1 Thessalonians 4:11
And that you use your endeavour to be quiet, and that you do your own business, and work with your own hands, as we commanded you: and that you walk honestly towards them that are without; and that you want nothing of any man's.
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- Vulgate (Clementine) shown from 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 4:12
- et operam detis ut quieti sitis, et ut vestrum negotium agatis, et operemini manibus vestris, sicut præcepimus vobis : et ut honeste ambuletis ad eos qui foris sunt : et nullius aliquid desideretis.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT) shown from 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 4:12
- καὶ φιλοτιμεῖσθαι ἡσυχάζειν καὶ πράσσειν τὰ ἴδια καὶ ἐργάζεσθαι ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν, καθὼς ὑμῖν παρηγγείλαμεν, ἵνα περιπατῆτε εὐσχημόνως πρὸς τοὺς ἔξω καὶ μηδενὸς χρείαν ἔχητε.
Haydock's commentary
And that you want nothing of any man's.2 This is the sense by the Greek, nor does the Latin here signify to desire, but to want them that are without; i.e. infidels out of the pale of the Church. (Witham)
In regard of brotherly love, he advises them to remain quiet, at peace with every one, troubling nobody, nor interfering with the concerns of others, but each one minding his own work. It had been reported to the apostle that there were some at Thessalonica who made religion a pretest for idleness. It is to reprove such persons as these, that we are given to understand in this place that religion will never excuse the neglect of relative duties, either to our neighbours or to ourselves. It is the duty of all to labour, in order to prevent the evils of poverty; for involuntary poverty is a great snare, and a dangerous temptation against salvation. It exposes to ignorance, to meanness, and low actions; it conducts to fraud, to falsities, to impudence, and forgetfulness of God. Happy are the poor in spirit, but miserable they who are involuntarily so: miserable, not for the wants, the humiliations, or inconveniences of their state, but for the irregularities and disorders of conduct to which they are exposed. It is therefore wise of man to pray, Give me not riches nor poverty, but give me only what is sufficient, &c. (Calmet)
2 Nullius aliquid desideretis, medenos chreian echete. i.e. nullius opus habeatis.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Tertullian On Idolatry, Sundry Objections or Excuses Dealt with
We will certainly take more pains in answering the excuses of artificers of this kind, who ought never to be admitted into the house of God, if any have a knowledge of that Discipline. To begin with, that speech, wont to be cast in our teeth, “I have nothing else whereby to live,” may be more severely retorted, “You have, then, whereby to live? If by your own laws, what have you to do with God?” Then, as to the argument they have the hardihood to bring even from the Scriptures, “that the apostle has said, ‘As each has been found, so let him persevere.’” We may all, therefore, persevere in sins , as the result of that interpretation! for there is not any one of us who has not been found as a sinner , since no other cause was the source of Christ’s descent than that of setting sinners free. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians 4:9,10
Ver. 11, 12 . “To be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you: that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing.”
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
See how in the former Epistle indeed he discourses somewhat more mildly concerning these things; as when he says, “We beseech you, brethren, that ye would abound more and more, and that ye study” ( 1 Thess. iv. 1-11 .), and nowhere does he say, “we command,” nor “in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” which was fearful and implied danger, but that “ye abound,” he says, and “study,” which are the words of one exhorting to virtue; “that ye may walk honestly” (becomingly), he says. ( 1 Thess. iv. 12 .) But here is nothing of this kind, but “if any one will not work,” says he, “neither let him eat.” For if Paul, not being under a necessity, and having a right to be idle, and having undertaken so great a work, did nevertheless work, and not merely work, but “night and day,” so that he was able even to assist others, much more ought others to do this.
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John, John 6.26,27
Now Paul in another place saith, “But we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more, that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without” ( 1 Thess. iv. 10, 11, 12 ); and again; “Let him that stole, steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his own hands, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” ( Eph. iv. 28 .) Here the Apostle bids not simply “work,” but to work so vigorously and laboriously, as to have thereby somewhat to give to others. And in another place the same saith again; “These hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with me.” ( Acts xx. 34 .) And writing to the Corinthians he said, “What is my reward then? Verily, that when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge.” ( 1 Cor. ix. …
St Basil The Letters, Without address. On the Perfection of the Life of Solitaries
The voice should be modulated; no one ought to answer another, or do anything, roughly or contemptuously, but in all things moderation and respect should be shewn to every one. No wily glances of the eye are to be allowed, nor any behaviour or gestures which grieve a brother and shew contempt. Any display in cloak or shoes is to be avoided; it is idle ostentation. Cheap things ought to be used for bodily necessity; and nothing ought to be spent beyond what is necessary, or for mere extravagance; this is a misuse of our property. The Christian ought not to seek for honour, or claim precedence. Every one ought to put all others before himself. The Christian ought not to be unruly. He who is able to work ought not to eat the bread of idleness, but even he who is busied in deeds well done for the glory of Christ ought to force himself to the active discharge of such work as he can do. …
St John Cassian The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults, Chapter XXI. Different passages from the writings of Solomon against accidie
And Solomon, the wisest of men, clearly points to this fault of idleness in many passages, as he says: “He that followeth idleness shall be filled with poverty,” either visible or invisible, in which an idle person and one entangled with different faults is sure to be involved, and he will always be a stranger to the contemplation of God, and to spiritual riches, of which the blessed Apostle says: “For in all things ye were enriched in him, in all utterance and in all knowledge.” But concerning this poverty of the idler elsewhere he also writes thus: “Every sluggard shall be clothed in torn garments and rags.” For certainly he will not merit to be adorned with that garment of incorruption (of which the Apostle says, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,” and again: “Being clothed in the breastplate of righteousness and charity,” concerning which the Lord Himself also speaks to Jerusalem by t …