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

⁶ Now we charge you, brothers, on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, to hold yourselves aloof from any brother who is living as a shirker instead of following the teachings you received from us. ⁷ You know yourselves how you ought to follow my example; for I was not a shirker when I was with you; ⁸ I did not eat any man's bread without paying for it, but with toil and hard labor I worked night and day, in order not to be a burden to any of you. ⁹ Not that I have no right to be supported, but to make myself an example for you to follow. ¹⁰ For when I was with you, I gave you this direction, "If a person refuses to work, he must not be allowed to eat." ¹¹ But we are informed that some among you are living as shirkers, mere busybodies, instead of busy at work. ¹² Now on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ we charge and exhort such persons to do their own work with quiet and eat their own bread. ¹³ But you, brothers, must never grow tired of doing right.

¹⁴ If anyone refuses to obey what we have said in this letter, mark that person and stop having anything to do with him, so that he will feel ashamed of it. ¹⁵ You must not regard him as an enemy but warn him as a brother.