2 Thessalonians 3:12
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. | We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living. | Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedPaul commands and urges these idle members, by the Lord Jesus Christ, to work quietly and eat their own bread. He wants them to settle down and provide for themselves. Paul both commands and appeals. 2 Thessalonians 3:112 Thessalonians 3:12
SpeakingPaul, writing with Silvanus and Timotheus. Paul signs the letter in his own hand (3:17). 2 Thessalonians overview
ToThe church of the Thessalonians, believers in Thessalonica whom Paul had taught in person. 2 Thessalonians overview
Also involvedThe idle members of 3:11. 2 Thessalonians 3:112 Thessalonians 3:12
Paul speaks directly to the idle members after describing them (3:11). 2 Thessalonians 3:112 Thessalonians 3:12
The letter went to Thessalonica, a city of Macedonia in northern Greece. The letter does not say where it was written; the traditional view is Corinth. 2 Thessalonians overview
The eventsThe verse gives no date of its own. It speaks to the church's situation when the letter arrived. 2 Thessalonians overview
WrittenTraditional: about AD 50-51, from Corinth, a few months after 1 Thessalonians. Scholarly: some hold a follower wrote it in Paul's name later in the first century; many others accept that Paul wrote it soon after 1 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians overview
HerePaul wants the idle restored to a quiet, working life, not only rebuked. 2 Thessalonians 3:12
In the whole of ScripturePaul had urged them "to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands" (1 Thessalonians 4:11). "Let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give" (Ephesians 4:28). "Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife" (Proverbs 17:1). 1 Thessalonians 4:11Ephesians 4:28Proverbs 17:1
For readersQuiet, honest work is part of following the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:12Ephesians 4:28
- commandπαραγγέλλω
The word means to give orders, to command. Strong's G3853
- exhortπαρακαλέω
The word means to call alongside, to urge, to plead. Strong's G3870
- quietnessἡσυχία
The word means quietness, calm. The lexicon lists Acts 22:2 and 1 Timothy 2:11 as its other uses. Strong's G2271
- breadἄρτος
The word means bread, food. Strong's G0740
Takeaway
Work quietly and eat your own bread. 2 Thessalonians 3:121 Thessalonians 4:11
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
Original Greek words
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Now | δὲ | de | G1161 | thenδέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; … |
| to such | τοιούτοις | toioutois | G5108 | such as thisτοιοῦτος (toioutos) τοιοῦτος, -αύτη, -οῦτο (as usually in Att.. prose. Ep. and Ion. neut. -οῦτον in Al., Act.21:25, Rec. only), correlat. of οἷος, ὁποῖος, ὥς, etc., such as this, of such a kind, such: Mat.9:8 18:5, Mrk.4:33 6:2 7:13 9:37 (T, τούτων), Jhn.9:16, Act.16:24, 1Co.5:1 11:16, 2Co.3:4 3:12 12:3, Heb.7:26 8:1 12:3 13:16, Jas.4:16; οἷος . . . τ., 1Co.15:48, 2Co.10:11; id. pleonast. (see Bl., § 50, 4), Mrk.13:19; before ὁποῖος, Act.26:29; ὥς, Phm 9. As subst., anarth: pl., Luk.9:9; with art., ὁ τ., such a one (Bl., § 47, 9; Ellic. on Gal.5:21): Act.22:22, 1Co.5:5, al.; pl., Mat.19:14, Mrk.10:14, al.; neut … |
