2 Thessalonians 3:10

10 Don't you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? "If you don't work, you don't eat."

2 Thessalonians 3:10 Meaning and Commentary

2 Thessalonians 3:10

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, (lyka al yad) , or (oygn al yel) , "that if a man would not work, he should not eat" {q}. And again ^F18,

``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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 14. fol. 13. 1. Echa Rabbati, fol. 48. 4. & Midrash Koholet, fol. 65. 4.
F18 T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 3. 1.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 In-Context

8 We didn't sit around on our hands expecting others to take care of us. In fact, we worked our fingers to the bone, up half the night moonlighting so you wouldn't be burdened with taking care of us.

9 And it wasn't because we didn't have a right to your support; we did. We simply wanted to provide an example of diligence, hoping it would prove contagious.

10 Don't you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? "If you don't work, you don't eat."

11 And now we're getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you.

12 This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately - no excuses, no arguments - and earn their own keep.