2 Thessalonians 3:8
What does 2 Thessalonians 3:8 mean?
A plain-English look at 2 Thessalonians 3:8 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 2 Thessalonians 3:8 means
Paul worked “night and day,” refusing to eat anyone’s bread without paying for it. He chose toil and hardship to avoid being a financial burden. This was not because the church lacked love, but because the apostle wanted to exhibit a pattern of responsible labor. His self-support showed integrity, guarded the gospel from suspicion, and cut off any excuse for idleness. He dignified honest work and demonstrated that spiritual leadership does not exempt one from ordinary diligence. In a culture where patrons and clients could manipulate, Paul’s labor preached freedom, gratitude, and love: he would not exploit the flock but gladly spend himself for their good.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000neither did we eat bread for nought at any man’s hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:
KJV
King James Version · 1611Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901neither did we eat bread for nought at any man’s hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And we did not take food from any man for nothing, but were working hard night and day not to be a trouble to any of you:
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862nor for nought did we eat bread of any one, but in labour and in travail, night and day working, not to be chargeable to any of you;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Neither did we eat any man's bread for nothing: but in labour and in toil we worked night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890nor have we eaten bread from any one without cost; but in toil and hardship working night and day not to be chargeable to any one of you:
Context
Paul moves from general example (verse 7) to specific behavior: relentless work to avoid burdening the church. This supports his coming clarification in verse 9 that he had a right to support but waived it for their sake. It also prepares the ground for the strict principle of verse 10, showing that the command about work is not novel but modeled. The progression builds credibility for the corrective instructions he will shortly deliver to idle and meddlesome members.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ephesians 4:28
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11
and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you;
- 1 Corinthians 4:12
and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
- 1 Thessalonians 2:9
For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
- Acts 18:3
and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they wrought; for by their trade they were tentmakers.
- 2 Corinthians 11:9
and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
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