2 Thessalonians 3:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you,

NIV: For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you,

NASB: For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined way among you,

CSB: For you yourselves know how you should imitate us: We were not idle among you;

NLT: For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you.

KJV: For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

NKJV: For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you;

In this verse Paul reminds the Thessalonians that he and his coworkers were not lazy when they were in Thessalonica. He appeals to the Thessalonians to imitate his coworkers and himself in this regard. Perhaps some members of the church at Thessalonica thought they should quit their jobs, sit back, and wait for the Lord's return, but such behavior constituted laziness. Paul's behavior contrasted sharply with that behavior. He stayed busy while he waited for the Lord's return.

In verse 8 Paul describes the exemplary ministry style he and his associates pursued in Thessalonica. In his letter to the Ephesians he encouraged believers to make the best use of their time, because the days were evil (Ephesians 5:16). Any believer who desires a life of loafing ought to rid himself of that desire. Christians ought to choose, instead, to follow Paul's example and also the example of our Lord Jesus, who ministered from dawn to dusk to do His Father's will. It's important to take time for rest (Mark 2:27), and to avoid burnout. However, a Christian's goal ought to be accomplishing the will of God, not getting by as easily as possible.

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.