6 And we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw yourselves from every brother disorderly walking, and not after the deliverance that ye received from us,
and we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the infirm, be patient unto all;
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ -- ye being gathered together, also my spirit -- with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
And I call upon you, brethren, to mark those who the divisions and the stumbling-blocks, contrary to the teaching that ye did learn, are causing, and turn ye away from them;
As to the rest, then, brethren, we request you, and call upon you in the Lord Jesus, as ye did receive from us how it behoveth you to walk and to please God, that ye may abound the more,
looking diligently over lest any one be failing of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up may give trouble, and through this many may be defiled; lest any one be a fornicator, or a profane person, as Esau, who in exchange for one morsel of food did sell his birthright,
having a form of piety, and its power having denied; and from these be turning away,
and if any one do not obey our word through the letter, this one note ye, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed, and as an enemy count `him' not, but admonish ye `him' as a brother;
for yourselves have known how it behoveth `you' to imitate us, because we did not act disorderly among you;
and to study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we did command you,
This, then, I say, and I testify in the Lord; ye are no more to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind,
And to whom ye forgive anything -- I also; for I also, if I have forgiven anything, to whom I have forgiven `it', because of you -- in the person of Christ -- `I forgive it,'
and now, I did write to you not to keep company with `him', if any one, being named a brother, may be a whoremonger, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner -- with such a one not even to eat together; for what have I also those without to judge? those within do ye not judge? and those without God doth judge; and put ye away the evil from among yourselves.
`And if he may not hear them, say `it' to the assembly, and if also the assembly he may not hear, let him be to thee as the heathen man and the tax-gatherer.
because of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he doth, with evil words prating against us; and not content with these, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and those intending he doth forbid, and out of the assembly he doth cast. Beloved, be not thou following that which is evil, but that which is good; he who is doing good, of God he is, and he who is doing evil hath not seen God;
I do fully testify, then, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to judge living and dead at his manifestation and his reign --
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 3
Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
In the close of the foregoing chapter, the apostle had prayed earnestly for the Thessalonians, and now he desires their prayers, encouraging them to trust in God, to which he subjoins another petition for them (v. 1-5). He then proceeds to give them commands and directions for correcting some things he was informed were amiss among them (v. 6-15) and concludes with benedictions and prayers (v. 16-18).
2Th 3:1-5
In these words observe,
2Th 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 as existing among the Thessalonians occasioned the good laws we find in these verses, which are of constant use to us, and all others whom they may concern. Observe,
2Th 3:16-18
In this conclusion of the epistle we have the apostle's benediction and prayers for these Thessalonians. Let us desire them for ourselves and our friend. There are three blessings pronounced upon them, or desired for them:-
Let us be thankful that we have the canon of scripture complete, and by the wonderful and special care of divine Providence preserved pure and uncorrupt through so many successive ages, and not dare to add to it, nor diminish from it. Let us believe the divine original of the sacred scriptures, and conform our faith and practice to this our sufficient and only rule, which is able to make us wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Amen.