[1] Finally, our friends, please pray for us. This will help the message about the Lord to spread quickly, and others will respect it, just as you do. [2] Pray that we may be kept safe from worthless and evil people. After all, not everyone has faith. [3] But the Lord can be trusted to make you strong and protect you from harm. [4] He has made us sure that you are obeying what we taught you and that you will keep on obeying. [5] I pray that the Lord will guide you to be as loving as God and as patient as Christ. [6] My dear friends, in the name of the Lord Jesus, I beg you not to have anything to do with any of your people who loaf around and refuse to obey the instructions we gave you. [7] You surely know that you should follow our example. We didn't waste our time loafing, [8] and we didn't accept food from anyone without paying for it. We didn't want to be a burden to any of you, so night and day we worked as hard as we could. [9] We had the right not to work, but we wanted to set an example for you. [10] We also gave you the rule that if you don't work, you don't eat. [11] Now we learn that some of you just loaf around and won't do any work, except the work of a busybody. [12] So, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, we ask and beg these people to settle down and start working for a living. [13] Dear friends, you must never become tired of doing right. [14] Be on your guard against any followers who refuse to obey what we have written in this letter. Put them to shame by not having anything to do with them. [15] Don't consider them your enemies, but speak kindly to them as you would to any other follower. [16] I pray that the Lord, who gives peace, will always bless you with peace. May the Lord be with all of you. [17] I always sign my letters as I am now doing: PAUL. [18] I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to all of you.
