In this verse Paul appeals to the Lord, who is the source of peace (John 14:27; Romans 5:1), to grant His peace to the church at Thessalonica. The church was experiencing trials, persecution, and trouble within. These were caused by some disorderly members, but the Lord's peace could settle over the congregation and calm its members. Paul's desire was for the Lord's peace to abide with the church always and in every situation.

It is interesting to observe that he prays not only for the Lord's peace to be with the Thessalonians but also for the "Lord of peace" to be with them. Further, he prays for this peace to be with "all" the believers at Thessalonica. Earlier in the letter, Paul referred to fellow Christians who were sinning through laziness and gossip. All the same, this prayer is for the idle as well as for the obedient believers. It was for the shirkers as well as the workers. A peaceful church experiences the Lord's joy as well as His peace (Philippians 4:2–7), and it projects a good testimony to the lost (Philippians 2:14–15).

Second Thessalonians 3:16–18 concludes Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians with a prayer, an assurance that his letter is authentic and not a forgery, and a benediction. The letter began with a condemnation of the church's persecutors, but it ends with a commendation, as Paul commends the church to the Lord and His grace.

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.

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