2 Thessalonians 3:8
6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.
7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,
nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
9 Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate.
10 For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
- KJV
- 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:
- WEB
- neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you.
- ASV
- neither did we eat bread for nought at any man`s hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:
- DARBY
- nor have we eaten bread from any one without cost; but in toil and hardship working night and day not to be chargeable to any one of you:
- BLB
- nor did we eat bread from anyone without payment, but in labor and toil, working night and day in order not to be burdensome upon any of you⁺,
- ÅB
- heller ikke spiste vi brød hos noen for intet, men med strev og strev arbeidet vi natt og dag, for at vi ikke skulle være noen av dere til byrde;
- OTB
- heller ikke spiste vi noens brød uten å betale for det, men med arbeid og slit arbeidet vi natt og dag for at vi ikke skulle være en byrde for noen av dere;
- B1930
- heller ikke åt vi brød hos nogen for intet, men med strev og møie arbeidet vi natt og dag, forat vi ikke skulde være nogen av eder til byrde;
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread.
Read in context1 Thessalonians 2:9
Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
Read in contextEphesians 4:28
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.
Read in contextActs 18:3
and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.
Read in context1 Corinthians 4:12
We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
Read in context1 Thessalonians 4:11
and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.
Read in contextProverbs 31:27
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Read in context2 Thessalonians 3:12
We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living.
Read in context