2 Thessalonians 3:8

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:
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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,

Context of 2 Thessalonians 3:8

6Now 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 from us. 7For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nothing; but wrought with labour and toil night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example to you to follow us. 10For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

2 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

• Neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
• eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
• man’sπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• man’sτιςtis · oneG5100
• breadἄρτοςartos · breadG740
• nothingδωρεάνdōrean · freelyG1432
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• wroughtἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• labourκόποςkopos · laborG2873
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• toilμόχθοςmochthos · toilG3449
• nightνύξnux · nightG3571
• dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• thatπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• mightἐπιβαρέωepibareō · to burdenG1912
• notμήmē · notG3361
• youὑμῶνhumōn · of youG5216

Cross-references for 2 Thessalonians 3:8

• 2 Thessalonians 3:12Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
• Proverbs 31:27She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
• Matthew 6:11Give us this day our daily bread.
• Acts 18:3And because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and worked: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
• Acts 20:34Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with me.
• 1 Corinthians 4:12And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure it:
• 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was present with you, and in need, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself .
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
• 1 Thessalonians 2:9For ye remember, brethren, our labour and toil: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

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

• Commandments
• Example
• Industry
• Labor
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Unselfishness
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Admonish
• Disorderly
• Lord
• Philippians, Epistle to
• Poor
• Labor
• Nought
• Scribes
• Thessalonica
• Travail

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