2 Thessalonians 3:10
Bible verses · Also called: 2 Thess. 3:10, 2 Thessalonians 3 10, If any would not work, neither should he eat, He who does not work, neither shall he eat, Whoever does not work shall not eat
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For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
The text is the New Korean Revised Version (1998), shown under a licence from the Korean Bible Society. Wording may differ slightly from the Korean Revised Version and the Revised New Korean Standard Version. Read in the Korean Revised Version
"If any would not work, neither should he eat" is Paul's command to the church at Thessalonica. Although it was meant to correct idleness within the church, the verse has also been cited in wider social debates over the work ethic and welfare policy, so its context and scope of application are frequently discussed.
Context
In 2 Thessalonians 3:6–15, Paul responds to reports that some in the church were walking "disorderly" (Greek ataktos, "without order, unruly"), "working not at all, but... busybodies," and he sets out to correct them. Paul notes that he himself worked night and day so as not to be a burden to the church, thereby setting them an example (3:7–9), and in verse 10 he states that he had already taught this principle while he was with them. He adds, however, that such a person should not be counted as an enemy but admonished as a brother (3:15).
Interpretation
- Eschatological reading: Because the letter addresses confusion over the claim that "the day of Christ is at hand" (2:2), a widely known interpretation holds that some believers had stopped working because they believed the Second Coming was imminent.
- Patronage reading: Some scholars suggest that, in keeping with the patron–client customs of Roman society, some people may have been living off wealthy church members or the community's common meals.
- Scope of the principle: The common interpretation holds that the key lies in the words "would not"; that is, the command is directed at those who are able to work but refuse to do so. Those who cannot work because of illness, age, or unemployment are not in view, and interpreters also point out that Paul's letters elsewhere teach care for widows and the poor.
Debates and Issues
The verse has also been widely quoted outside the church. A notable example is the inclusion of the principle "He who does not work, neither shall he eat" in the 1936 Soviet Constitution. Today it is cited in welfare-policy debates by those who emphasize work requirements for recipients; critics respond that applying it without distinguishing between those who cannot work and those who will not work takes the verse out of context. Within the church, it serves as a basis for upholding both the principle of almsgiving and the principle of self-support.
Related Passages
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12
- Ephesians 4:28
- 1 Timothy 5:3–16
- Acts 20:34–35
See also 6
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