2 Thessalonians 3:10

Amplified Bible

For even while we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”

King James Version (1611)
For euen when wee were with you, this wee commanded you, that if any would not worke, neither should he eate.

King James Version
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

English Standard Version
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

New American Standard Bible
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

New Century Version
When we were with you, we gave you this rule: "Anyone who refuses to work should not eat."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

Legacy Standard Bible
For even when we were with you, we used to command this to you: if anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat.

Berean Standard Bible
For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: "If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat."

Contemporary English Version
We also gave you the rule that if you don't work, you don't eat.

Complete Jewish Bible
For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: if someone won't work, he shouldn't eat!

Darby Translation
For also when we were with you we enjoined you this, that if any man does not like to work, neither let him eat.

Easy-to-Read Version
When we were with you, we gave you this rule: "Whoever will not work should not be allowed to eat."

Geneva Bible (1587)
For euen when we were with you, this we warned you of, that if there were any, which would not worke, that he should not eate.

George Lamsa Translation
For even when we were with you, we commanded this very thing to you, that whoever is unwilling to work should likewise not eat.

Good News Translation
While we were with you, we used to tell you, "Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat."

Lexham English Bible
For even when we were with you, we used to command this to you: that if anyone does not want to work, neither should he eat.

Literal Translation
For even when we were with you, we commanded this to you: If anyone does not desire to work, neither let him eat.

American Standard Version
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.

Bible in Basic English
For even when we were with you we gave you orders, saying, If any man does no work, let him not have food.

Hebrew Names Version
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat."

International Standard Version
While we were with you, we gave this order: "If anyone doesn't want to work, he shouldn't eat."Genesis 3:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:11;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For while we were with you, this we commanded you, that every one who willeth not to work, neither should he eat.

Murdock Translation
And while we were with you, we also gave you this precept, That every one who would not work, should likewise not eat.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For when we were with you, this we warned you of: that yf any woulde not worke, the same shoulde not eate.

English Revised Version
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.

World English Bible
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.

Weymouth's New Testament
For even when we were with you, we laid down this rule for you: "If a man does not choose to work, neither shall he eat."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For also whanne we weren among you, we denounsiden this thing to you, that if ony man wole not worche, nethir ete he.

Update Bible Version
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.

Webster's Bible Translation
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

New English Translation
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: "If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat."

New King James Version
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

New Living Translation
Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: "Those unwilling to work will not get to eat."

New Life Bible
When we were with you, we told you that if a man does not work, he should not eat.

New Revised Standard
For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, even when we were with you, this, were we giving in charge unto you, - that, if any will not work, neither let him eat!

Douay-Rheims Bible
For also, when we were with you, this we declared to you: that, if any man will not work, neither let him eat.

Revised Standard Version
For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: If any one will not work, let him not eat.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For when we were with you this we warned you of yt yf ther were eny which wolde not worke that ye same shuld not eate.

Young's Literal Translation
for even when we were with you, this we did command you, that if any one is not willing to work, neither let him eat,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan we were wt you, this we warned you of, that yf there were eny which wolde not worke, ye same shulde not eate.

Mace New Testament (1729)
pursuant to the maxim, which we laid down, when among you, "he that refuses to work should be deny'd food."

THE MESSAGE
Don't you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? "If you don't work, you don't eat." And now we're getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately—no excuses, no arguments—and earn their own keep. Friends, don't slack off in doing your duty.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Y'all even heard us say, "If you ain't willing to work, then you must be willing to have an empty stomach."

Contextual Overview

⁶Now we command you, believers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by His authority, that you withdraw and keep away from every brother or sister who leads an undisciplined life and does not live in accordance with the tradition and teaching that you have received from us. ⁷For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined or inappropriate manner when we were with you [we were never idle or lazy, nor did we avoid our duties], ⁸nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we worked night and day [to pay our own way] so that we would not be a financial burden on any of you [for our support]; ⁹not because we do not have a right to such support, but [we provided our own financial support] to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. ¹⁰For even while we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.¹¹Indeed, we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined and inappropriate life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies [meddling in other people's business]. ¹²Now such people we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work quietly and earn their own food and other necessities [supporting themselves instead of depending on the hospitality of others]. ¹³And as for [the rest of] you, believers, do not grow tired or lose heart in doing good [but continue doing what is right without weakening]. ¹⁴Now if anyone [in the church] does not obey what we say in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be ashamed and repent. ¹⁵Do not regard him as an enemy, but keep admonishing him as a [believing] brother.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when: Luke 24:44, John 16:4, Acts 20:18

