in the harvest but finds nothing.
• Proverbs 21:25The desire of a lazy person will kill him because his hands refuse to work.
• Proverbs 24:30I passed by a lazy person’s field, the vineyard belonging to a person without sense.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11Also, make it your goal to live quietly, do your work, and earn your own living, as we ordered you.

Commentaries on 2 Thessalonians 3:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10If any would not work, neither should he eat - This is a just maxim, and universal nature inculcates it to man. If man will work, he may eat; if he do not work, he neither can eat, nor should he eat. The maxim is founded on these words of the Lord: In the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread. Industry is crowned with God's blessing; idleness is loaded with his curse. This maxim was a proverb among the Jews. Men who can work, and will rather support…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10For even when we were with you, this we commanded you - It would seem from this that the evil of which the apostle here complains had begun to operate even when he was with them. There were those who were disposed to be idle, and who needed the solemn command of an apostle to induce them to labor. That if any would not work, neither should he eat - That is, at the public expense. They should not be supported by the church. This was a maxim among the Jews…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-15Verses 6-15 Those who have received the gospel, are to live according to the gospel. Such as could work, and would not, were not to be maintained in idleness. Christianity is not to countenance slothfulness, which would consume what is meant to encourage the industrious, and to support the sick and afflicted. Industry in our callings as men, is a duty required by our calling as Christians. But some expected to be maintained in idleness, and indulged a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10Work is the right way to earn a living (see Genesis 3:17–19; Psalm 128:2; Proverbs 10:4). Paul says the church is not responsible for feeding Christians who refuse to work.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. For even--Translate, "For also." We not only set you the example, but gave a positive "command." commanded--Greek imperfect, "We were commanding"; we kept charge of you. would not work--Greek, "is unwilling to work." Bengel makes this to be the argument: not that such a one is to have his food withdrawn from him by others; but he proves from the necessity of eating the necessity of working; using this pleasantry, Let him who will not work show himself…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Thessalonians 3:10

• Commandments
• Example
• Idleness
• Industry
• Labor
• Slothfulness

In the dictionaries

• Admonish
• Disorderly
• Lord
• Poor
• Salvation
• Thessalonians, the Second Epistle of Paul to the

Commentaries on 2 Thessalonians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings