Paul Asks for Prayer

¹Now I want to talk about some other matters. Brothers and sisters, pray for us, that the Lord’s message will spread quickly and that others will honor it just as you have.

²And pray that we will be rescued from sinful and evil people, because not everyone has faith.

³But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

⁴We’re confident in the Lord that you’re doing the things we’ve told you to do and that you’ll keep on doing them.

⁵May the Lord guide your hearts into God’s love and into the strength that Christ gives.

Paul Warns Those Who Don’t Want to Work

⁶Brothers and sisters, we command you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to keep away from every believer who’s lazy and disruptive and who doesn’t follow the teaching you received from us.

⁷You know how you should follow our example. We weren’t lazy when we were with you.

⁸We didn’t eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, we worked night and day, laboring away so that we wouldn’t cause any expense to any of you.

⁹We earned our own living, even though we had the right to receive help from you, in order to set an example for you to follow.

¹⁰Even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “Anyone who won’t work shouldn’t be allowed to eat.”

¹¹We hear that some people among you are lazy and disruptive. They don’t do any work of their own, and they meddle in other people’s business.

¹²In the Lord Jesus Christ, we command and urge people like that to settle down and earn their own living.

¹³But you, brothers and sisters, don’t ever get tired of doing what is good.

¹⁴Take special note of anyone who doesn’t obey the teachings in our letter and then don’t have anything to do with them. Then they’ll feel ashamed.

¹⁵But don’t think of them as an enemy. Instead, warn them as you would warn another believer.

Final Greetings

¹⁶May the Lord who gives peace give you peace at all times and in every way. May the Lord be with all of you.

¹⁷I, Paul, write this greeting in my own handwriting. That’s how I prove that I’m the author of all my letters. I always do it that way.

¹⁸May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.