2 Thessalonians 3:7
For yourselves know how you ought to imitate us: for we were not disorderly among you;
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Ipsi enim scitis quemadmodum oporteat imitari nos : quoniam non inquieti fuimus inter vos :
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἴδατε πῶς δεῖ μιμεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς, ὅτι οὐκ ἠτακτήσαμεν ἐν ὑμῖν
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 Augustine Of the Work of Monks, Section 4
4. First then we ought to demonstrate that the blessed Apostle Paul willed the servants of God to work corporal works which should have as their end a great spiritual reward, for this purpose that they should need food and clothing of no man, but with their own hands should procure these for themselves: then, to show that those evangelical precepts from which some cherish not only their sloth but even arrogance, are not contrary to the Apostolical precept and example. Let us see then whence the Apostle came to this, that he should say, “If any will not work, neither let him eat,” and what he thereupon joineth on, that from the very context of this lesson may appear his declared sentence. “We command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh unquietly, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
Ver. 7, 8 . “For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat bread for nought at any man’s hand.”
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
Great is the confidence of the Teacher, when from his own good actions he is entitled to reprove his disciples. Wherefore also Paul said, “For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us.” ( 2 Thess. iii. 7 .) And he ought to be a Teacher more of life than of the word. And let no one think that this is said from a spirit of boasting. For it was as reduced to necessity that he spoke it, and with a view to general advantage. “For we behaved not ourselves,” he says, “disorderly among you.” From this do you not see his humility, in that he calls it, “for nought,” and “disorderly behavior”? “We did not behave ourselves disorderly among you,” he says, “neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought.” Here he shows that perhaps also they were poor; and tell me not, that they were poor. …
St John Cassian The Conferences of John Cassian. Part III. Containing Conferences XVIII.-XXIV, Chapter XI. The answer stating what Saint Antony laid down on this matter
Abraham : I will not give you my own opinion against this, but that of the blessed Antony, whereby he confounded the laziness of a certain brother (overcome by this luke-warmness which you describe) in such a way as also to cut the knot of your subject. For when one came as I said to the aforesaid old man, and said that the Anchorite system was not at all to be admired, declaring that it required greater virtue for a man to practise what belongs to perfection living among men rather than in the desert, the blessed Antony asked where he lived himself, and when he said that he lived close to his relations, and boasted that by their provision he was set free from all care and anxiety of daily work, and gave himself up ceaselessly and solely to reading and prayer without any distraction of spirit, once more the blessed Antony said: “Tell me, my good friend, whether you grieve with their grie …