| we warn | παραγγέλλομεν | parangellomen | G3853 | to orderπαραγγέλλω (parangellō) παρ-αγγέλλω (παρά, ἀγγὲλλω), [in LXX for שָׁמַע pi., hi., etc. ;] 1. to transmit a message (Æsch., Eur.). 2. to order, command (Hdt., Xen., al.) : with inf., Act.15:5; with accusative of thing(s), 1Co.11:17, 2Th.3:4, 1Ti.4:11 5:7; before ἵνα (M, Pr., 207; Bl., § 69, 4), Mrk.6:8, 2Th.3:12; with dative of person(s), Act.17:30 R, txt., 1Th.4:11; before λέγων, Mat.10:5; with inf. aor., Mat.15:35, Mrk.8:6, Luk.8:29, Act.10:42 16:18 (aoristic pres.; see M, Pr., 119); id. with neg., μή, Luk.5:14 8:56, Act.23:22, 1Co.7:10; with inf. pres., Act.16:23, 2Th.3:6; id. with neg., ιή, Luk.9:21, Act.1:4 4:1 … |
| and | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| we exhort | παρακαλοῦμεν | parakaloumen | G3870 | to plead/comfortπαρακαλέω (parakaleō) παρακαλέω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for נחם ni., pi. ;] 1. to call to one, call for, summon: Act.28:20 (R, mg.; R, txt., entreat); hence (of the gods: Dem., Xen., al.), to invoke, call on, beseech, entreat: τ. πατέρα μου, Mat.26:53; τ. κύριον, 2Co.12:8; in late writers (Polyb., Diod., al.; rarely in LXX; in π., see Deiss., LAE, 176.14), also of men: absol., Phm 9; with accusative, Mat.8:5, Mrk.1:40, Act.16:9, al.; with inf., Mrk.5:17, Luk.8:41, Act.8:31, al.; before ἵνα (see M, Pr., 205, 208), Mt 14"36, Mrk.5:18, Luk.8:31, al. … |
| by | ἐν | en | G1722 | in/on/amongἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af … |
| Lord | κυρίῳ | kuriō | G2962G | lord: Godκύριος (kurios) κύριος, -α, -ον (also -ος, -ον), [in LXX (subst.) chiefly for יהוה, also for בַּעַל ,אָדוֹן, etc. ;] having power (κῦρος) or authority; as subst., ὁ κ., lord, master; 1. in general: with genitive of thing(s), Mat.9:38 20:8, Mrk.12:9 13:35, Luk.19:33; τ. σαββάτου, Mat.12:8, Mrk.2:28, Luk.6:5; with genitive of person(s), δούλου, etc., Mat.10:24, Luk.14:21, Act.16:16, al.; absol, opposite to οἱ δοῦλοι, Eph.6:5, 9 al.; of the Emperor (Deiss., LAE, 161), Act.25:26; θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κ. πολλοί, 1Co.8:5; of a husband, 1Pe.3:6; in voc, as a title of respect to masters, teachers, magistrates, etc., Ma … |
| of us | ἡμῶν | hēmōn | G3165 | meμέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML) |
| Jesus | Ἰησοῦ | Iēsou | G2424G | JesusἸησοῦς (Iēsous) Ἰησοῦς, -οῦ, dative, voc. -οῦ, accusative, -οῦν (Heb. יֵשׁוּעַ ,יְהֹשֻׁעַ ,יְהוֹשׁוּעַ), 1. JESUS: Mat.1:21, al.; ὁ Ἰ, ib. 3:13, al.; Ἰ. Χριστός, ib. 1:1, Mrk.1:1, al.; Χρ. Ἰ., Rom.2:26, al.; κύριος Ἰ., Act.28:31, al.; Ἰησοῦ, voc., Mrk.1:24, al. 2. Joshua: Act.7:45, Heb.4:8. 3. Jesus, son of Eliezer: Luk.3:28. 4. Jesus, surnamed Justus: Col.4:11. 5. see: βαραββᾶς. (AS) |
