2 Tessalonicesi 3

1 NEL rimanente, fratelli, pregate per noi, acciocchè la parola del Signore corra, e sia glorificata, come fra voi.

2 Ed acciocchè noi siam liberati dagli uomini insolenti, e malvagi; perchè la fede non è di tutti.

3 Or il Signore è fedele, il quale vi raffermerà, e vi guarderà dal maligno.

4 E noi ci confidiam di voi, nel Signore, che voi fate, e farete le cose che vi ordiniamo.

5 Or il Signore addirizzi i vostri cuori all’amor di Dio, e alla paziente aspettazione di Cristo.

6 Ora, fratelli, noi vi ordiniamo, nel nome del Signor nostro Gesù Cristo, che vi ritiriate da ogni fratello che cammina disordinatamente, e non secondo l’insegnamento che ha ricevuto da noi.

7 Perciocchè voi stessi sapete come ci conviene imitare; poichè non ci siam portati disordinatamente fra voi.

8 E non abbiam mangiato il pane, ricevutolo da alcuno in dono; ma con fatica, e travaglio, lavorando notte e giorno, per non gravare alcun di voi.

9 Non già che non ne abbiamo la podestà; ma per darvi noi stessi per esempi, acciocchè c’imitiate.

10 Perciocchè ancora, quando eravamo fra voi, vi dinunziavamo questo: che chi non vuol lavorare non mangi.

11 Imperocchè intendiamo che fra voi ve ne sono alcuni che camminano disordinatamente, non facendo opera alcuna, ma occupandosi in cose vane.

12 Or a tali dinunziamo, e li esortiamo per lo Signor nostro Gesù Cristo che lavorando quietamente, mangino il pane loro.

13 Ma, quant’è a voi, fratelli, non vi stancate facendo bene.

14 E se alcuno non ubbidisce alla nostra parola, significata per questa epistola, notate un tale, e non vi mescolate con lui, acciocchè si vergogni.

15 Ma pur nol tenete per nemico, anzi ammonitelo come fratello.

16 Or il Signore stesso della pace vi dia del continuo la pace in ogni maniera. Il Signore sia con tutti voi.

17 Il saluto di man propria di me Paolo, che è un segnale in ogni epistola: così scrivo.

18 La grazia del Signor nostro Gesù Cristo sia con tutti voi. Amen.

2 Tessalonicesi 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The apostle expresses confidence in the Thessalonians, and prays for them. (1-5) He charges them to withdraw from disorderly walkers, particularly from the lazy and busybodies. (6-15) And concludes with a prayer for them, and a greeting. (16-18)

Verses 1-5 Those who are far apart still may meet together at the throne of grace; and those not able to do or receive any other kindness, may in this way do and receive real and very great kindness. Enemies to the preaching of the gospel, and persecutors of its faithful preachers, are unreasonable and wicked men. Many do not believe the gospel; and no wonder if such are restless and show malice in their endeavours to oppose it. The evil of sin is the greatest evil, but there are other evils we need to be preserved from, and we have encouragement to depend upon the grace of God. When once the promise is made, the performance is sure and certain. The apostle had confidence in them, but that was founded upon his confidence in God; for there is otherwise no confidence in man. He prays for them for spiritual blessings. It is our sin and our misery, that we place our affections upon wrong objects. There is not true love of God, without faith in Jesus Christ. If, by the special grace of God, we have that faith which multitudes have not, we should earnestly pray that we may be enabled, without reserve, to obey his commands, and that we may be enabled, without reserve, to the love of God, and the patience of Christ.

Verses 6-15 Those who have received the gospel, are to live according to the gospel. Such as could work, and would not, were not to be maintained in idleness. Christianity is not to countenance slothfulness, which would consume what is meant to encourage the industrious, and to support the sick and afflicted. Industry in our callings as men, is a duty required by our calling as Christians. But some expected to be maintained in idleness, and indulged a curious and conceited temper. They meddled with the concerns of others, and did much harm. It is a great error and abuse of religion, to make it a cloak for idleness or any other sin. The servant who waits for the coming of his Lord aright, must be working as his Lord has commanded. If we are idle, the devil and a corrupt heart will soon find us somewhat to do. The mind of man is a busy thing; if it is not employed in doing good, it will be doing evil. It is an excellent, but rare union, to be active in our own business, yet quiet as to other people's. If any refused to labour with quietness, they were to note him with censure, and to separate from his company, yet they were to seek his good by loving admonitions. The Lords is with you while you are with him. Hold on your way, and hold on to the end. We must never give over, or tire in our work. It will be time enough to rest when we come to heaven.

Verses 16-18 The apostle prays for the Thessalonians. And let us desire the same blessings for ourselves and our friends. Peace with God. This peace is desired for them always, or in every thing. Peace by all means; in every way; that, as they enjoyed the means of grace, they might use all methods to secure peace. We need nothing more to make us safe and happy, nor can we desire any thing better for ourselves and our friends, than to have God's gracious presence with us and them. No matter where we are, if God be with us; nor who is absent, if God be present. It is through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we hope to have peace with God, and to enjoy the presence of God. This grace is all in all to make us happy; though we wish ever so much to others, there remains enough for ourselves.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 THESSALONIANS 3

In this chapter the apostle requests of the Thessalonians, that they would pray for him, and other Gospel ministers; and he puts up prayers for them, gives them rules about dealing with disorderly persons, and concludes the epistle with his usual salutation. The request to pray for ministers is in 2Th 3:1 the petitions to be made for them are, that their ministry might be succeeded, and their persons preserved and delivered from evil minded men, destitute of faith in Christ, 2Th 3:1-2 and, for the consolation of the saints, observes the faithfulness of God engaged in their behalf to establish them in the faith they had, and to preserve them from everything and person that is evil, 2Th 3:3 and expresses his confidence in them with respect to their walk and conversation, 2Th 3:4 and then prays for them that their hearts might be directed into the love of God, and patience of Christ, 2Th 3:5. And next follows an order to withdraw from every disorderly walker, particularly idle and slothful persons, 2Th 3:6 and from such a lazy idle life the apostle dissuades by his own example, who behaved not disorderly, nor ate the bread of others, but wrought with his own hands, though he had a right to a maintenance without it, but did this to set an example to them, 2Th 3:7-9. He puts them in mind of a precept of his when among them, that such who would not work should not eat, 2Th 3:10 and the order he now gave, and the precept he reminds them of, were not without reason; seeing there were disorderly idle persons, and busy bodies, among them, whom the apostle exhorts and beseeches, in the name of Christ, to be industrious, and eat their own bread, as the fruit of their labours, 2Th 3:11,12 and as for the other members of the church, he exhorts them to diligence and constancy in well doing, and to mark those that were incorrigible, and have no conversation with them, yet dealing with them not as enemies, but admonishing them as brethren, 2Th 3:13-15. And closes all with prayers, that the Lord would give them peace, and grant his presence to them, and with his usual salutation, written with his own hand, as a token of this being a genuine epistle of his, and by which every epistle of his might be known, 2Th 3:16-18.