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OCTOBER 22
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you, not because we do not have authority, but in doing good. And if anyone does not obey
to make ourselves an example of how you our word in this epistle, note that person and do
should follow us. not keep company with him, that he may be
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10 For even when we were with you, we com- ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy,
manded you this: If anyone will not work, nei- but admonish him as a brother.
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ther shall he eat. For we hear that there are 16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give
some who walk among you in a disorderly you peace always in every way. The Lord be
manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. with you all.
12 Now those who are such we command and ex- 17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand,
hort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.
work in quietness and eat their own bread. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary you all. Amen.
DAY 21: How does Paul’s teaching on church discipline in 2 Thessalonians 3:6–15 fit
with other major biblical passages on this subject?

Paul addressed a particular issue of church discipline with the Thessalonians in 3:6–15.Helpful
parallel passages that should be consulted in studying this one include Matthew 18:15–20,
1Corinthians 5:1–13, Galatians 6:1–5, and 1 Timothy 5:19,20.
This passage (3:6–15) gives specific direction on the nature of the church’s response to someone
who deliberately refuses to follow God’s Word,expecting to benefit from fellowship with God’s people
while being unwilling to participate in a meaningful way.Paul’s directions were not mere suggestions,
but rather they carried the weight and authority of a judge’s court order which the apostle delivered
and enforced (vv.4,6,10,12).In Paul’s words,“If anyone will not work,neither shall he eat”(3:10).These
were fellow believers acting in a parasitic way, sapping the generosity of other believers. Paul had
already addressed this pattern in his first letter (1 Thess.4:11).If there were any questions,Paul called
them to imitate him (v.7; 1 Thess.1:6) because he imitated Christ (1 Cor.4:16; 11:1; Eph.5:1).
This passage offers an emphatic command,a personal confrontation,and a compassionate cau-
tion.First,vv.6 and 14 instruct the rest of the church to “withdraw”and “not keep company”with such
a person. In other words, Paul was commanding the church to disfellowship blatantly disobedient
Christians in order to produce shame (v. 14) and, hopefully, repentance. Second, Paul was giving the
sluggards a direct command to “work in quietness and eat their own bread” (v. 12), removing any
excuse that they had not been warned about discipline.Third, Paul added two crucial words of cau-
tion.He reminded the believers that genuinely needy people deserved help.He urged them,“Do not
grow weary in doing good”(v.13).He also cautioned them to limit their disciplinary withdrawal.“Yet
do not count him as an enemy,but admonish him as a brother”(v.15).While an unrepentant pattern
of sin should be handled decisively, they should continually remember that the person being disci-
plined is a brother or sister in the Lord.All further warnings to this person about his or her sin should
be done with love and concern, praying for this fellow believer’s restoration.
The goal for any prescription for church discipline must be the restoration of the sinning per-
son.If successful, Jesus said that “you have gained your brother”(Matt.18:15).The idea is not mere-
ly to punish the offender or to shun him completely, but to remove him as a detrimental influence
from the fellowship of the church, and henceforth to regard him as an evangelistic prospect rather
than a brother. Ultimately, the sin for which he is excommunicated is a hardhearted impenitence.

the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the
OCTOBER 22 princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the crafts-
men, and the smiths had departed from Jeru-
salem.) The letter was sent by the hand of
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Jeremiah 29:1–30:24
Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the
Now these are the words of the letter son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah
29 that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Je- sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of
rusalem to the remainder of the elders who Babylon, saying,
were carried away captive—to the priests, the
prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchad- 4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God
nezzar had carried away captive from Jerusa- of Israel, to all who were carried away
lem to Babylon. (This happened after Jeconiah captive, whom I have caused to be
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