| Christ | Χριστῷ | Christō | G5547 | ChristΧριστός (Christos) χριστός (Χρ-), -ή, -όν (χρίω), [in LXX for מָשִׁיחַ and cogn. forms ;] 1. 1. as adj., (a) of things, anointing, to be used as ointment (Æsch., Eur., al.; τ. ἔλαιον τὸ χ., Lev.21:10); (b) of persons, anointed (ὁ ἰερεὺς ὁ χ., Lev.4:5; οἱ χ. ἰευρεῖς, 2Ma.1:10): ὁ χ. τοῦ κυρίου or Θεοῦ (1Ki.2:10, Psa.2:2, al.), of the Messiah (Aram., מְשִׁיחָא; cf. Dalman, Words, 289 ff.), Luk.2:11, 26 Jhn.1:41, Act.2:36 4:26, al. … |
| so that | ἵνα | ina | G2443 | in order that/toἵνα (hina) ἵνα, I. adverb (poët., Hom., al.), 1. of place, where, whither. 2. of circumstance, when. II. Conjunction, 1. prop., final, denoting purpose or end (cl.), that, in order that, usually the first word in the clause, but sometimes (cl. also) preceded by an emphatic word (Act.19:4, Rom.11:31 (?), Gal.2:10, al.); (a) with optative (so in cl. after historic tenses): after a pres., Eph.1:17 (but WH, mg., subjc.; see Burton, §225, Rem., 2); … |
| with | μετὰ | meta | G3326 | with/afterμετά (meta) μετά (before vowel μετ᾽; on the neglect of elision in certain cases, V. WH, App., 146 b), prep. with genitive, accusative (in poet, also with dative), [in LXX for אַחַד ,עִם ,אֵת, etc.]. I. C. genitive, 1. among, amid: Mrk.1:13, Luk.22:37 (LXX, ἐν) 24:5, Jhn.18:5, al.; διωγμῶν, Mrk.10:30. … |
| quietness | ἡσυχίας | hēsuchias | G2271 | quietnessἡσυχία (hēsuchia) ἡσυχία, -ας, ἡ (ἡσύχιος, which see), [in LXX for אִישׁוֹן, שָׁלֵו, etc. ;] 1. quietness: 2Th.3:12. 2. stillness, silence: Act.22:2, 1Ti.2:11-12 † (AS) |
| working | ἐργαζόμενοι | ergazomenoi | G2038 | to workἐργάζομαι (ergazomai) ἐργάζομαι (ἔργον), [in LXX for עָבַד, פָּעַל, עָשָׂה, etc. ;] 1. intrans., (a) to work, labour: Mat.21:28, Luk.13:14, Jhn.5:17 9:4 b, Act.18:3, 1Co.9:6, 2Th.3:10-12; τ. χερσίν, 1Co.4:12, 1Th.4:11; νυκτὸς κ. ἡαέρας, 1Th.2:9, 2Th.3:8; of working for pay, Mat.21:28; for reward, Rom.4:4-5; (b) to work at a trade or business, to trade: before Iv (Dem.), Mat.25:16. 2. Trans., … |
| their own | ἑαυτῶν | he'autōn | G1438 | /him/herselfαὑτοῦ (ahutou) αὑτοῦ, -ῆς, -οῦ = ἑαυτοῦ (which see), Mat.6:34, Luk.12:17, al. (MM, see word) (AS) |
| bread | ἄρτον | arton | G0740 | breadἄρτος (artos) ἄρτος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for לֶחֶם ;] bread, a loaf: Mat.4:3, 4 Mrk.3:20, al.; ἄρτοι τ. προθέσεως, bread of the setting forth, i.e. the shewbread. Metaphorical, ὁ ἄ. τ. θεοῦ, τ. ζωῆς, ref. to Christ, Jhn.6:33, 35; in general, food: Mat.6:11, al.; ἄ. φαγεῖν (Heb. אֲכֹל לֶחֶם), to eat (MM, see word), Lu 14:1, al. (AS) |
| they may eat. | ἐσθίωσιν. | esthiōsin | G2068 | to eatἐσθίω (esthiō) ἐσθίω, and (poet, and late prose) ἔσθω, [in LXX chiefly for אכל ;] to eat; (a) absol.: Mat.14:20, 21 Mrk.6:31, Jhn.4:31, al.; ἐν τ. φαγεῖν (on this aor. form, see M, Pr., 111), 1Co.11:21; διδόναι φαγεῖν, with dative of person(s), Mrk.5:43, al.; ἐ. καὶ πίνειν, Mat.6:25, 31 Luk.10:7, al.; of ordinary use of food and drink, 1Co.9:4 11:22; of partaking of food at table, Mrk.2:16, Luk.5:30, al.; opposite to fasting, Mat.11:18, Luk.5:33, al.; of revelling, Mat.24:49, Luk.12:45 . … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.