2 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians · Chapter 3

2 Thessalonians 3:15

1Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:2And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.3But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.4And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.5And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.6Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.7For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;8Neither 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:9Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.10For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.11For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.12Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.13But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.14And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.15Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.16Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.17The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
15Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.And yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Yet the church is not to treat the disobedient person as an enemy. They are to warn him as a brother. Discipline is family correction, not hostility. 2 Thessalonians 3:142 Thessalonians 3:15

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 church, and the brother under correction. 2 Thessalonians 3:142 Thessalonians 3:15

This verse sets the attitude for the discipline in 3:14 and closes the section on idleness (3:6-15). 2 Thessalonians 3:142 Thessalonians 3:152 Thessalonians overview

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 goal of discipline to be the brother's restoration. 2 Thessalonians 3:15

In the whole of Scripture"If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness" (Galatians 6:1). Paul wrote, "warn them that are unruly ... be patient toward all men" (1 Thessalonians 5:14), and "I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you" (1 Corinthians 4:14). Galatians 6:11 Thessalonians 5:141 Corinthians 4:14

For readersEven firm correction must be done with love, treating the person as family. 2 Thessalonians 3:15Galatians 6:1

  • enemyἐχθρός
    Greek · echthros · G2190

    The word means an enemy, one hostile. Strong's G2190

  • countἡγέομαι
    Greek · hēgeomai · G2233

    The word means to lead; also to consider, to regard. Strong's G2233

  • admonishνουθετέω
    Greek · noutheteō · G3560

    The word means to admonish, warn. The lexicon lists Acts 20:31 and Colossians 1:28 among its uses. Strong's G3560

  • brotherἀδελφός
    Greek · adelphos · G0080

    The word means a brother. Paul says to admonish such a man "as a brother," not as an enemy. Strong's G00802 Thessalonians 3:15

Takeaway

Do not count him an enemy, but warn him as a brother. 2 Thessalonians 3:15Galatians 6:1

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

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
And yetκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (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. …

notμὴmēG3361
not

μή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. …

asὡςhōsG5613
as/when

ὡς (hōs) ὡς, adverbial form of the relative pron. ὅς, ἥ, ὅ. I. As relat. adv. of manner, as, like as, just as, even as; 1. with a demonstrative, like οὕτως, expressed or understood: οὕτως . . . ὡς, Mrk.4:26, 1Co.3:15, Eph.5:28, Jas.2:12, al.; ὡς . . . οὕτως, Act.8:32, 1Co.7:17, al.; elliptically (sc. οὕτως, οὕτω), with nom., Mat.6:29, al.; with accusative, Mat.19:19, Mrk.12:31, al.; with prep., Mat.26:55, Mrk.14:48, Luk.22:52, Jhn.7:10, al.; with verb., Jhn.15:6, 2Co.3:1, Eph.2:3, 1Th.5:6, al.; with ptcp. (the ptcp. however not having the special force wh. it has in cl.; see Bl., §73, 5; 74, 6), Mat. …

an enemyἐχθρὸνechthronG2190
enemy

ἐχθρός (echthros) ἐχθρός, -ά, -όν (ἔχθος, hatred), [in LXX chiefly for אֵיבָה, also for עָר, etc. ;] 1. hated, hateful (Hom.): opposite to ἀγαπητός, Rom.11:28. 2. Actively, hating, hostile: Rom.5:10, 1Co.15:25, 2Th.3:15; with genitive of person(s) (cl.), Jas.4:4; τ. διανοίᾳ, Col.1:21; ἐ. ἄνθρωπος, Mat.13:28; as subst., ὁ ἐ., an enemy, 1Co.15:26; the devil, Mat.13:39, Luk.10:19; with genitive of person(s), Mat.22:44 Mrk.12:36, Luk.20:43, Act.2:35, 1Co.15:25, Heb.1:13 10:13" (LXX) ; Mat.5:43-44 10:36 13:25, Luk.1:71, 74 6:27, 35 19:27, 43, Rom.12:20, Gal.4:16, Rev.11:5, 12; with genitive of thing(s), Act.13:10, …

do esteem [him],ἡγεῖσθε,hēgeistheG2233
to govern

ἡγέομαι (hēgeomai) ἡγέομαι, -οῦμαι depon. mid., [in LXX (chiefly Pres. ptcp.) for נָגִיד, רֹאשׁ, שַׂר, etc. ;] 1. to lead; (a) to guide, go before; (b) to rule, be leader: present ptcp., ἡγούενος, a ruler, leader (MM, Exp., xiv), Mat.2:6 (LXX), Luk.22:26, Act.7:10 14:12 15:22, Heb.13:7, 17 13:24. …

butἀλλὰallaG0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

do admonish [him]νουθετεῖτεnoutheteiteG3560
to admonish

νουθετέω (noutheteō) νουθετέω, -ῶ (νοῦς, τίθημι, hence, put in mind), [in LXX: 1Ki.3:13 (כָּהָה pi.), Job.8:1-22 (יָסַר pi., בִּין), Wis.11:10 12:2, 26 * ;] to admonish, exhort: with accusative of person(s), Act.20:31, Rom.15:14, 1Co.4:14, Col.1:28 3:16, 1Th.5:12 5:14, 2Th.3:15.† (AS)

asὡςhōsG5613
as/when

ὡς (hōs) ὡς, adverbial form of the relative pron. ὅς, ἥ, ὅ. I. As relat. adv. of manner, as, like as, just as, even as; 1. with a demonstrative, like οὕτως, expressed or understood: οὕτως . . . ὡς, Mrk.4:26, 1Co.3:15, Eph.5:28, Jas.2:12, al.; ὡς . . . οὕτως, Act.8:32, 1Co.7:17, al.; elliptically (sc. οὕτως, οὕτω), with nom., Mat.6:29, al.; with accusative, Mat.19:19, Mrk.12:31, al.; with prep., Mat.26:55, Mrk.14:48, Luk.22:52, Jhn.7:10, al.; with verb., Jhn.15:6, 2Co.3:1, Eph.2:3, 1Th.5:6, al.; with ptcp. (the ptcp. however not having the special force wh. it has in cl.; see Bl., §73, 5; 74, 6), Mat. …

a brother.ἀδελφόν.¶adelphonG0080
brother

ἀδελφός (adelphos) ἀδελφός, -οῦ, ὁ (ἀ- copul., δελφύς, womb), in cl., a brother, born of the same parent or parents. [In LXX (Hort, Ja., 102f.), for אָח ;] 1. lit. of a brother (Gen.4:2, al.). 2. Of a neighbour (Lev.19:17). 3. Of a member of the same nation (Exo.2:14, Deu.15:3). In NT in each of these senses (1. Mat.1:2, al.; 2. Mat.7:3; 3. Rom.9:3) and also, …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.