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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

The apostle having commended their obedience for the time past, and mentioned his confidence in their obedience for the time to come, proceeds to give them commands and directions to some who were faulty, correcting some things that were amiss among them. Observe, The best society of Christians may have some faulty persons among them, and some things that ought to be reformed. Perfection is not to be found on this side heaven: but evil manners beget good laws; the disorders that Paul heard of... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

3:6-18 Brothers, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, keep yourselves from every brother who behaves like a truant from duty and who does not conduct himself in accordance with the teaching which they received from us, for you yourselves know that you must imitate us because we never played the truant from work when we were among you nor did we eat bread which we had received from you without paying for it, but in labour and toil we kept on working night and day so that we... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 3:6

Now we command you, brethren ,.... The apostle is now come to the main thing itself he has in view in this part of the epistle, which is to encourage a regard to the discipline of God's house; and to exhort this church to excommunicate, or remove from communion, all disorderly persons; and those who are to do this he points out, and calls upon, and even commands; and these are the fraternity, the "brethren", the society of believers, all the members of the church; for to them to whom belongs... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 3:7

For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us ,.... The apostle goes on to dissuade from that which denominates persons disorderly walkers, and exposes them to the censure of the church, and that partly by the example of the apostles, and partly by their command. He appeals to them, to their knowledge and judgment, it being a thing well known to them, that they ought to walk as they had the apostles for ensamples; for who should they follow but their spiritual fathers, shepherds, and guides?... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 3:8

Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought .... Or freely, at free cost, without paying for it; he signifies, that what they ate, they bought with their own money, and lived on no man, without giving him a valuable consideration for what they had; though if they had not paid in money for their food, they would not have ate it for nought, since they laboured among them in preaching the Gospel to them; and such labourers are worthy of their maintenance, Luke 10:7 though the former sense... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 3:9

Not because we have not power ,.... To forbear working, or require a maintenance from the churches to whom we minister, since Christ has ordained, that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel; see 1 Corinthians 9:4 . This the apostle says to preserve their right of claim, when and where they should think fit to make use of it; and lest other ministers of the word, who could not support themselves as they did, should be hurt by such an example; and lest covetous men should... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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, דאי לא אכיל , or לעי לא נגיס , "that if a man would not work, he should not eat" F17 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 14.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Thessalonians 3:6

That ye withdraw yourselves - Have no fellowship with those who will not submit to proper discipline; who do not keep their place; ατακτως , such as are out of their rank, and act according to their own wills and caprices; and particularly such as are idle and busybodies. These he had ordered, 1 Thessalonians 4:11 , 1 Thessalonians 4:12 , that they should study to be quiet, mind their own business, and work with their hands; but it appears that they had paid no attention to this order,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Thessalonians 3:7

We behaved not ourselves disorderly - Ουκ ητακτησαμεν· We did not go out of our rank - we kept our place, and discharged all its duties. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Thessalonians 3:8

Neither did we eat any man's bread for naught - We paid for what we bought, and worked with our hands that we might have money to buy what was necessary. Labour and travail night and day - We were incessantly employed, either in preaching the Gospel, visiting from house to house, or working at our calling. As it is very evident that the Church at Thessalonica was very pious, and most affectionately attached to the apostle, they must have been very poor, seeing he was obliged to work hard... read more

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