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Selected Verse: 2 Thessalonians 3:8 - King James
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
2Th 3:8 |
King James |
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: |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
eat any man's bread--Greek, "eat bread from any man," that is, live at anyone's expense. Contrast Th2 3:12, "eat THEIR OWN bread."
wrought-- (Act 20:34). In both Epistles they state they maintained themselves by labor; but in this second Epistle they do so in order to offer themselves herein as an example to the idle; whereas, in the first, their object in doing so is to vindicate themselves from all imputation of mercenary motives in preaching the Gospel (Th1 2:5, Th1 2:9) [EDMUNDS]. They preached gratuitously though they might have claimed maintenance from their converts.
labour and travail--"toil and hardship" (see on Th1 2:9).
night and day--scarcely allowing time for repose.
chargeable--Greek, "a burden," or "burdensome." The Philippians did not regard it as a burden to contribute to his support (Phi 4:15-16), sending to him while he was in this very Thessalonica (Act 16:15, Act 16:34, Act 16:40). Many Thessalonians, doubtless, would have felt it a privilege to contribute, but as he saw some idlers among them who would have made a pretext of his example to justify themselves, he waived his right. His reason for the same course at Corinth was to mark how different were his aims from those of the false teachers who sought their own lucre (Co2 11:9, Co2 11:12-13). It is at the very time and place of writing these Epistles that Paul is expressly said to have wrought at tent-making with Aquila (Act 18:3); an undesigned coincidence. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought - We were not supported in idleness at the expense of others. We gave a fair equivalent for all that we received, and, in fact, labored for our own support; see the notes on Th1 2:9. |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Any man's bread (ἄρτον παρά τινος)
Lit. bread from any one, or at any man's hand.
For nought (δωρεὰν)
The word is a noun, meaning a gift. See Joh 4:10; Act 2:38; Rom 5:15. The accusative often adverbially as here; as a gift, gratis. Comp. Mat 10:8; Rom 3:24; Rev 21:6.
Labor and travail
See on Th1 1:3.
Be chargeable (ἐπιβαρῆσαι)
Po. Better, burden. By depending upon them for pecuniary support. Comp. 1 Corinthians 9:3-18, and see on Th1 2:6. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Neither did we eat any man's bread for naught - We paid for what we bought, and worked with our hands that we might have money to buy what was necessary.
Labour and travail night and day - We were incessantly employed, either in preaching the Gospel, visiting from house to house, or working at our calling. As it is very evident that the Church at Thessalonica was very pious, and most affectionately attached to the apostle, they must have been very poor, seeing he was obliged to work hard to gain himself the necessaries of life. Had they been able to support him he would not have worked with labor and travail night and day, that he might not be burdensome to them; and, as we may presume that they were very poor, he could not have got his support among them without adding to their burdens. To this his generous mind could not submit; it is no wonder, therefore, that he is so severe against those who would not labor, but were a burden to the poor followers of God. |
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.