2 Thessalonians 3:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.

NIV: And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

NASB: But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary of doing good.

CSB: But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good.

NLT: As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.

KJV: But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

NKJV: But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

In this verse Paul acknowledges that most of the Thessalonian believers were doing well. They were doing what was right, but they needed to maintain that effort, in spite of the fact that some were falling short. Paul exhorts them not to become burnt out, frustrated, or exhausted from doing good, resulting in becoming tired "of" doing good.

The Christian workers at Thessalonica might have been enticed by the example of those who were idle. As long as we live in a fallen world, we'll feel the temptation to ask why we should work hard, when others just sit back and take it easy. Paul had the same message for the churches of Galatia. He wrote in Galatians 6:9: "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

It is important in our service for the Lord that we do right, regardless what others do. We need to recognize that we are individually accountable to the Lord. As Paul wrote to the Romans: "So then each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12).

This temptation is not reserved for those who are new, or weak, in the faith. It seems Demas, one of Paul's coworkers, spurned the missionary life with its hardships in favor of an easy road. Paul wrote that Demas had deserted him because he loved the world system (2 Timothy 4:10).

Second Thessalonians 3:6–15 addresses the sin of idleness. Paul calls on the church at Thessalonica to avoid any brother who makes idleness habitual. He reminds his readers that he and his associates were not idle when they were in Thessalonica. They did not assume they'd be pampered, rather they refused to eat without paying for the meal. They had the right to receive financial and material support for their ministry, but they chose to labor to the point of exhaustion so they would not burden anyone. Their hard work served as an example for the Christians to follow. Paul explains that idleness had turned some members of the church into busybodies, and he prescribes the disciplinary action the church should follow to put an end to idleness.

Paul expresses confidence that the Thessalonians would do what he commanded. He addresses the sin of idleness in the lives of some of the believers at Thessalonica, commanding the church to avoid an idle brother. Paul also points to his own example of diligence, when he refused to rely on charity. Paul clearly separates charity for the needy from foolishly supporting those who are merely lazy: If anyone is not willing to work, don't feed him. The letter ends with a prayer for peace among the Thessalonian believers. Paul also assures his readers that 2 Thessalonians is authentic because it bears his signature.

The prior chapter explained the events which would precede the ''day of the Lord:'' a time of severe judgment. Among these were a time of deep spiritual rebellion and the rise of a figure referred to as the ''man of lawlessness.'' Chapter 2 ended with a reference to the Thessalonians being established in good works. This chapter continues that theme, focusing on the need for Christians to exhibit a strong work ethic. This extends to the way the church applies charity, not wasting it on those who are capable of work, but simply choose not to. These thoughts complete Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians.

Second Thessalonians follows Paul's earlier letter to the same group of Christian believers. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul had praised them for their faithfulness and given them reassurances about the day of the Lord. This included teachings on the rapture and a description of death as ''sleep'' from a Christian viewpoint. In this second letter, Paul corrects possible misunderstandings about those ideas. Among his teachings here are the importance of a good work ethic and God's impending judgment on sin, including judgment on those who persecute the Christian church. Paul also provides the Thessalonians with reassurances that they have not somehow missed out on Christ's return.