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2 Thessalonians 3:1

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

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And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

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But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

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And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

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And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

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Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

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

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Neither did we eat any man's ° bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

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Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

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

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For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

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Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

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

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And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

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Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

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Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always ° by all means. The Lord be with you all.

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The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3:1

3:1 free course. The Greek word translated “free course” is usually translated “run.” Paul desired that his preaching be accepted and applied readily, so that he could proceed on to the next community and preach there also.

2 Thessalonians 3:5

3:5 waiting for Christ. Once again, the apostle urges us to be watching and waiting for Christ, not for the coming of Antichrist or other prophesied events of the last days. Evidently a few in the Thessalonian church were so sure the day of the Lord had begun that they had quit their jobs and were just becoming busybodies in the church. Paul was forced to rebuke such as these (II Thessalonians 3:6,11).

2 Thessalonians 3:10

3:10 neither should he eat. From the very beginning, God has ordained that men should work for their food (Genesis 2:15-16). This became even more necessary with the entrance of sin and the curse (Genesis 3:17-19). We shall even continue to work, serving the Lord, in the new earth (Revelation 22:3). It is altogether inexcusable for Christians, when they are no longer children, to expect others to provide their sustenance while they stand idle, even if they offer some spiritual excuse for not working.

2 Thessalonians 3:12

3:12 quietness. “Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands,” Paul had already admonished them in his first epistle (I Thessalonians 4:11). Note also Ephesians 4:28.

2 Thessalonians 3:16

3:16 Lord of peace. This is the only New Testament occurrence of the appellation “Lord of peace.” However, God is called “the God of peace” several times (Romans 15:33; Philippians 4:9; I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20). He is the one who both creates peace and sustains it in the believer’s soul. He is not only “the Lord of peace,” but also “the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), “the God of peace” (Romans 16:20); the Author of peace (I Corinthians 14:33), and “the King of peace” (Hebrews 7:2). In fact, “He is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14) and someday “shall speak peace unto the heathen” (Zechariah 9:10) and see that of “peace there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9:7).

2 Thessalonians 3:17

3:17 mine own hand. Possibly because of poor eyesight, Paul seems to have dictated many of his letters, confirming that they were indeed his by his personal signature at the end. Only occasionally did he feel it necessary to mention this, however, as it would normally have been obvious to their recipients. In this case, however, he was concerned that the church had been misled by a letter falsely claiming to be from him (II Thessalonians 2:2), so he reminded them here to always look for his personal signature.

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