New International Version
2 Thessalonians 3:8
8nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
2 Thessalonians 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- English Standard Version (ESV)nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you,
- New Living Translation (NLT)We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you.
Context of 2 Thessalonians 3:8
6In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
Read all of 2 Thessalonians 32 Thessalonians 3:8 word by word
οὐδὲ δωρεὰν ἄρτον ἐφάγομεν παρά τινος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενοι πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα ὑμῶν·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
- did we eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
- any man’sτιςtis · oneG5100
- breadἄρτοςartos · breadG740
- for noughtδωρεάνdōrean · freelyG1432
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- wroughtἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
- withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- labourκόποςkopos · laborG2873
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- travailμόχθοςmochthos · toilG3449
- nightνύξnux · nightG3571
- dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- thatπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- we mightἐπιβαρέωepibareō · to burdenG1912
- notμήmē · notG3361
- of youσύsu · youG4771
- ·παράpara · from/with/besideG3844
Cross-references for 2 Thessalonians 3:8
- 2 Thessalonians 3:12Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat.
- Proverbs 31:27She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
- Matthew 6:11Give us today our daily bread.
- Acts 18:3and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.
- Acts 20:34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.
- 1 Corinthians 4:12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
- 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,
- 1 Thessalonians 2:9Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
Commentaries on 2 Thessalonians 3:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Neither did we eat any man's bread for naught - We paid for what we bought, and worked with our hands that we might have money to buy what was necessary. Labour and travail night and day - We were incessantly employed, either in preaching the Gospel, visiting from house to house, or working at our calling. As it is very evident that the Church at Thessalonica was very pious, and most affectionately attached to the apostle, they must have been very poor…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Neither did we eat any man‘s bread for nought - We were not supported in idleness at the expense of others. We gave a fair equivalent for all that we received, and, in fact, labored for our own support; see the notes on 1 Thessalonians 2:9.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. 8without paying for it: Paul taught that workers in the Christian church could receive pay for their labor (3:9; see Matthew 10:10; 1 Corinthians 9:7–14; 1 Timothy 5:17–18). However, he did not use that privilege (1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:6–10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. eat any man's bread--Greek, "eat bread from any man," that is, live at anyone's expense. Contrast 2Th 3:12, "eat THEIR OWN bread." wrought--(Ac 20:34). In both Epistles they state they maintained themselves by labor; but in this second Epistle they do so in order to offer themselves herein as an example to the idle; whereas, in the first, their object in doing so is to vindicate themselves from all imputation of mercenary motives in preaching the…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Thessalonians 3:8
In the dictionaries
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
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