SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:10
Porque aun estando con vosotros, os denuncibamos esto: Que si alguno no quisiere trabajar, tampoco coma.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 3:10
Verse 10. If any would not work, neither should he eat.] This is a just maxim, and universal nature inculcates it to man. If man will work, he may eat; if he do not work, he neither can eat, nor should he eat. The maxim is founded on these words of the Lord: In the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread. Industry is crowned with God's blessing; idleness is loaded with his curse. This maxim was a proverb among the Jews. Men who can work, and will rather support themselves by begging, should not get one morsel of bread. It is a sin to minister to necessities that are merely artificial.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 10. For even when we were with you , &c.] At Thessalonica in person, and first preached the Gospel to them, we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat ; the Ethiopic version reads in the singular number, when I was with you, I commanded you; using the above words, which were a sort of a proverb with the Jews, and is frequently used by them, lyka al yad , or sygn al y[l , that if a man would not work, he should not eat f16 . And again f17 , he that labours on the evening of the sabbath (or on weekdays), he shall eat on the sabbath day; and he who does not labour on the evening of the sabbath, from whence shall he eat (or what right and authority has he to eat) on the sabbath day? Not he that could not work through weakness, bodily diseases, or old age, the necessities of such are to be distributed to, and they are to be taken care of, and provided with the necessaries of life by the officers of the church; but those that can work, and will not, ought to starve, for any assistance that should be given them by the members of the church, or the officers of it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-15 - Those who have received the gospel, are to live according to the gospel. Such as could work, and would not, were not to be maintained i idleness. Christianity is not to countenance slothfulness, which woul consume what is meant to encourage the industrious, and to support the sick and afflicted. Industry in our callings as men, is a duty require by our calling as Christians. But some expected to be maintained i idleness, and indulged a curious and conceited temper. They meddle with the concerns of others, and did much harm. It is a great error an abuse of religion, to make it a cloak for idleness or any other sin The servant who waits for the coming of his Lord aright, must be working as his Lord has commanded. If we are idle, the devil and corrupt heart will soon find us somewhat to do. The mind of man is busy thing; if it is not employed in doing good, it will be doing evil It is an excellent, but rare union, to be active in our own business yet quiet as to other people's. If any refused to labour with quietness, they were to note him with censure, and to separate from his company, yet they were to seek his good by loving admonitions. The Lords is with you while you are with him. Hold on your way, and hold of to the end. We must never give over, or tire in our work. It will be time enough to rest when we come to heaven.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 γαρ 1063 οτε 3753 ημεν 1510 5713 προς 4314 υμας 5209 τουτο 5124 παρηγγελλομεν 3853 5707 υμιν 5213 οτι 3754 ει 1487 τις 5100 ου 3756 θελει 2309 5719 εργαζεσθαι 2038 5738 μηδε 3366 εσθιετω 2068 5720
Vincent's NT Word Studies
10. If any would not work, etc. A Jewish proverb.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:10 { this } (touto). What he proceeds to give. {If any will not work, neither let him eat} (hoti ei tis ou qelei ergazesqai mede esqietw). Recitative hoti here not to be translated, like our modern quotation marks. Apparently a Jewish proverb based on #Ge 3:19. Wetstein quotes several parallels. Moffatt gives this from Carlyle's _Chartism_: "He that will not work according to his faculty, let him perish according to his necessity." Deissmann (_Light from the Ancient East_, p. 314) sees Paul borrowing a piece of workshop morality. It was needed, as is plain. this is a condition of the first class (note negative ou) with the negative imperative in the conclusion.
