The One Unwilling to Work Shall Not Eat
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 · Berean Standard Bible
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 states the principle plainly: 'The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.' Paul confronts believers who were idle and disruptive, urging them to settle down and earn the food they eat. It teaches that honest labor and self-support are a Christian responsibility, not an optional extra.
10For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”
11For we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies.
12We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living.
Read the wider context: 2 Thessalonians 3.
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Related passages
- Working Hard and the Warning Against Laziness — Proverbs 6:6-11
- The Secret of Being Content — Philippians 4:11-13
- God Loves a Cheerful Giver — 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
- Bring the Whole Tithe Into the Storehouse — Malachi 3:8-10