2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 - Warning Against Lazy, Irresponsible Behavior

⁶ We charge you, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives in idleness, instead of following the teaching you received from us. ⁷ For you know yourselves what you must do to follow my example, for I was not idle when I was with you; ⁸ I did not eat anybody's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor I worked night and day, in order not to be a burden to any of you. ⁹ Not that I had not a right to my support, but to give you in my own conduct an example to imitate. ¹⁰ When I was with you, I gave you this rule: "If anyone refuses to work, give him nothing to eat!" ¹¹ For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. ¹² Now with the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ we charge and exhort such people to keep quiet and do their work and earn their own living. ¹³ But you, brothers, must not get tired of doing right.

¹⁴ If anyone refuses to obey what we have said in this letter, mark the man and do not have anything to do with him, to make him feel ashamed. ¹⁵ Do not look upon him as an enemy but warn him as a brother.