Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you; 2and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. 3But the Lord1 is faithful, who will establish you, and guard you from the evil one. 4We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. 5May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God2, and into the patience of AL-MASIH3.
6Now we command you, brothers, in the Name of our LORD ‘ISA4 AL-MASIH, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us. 7For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you, 8neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labour and toil worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you; 9not because we do not have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us. 10For even when we were with you, we commanded you this:
“If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.”
11For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who do not work at all, but are busybodies. 12Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the LORD ‘ISA AL-MASIH, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
13But you, brothers, do not be weary in doing well. 14If any man does not obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. 15Do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
17The greeting of me, Paul, with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter: this is how I write. 18The grace of our LORD ‘ISA AL-MASIH be with you all. Amen.
- 3:3 Lord, translated from the Greek kurios. Depending on context, it can refer to: 1. God, 2. ’ISA AL-MASIH, 3. men in authority, such as kings, landlords, etc., 4. a respectful salutation meaning, “sir.” ↩︎
- 3:5 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 3:5 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 3:6 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