1Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you, 2and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. 3But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. 5May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and into the perseverance of Christ.
6Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion and not after the tradition which they received from us. 7For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you, 8neither 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. 9This was not because we don’t have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us. 10For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.” 11For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies. 12Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness and eat their own bread.
13But you, brothers, don’t be weary in doing what is right. 14If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man and have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. 15Don’t count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
17I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter. This is how I write. 18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
In this passage, Paul is chiding those who are idle. He commands them to follow his example, which was not eating without working for it. He did not want to be a “burden to any” even though he could because he had the authority of an apostle. He instructs, “if any would not work, neither should he eat” and that “they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” In other words, no free lunch. It is seen here that the Thessalonian church was in a different position than the Jerusalem church, which was plagued by true poverty and need. There were “busybodies” in the Thessalonian church who were apparently abusing the church’s generosity. They did not work, but were taking provision from the church. Paul condemns this. Although some have argued that the earliest church was communal, this teaching shows that Paul thought Christians ought to provide for themselves as they are able.