2 Thessalonians 3:10

10 nam et cum essemus apud vos hoc denuntiabamus vobis quoniam si quis non vult operari nec manducet

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 neque gratis panem manducavimus ab aliquo sed in labore et fatigatione nocte et die operantes ne quem vestrum gravaremus

9 non quasi non habuerimus potestatem sed ut nosmet ipsos formam daremus vobis ad imitandum nos

10 nam et cum essemus apud vos hoc denuntiabamus vobis quoniam si quis non vult operari nec manducet

11 audimus enim inter vos quosdam ambulare inquiete nihil operantes sed curiose agentes

12 his autem qui eiusmodi sunt denuntiamus et obsecramus in Domino Iesu Christo ut cum silentio operantes suum panem manducent