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Request for Prayer

¹ Finally, pray for us, brothers and sisters, that the Lord's message may spread quickly and be honored as in fact it was among you, ² and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil people. For not all have faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. ⁴ And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing—and will do—what we are commanding. ⁵ Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God and the endurance of Christ.

Response to the Undisciplined

⁶ But we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition they received from us. ⁷ For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you, ⁸ and we did not eat anyone's food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you. ⁹ It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate. ¹⁰ 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." ¹¹ For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. ¹² Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat. ¹³ But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right. ¹⁴ But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵ Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Conclusion

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all. ¹⁷ I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, which is how I write in every letter. ¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.