2 Thessalonians 3:8 “nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor…”

2 Thessalonians 3:8

nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

World English Bible

neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you.

American Standard Version

neither did we eat bread for nought at any man’s hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:

Geneva Bible 1599

Neither tooke we bread of any man for nought: but we wrought with labour and trauaile night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you.

Darby Translation

nor have we eaten bread from any one without cost; but in toil and hardship working night and day not to be chargeable to any one of you:

Young's Literal Translation

nor for nought did we eat bread of any one, but in labour and in travail, night and day working, not to be chargeable to any of you;

Bible in Basic English

And we did not take food from any man for nothing, but were working hard night and day not to be a trouble to any of you:

.mt-body { max-height: none !important; -webkit-mask-image: none !important; mask-image: none !important; } .mt-bar { display: none !important; } .o-trans::after { display: block !important; }

Cross references

“eat”

Matthew 6:11 2 Thessalonians 3:12 Proverbs 31:27

Matthew 6:11 · BSB

Give us this day our daily bread.

2 Thessalonians 3:12 · BSB

We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living.

Proverbs 31:27 · BSB

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

“but”

Acts 18:3 1 Corinthians 4:12 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Acts 20:34 2 Corinthians 11:9

Acts 18:3 · BSB

and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.

1 Corinthians 4:12 · BSB

We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

1 Thessalonians 4:11 · BSB

and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.

Acts 20:34 · BSB

You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my own needs and those of my companions.

2 Corinthians 11:9 · BSB

And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.

“night”

1 Thessalonians 2:9

1 Thessalonians 2:9 · BSB

Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

Also

Ephesians 4:28

Ephesians 4:28 · BSB

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

7For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,

9Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate.

Read 2 Thessalonians 3