2 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians · Chapter 3

2 Thessalonians 3:5

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
5And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Paul prays that the Lord would direct their hearts "into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." 2 Thessalonians 3:5

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 Thessalonian believers. 2 Thessalonians 3:5

This short prayer closes 3:1-5 before Paul's commands about idleness (3:6-15). 2 Thessalonians 3:52 Thessalonians 3:6

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 hearts rooted in God's love and Christ's endurance, which steady believers in trials. 2 Thessalonians 3:52 Thessalonians overview

In the whole of Scripture"Incline my heart unto thy testimonies" (Psalms 119:36). "We love him, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Hebrews says to look "unto Jesus ... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2). Psalms 119:361 John 4:19Hebrews 12:2

For readersThe Lord himself guides hearts into love for God and the endurance Christ showed. 2 Thessalonians 3:5Hebrews 12:2

  • directκατευθύνω
    Greek · kateuthunō · G2720

    The word means to make straight, to guide. The lexicon lists Luke 1:79 and 1 Thessalonians 3:11 as its other uses. Strong's G2720

  • heartsκαρδία
    Greek · kardia · G2588

    The word means heart, the inner person. Strong's G2588

  • loveἀγάπη
    Greek · agapē · G0026

    The word means love. Strong's G0026

  • patient waitingὑπομονή
    Greek · hupomonē · G5281

    The word means endurance, steadfastness. It is the same word as "patience" in 1:4. Strong's G5281

Takeaway

May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's patient endurance. 2 Thessalonians 3:5Hebrews 12:2

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
AndδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (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.; …

the LordκύριοςkuriosG2962G
lord: God

κύριος (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 …

would directκατευθύναιkateuthunaiG2720
to guide

κατευθύνω (kateuthunō) κατ-ευθύνω [in LXX for כּוּן ni., hi., etc. ;] to make or keep straight, direct, guide: metaphorically, τ. ὁδόν, 1Th.3:11; τ. πόδας εἰς ὁδὸν εἰρήνης, Luk.1:79; τ. καρδίας εἰς τ. ἀγάπην, 2Th.3:5.† (AS)

yourὑμῶνhumōnG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

heartsκαρδίαςkardiasG2588
heart

καρδία (kardia) καρδία, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for לֵבָב ,לֵב ;] the heart, 1. the bodily organ which is regarded as the seat of life ( 2Ki.18:14, 4Ki.9:24, al.). 2. In a psychological sense, the seat of man's collective energies, the focus of personal life, the seat of the rational as well as the emotional and volitional elements in human life, hence that wherein lies the moral and religious condition of the man (DB, ii, 317f.; DGG, ii, 344a); (a) of the seat of physical life ( Jdg.19:5, Psa.101 (102):5 103 (104):15): Act.14:17, Jas.5:5; …

intoεἰςeisG1519
toward

εἰς (eis) εἰς, prep. with accusative, expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, with accusative). I. Of place. 1. After verbs of motion; (a) of entrance into: Mat.8:23, 9:7, Mrk.1:45, Luk.2:15, 8:31, al.; (b) of approach, to or towards: Mrk.11:1, Luk.6:8, 19:28, Jhn.11:31, 21:6, al.; (with) before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mrk.4:7, 8:19, 20, Luk.11:49, Jhn.21:23, al.; …

loveἀγάπηνagapēnG0026
love

ἀγάπη (agapē) ἀγάπη, -ης, ἡ [in LXX for אַהֲבָה, which is also rendered by ἀγάπησις and φιλία ;] love, goodwill, esteem. Outside of bibl. and eccl. books, there is no clear instance (with Deiss., LAE, 18:4, 70:2, cf. the same writer in Constr. Quar., ii, 4; and with MM, VGT, see word, cf. Dr. Moulton in Exp. Times, xxvi, 3, 139). In NT, like ἀγαπάω, -ῶ, 1. Of men's love: (a) to one another, Jhn.13:35; (b) to God, 1Jn.2:5. 2. Of divine love; (a) God's love: to men, Rom.5:8; to Christ, Jhn.17:26; (b) Christ's love to men: Rom.8:35. 3. In pl., love feasts: Ju 12 (DB, iii, 157). …

of GodθεοῦtheouG2316
God

θεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
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. …

intoεἰςeisG1519
toward

εἰς (eis) εἰς, prep. with accusative, expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, with accusative). I. Of place. 1. After verbs of motion; (a) of entrance into: Mat.8:23, 9:7, Mrk.1:45, Luk.2:15, 8:31, al.; (b) of approach, to or towards: Mrk.11:1, Luk.6:8, 19:28, Jhn.11:31, 21:6, al.; (with) before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mrk.4:7, 8:19, 20, Luk.11:49, Jhn.21:23, al.; …

steadfastnessὑπομονὴνhupomonēnG5281
perseverance

ὑπομονή (hupomonē) ὑπο-μονή, -ῆς, ἡ (ὑπομένω) [in LXX for מִקְוֶה and cogn. forms; frequently in 4Mac ;] 1. a remaining behind (Arist.). 2. patient enduring, endurance: Luk.8:15 21:19, Rom.5:3-4 15:4-5, 2Co.6:4 12:12, Col.1:11, 2Th.1:4, 1Ti.6:11, 2Ti.3:10, Tit.2:2, Heb.10:36, Jas.1:3-4 5:11, 2Pe.1:6, Rev.2:2-3, 19 13:10 14:12; δι᾽ ὑπομονῆς, Rom.8:25, Heb.12:1; with genitive of person(s), 2Th.3:5 (ICC, in l), Rev.3:10; with genitive of thing(s), Rom.2:7, 2Co.1:6, 1Th.1:3; before ἐν, Rev.1:9.† SYN.: see: μακροθυμία, and cf. Hort on Jas.1:3 (AS)

of Christ.Χριστοῦ.¶ChristouG5547
Christ

Χριστός (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. …

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