that: Genesis 3:19, Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 20:4, Proverbs 21:25, Proverbs 24:30-34, 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:3 - What is Genesis 47:22 - for the priests Exodus 5:17 - General Judges 19:16 - his work Proverbs 13:25 - the belly Proverbs 14:23 - but Proverbs 19:15 - and Proverbs 20:13 - Love Proverbs 31:13 - worketh Matthew 11:1 - commanding 1 Thessalonians 4:2 - General 2 Thessalonians 2:5 - when 2 Thessalonians 3:6 - after

Cross-References

Genesis 2:25
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed or embarrassed.

Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of the two of them were opened [that is, their awareness increased], and they knew that they were naked; and they fastened fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

Genesis 3:17
Then to Adam the LORD God said, "Because you have listened [attentively] to the voice of your wife, and have eaten [fruit] from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it'; The ground is [now] under a curse because of you; In sorrow and toil you shall eat [the fruit] of it All the days of your life.

Genesis 3:18
"Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field.

Exodus 3:6
Then He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 32:25
Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to the point of being an object of mockery among their enemies—

Job 23:15
"Therefore I would be terrified at His presence; When I consider [all of this], I tremble in dread of Him.

Psalms 119:120
My flesh trembles in [reverent] fear of You, And I am afraid and in awe of Your judgments.

Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. [They cry] "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?"

Isaiah 47:3
"Your nakedness will be uncovered, Your shame will also be exposed; I will take vengeance and will spare no man."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For even when we were with you,.... At Thessalonica in person, and first preached the Gospel to them,

we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat; the Ethiopic version reads in the singular number, "when I was with you, I commanded you"; using the above words, which were a sort of a proverb with the Jews, and is frequently used by them, דאי לא אכיל, or לעי לא נגיס, "that if a man would not work, he should not eat" q. And again r,

"he that labours on the evening of the sabbath (or on weekdays), he shall eat on the sabbath day; and he who does not labour on the evening of the sabbath, from whence shall he eat (or what right and authority has he to eat) on the sabbath day?''

Not he that could not work through weakness, bodily diseases, or old age, the necessities of such are to be distributed to, and they are to be taken care of, and provided with the necessaries of life by the officers of the church; but those that can work, and will not, ought to starve, for any assistance that should be given them by the members of the church, or the officers of it.

q Bereshit Rabba, sect. 14. fol. 13. 1. Echa Rabbati, fol. 48. 4. & Midrash Koholet, fol. 65. 4. r T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 3. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you - It would seem from this that the evil of which the apostle here complains had begun to operate even when he was with them. There were those who were disposed to be idle, and who needed the solemn command of an apostle to induce them to labor.

That if any would not work, neither should he eat - That is, at the public expense. They should not be supported by the church. This was a maxim among the Jews (see Wetstein, in loc.), and the same sentiment may be found in Homer, Demosthenes, and Pythagoras; see Grotius, in loc. The maxim is founded in obvious justice, and is in accordance with the great law under which our Creator has placed us; Genesis 3:19. That law, in the circumstances, was benevolent, and it should be our aim to carry it out in reference to ourselves and to others. The law here laid down by the apostle extends to all who are able to work for a living, and who will not do it, and binds us not to contribute to their support if they will not labor for it. It should be regarded as extending:

(1)To the members of a church - who, though poor, should not be supported by their brethren, unless they are willing to work in any way they can for their own maintenance.

(2)To those who beg from door to door, who should never be assisted unless they are willing to do all they can do for their own support. No one can be justified in assisting a lazy man. In no possible circumstances are we to contribute to foster indolence. A man might as properly help to maintain open vice.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 10. If any would not work, neither should he eat. — This is a just maxim, and universal nature inculcates it to man. If man will work, he may eat; if he do not work, he neither can eat, nor should he eat. The maxim is founded on these words of the Lord: In the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread. Industry is crowned with God's blessing; idleness is loaded with his curse. This maxim was a proverb among the Jews. Men who can work, and will rather support themselves by begging, should not get one morsel of bread. It is a sin to minister to necessities that are merely artificial.