2 Thessalonians 3:14
in 2 Thessalonians 3Take note of anyone who does not obey the instructions we have given in this letter. Do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.
KJV
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
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This verse in 2 Thessalonians 3
Commentary
12 notes on this verseIf any man obey not - They had disobeyed his word in the first epistle, and the Church still continued to bear with them; now he tells the Church, if they still continue to disregard what is said to them, and particularly his word by this second epistle, they are to mark them as being totally incorrigible, and have no fellowship with them. Some construe the words δια της επιστολης with τουτον σημειουσθε· Give me information of that man by a letter - let me hear of his continued obstinacy, and send me his name.
This site's exposition
But as for you, brothers
on 2 Thessalonians 3:13-15
The church is to not associate with anyone who does not obey, so that he may be ashamed, with shame aimed at his recovery. Verse 15 sets the spirit of it: do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
This site's exposition
Take note of anyone
Paul now makes this letter itself the standard, and the church is to mark anyone who defies it and keep apart from him. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown explain the aim, that a man shunned by his brothers may turn and look at himself. Shame is meant to bring repentance.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Wherefore if any one persists in such deeds, and repents not, withdraw from him, and cease to live with him, otherwise you are a sharer in his sin. Therefore has the injunction been laid on you, that you should remain by yourselves, both man and woman, for in such persons repentance can take place. But I do not," said he, "give opportunity for the doing of these deeds, but that he who has sinned may sin no more. But with regard to his previous transgressions, there is One who is able to provide a cure; for it is He, indeed, who has power over all."
Why, do you yourself, when introducing into the church, for the purpose of melting the brotherhood by his prayers, the repentant adulterer, lead into the midst and prostrate him, all in haircloth and ashes, a compound of disgrace and horror, before the widows, before the elders, suing for the tears of all, licking the footprints of all, clasping the knees of all?
"And if any man obeyeth not our word by this Epistle." He has not said, He that disobeys, disobeys me, but "note that man." This is no slight chastisement. "Have no company with him." Then again he says, "that he may be ashamed." And he does not permit them to proceed farther. For as he had said, "if any does not work neither let him eat" fearing lest they should perish by hunger, he has added, "But in doing good, be not ye weary." Thus having said, "Withdraw yourselves, and have no company with him," then fearing lest this very thing might cut him off from the brotherhood-for he who gives himself up to despair will quickly be lost if he is not admitted to freedom of conversation-he has added.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Or, commune with him, but at the same time shun him. so that he may be ashamed: In this way he will come to his senses and repent from his evil ways. …
Then when he says "and if any man," he commands that they be corrected, and first, he shows the order in which they should be punished; second, he shows the effect of the punishment, at "that he may be ashamed"; third, the goal, at "yet …
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Some read: "our word" (λόγω ημών), with the letter ή, which is why they understood it thus: if anyone does not obey my word, Paul's, as if spoken through this epistle, mark that person and treat him as one excommunicated. But Saint John read: "your" …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And if any man obey not our word,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
note that man--mark him in your own mind as one to be avoided (2Th 3:6). that he may be ashamed--Greek, "made to turn and look into himself, and so be put to shame." Feeling himself shunned by godly brethren, he may become ashamed of his course.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle - Margin, “or signify that man by an epistle.” According to the marginal reading this would mean “signify, mark out, or designate that man to me by an epistle.” The difference is merely whether we unite the words “by the epistle” with what goes before, or what follows. The Greek would admit of either construction (Winer, p. 93), but it seems to me that the construction in the text is the correct one, because: (1) The requirement was to proceed to discipline such a man by withdrawing from him; (2) In order to do this it was not necessary that the case should be made known to Paul, for there was no supposable difficulty in it, and the effect would be only needless delay; (3) Paul regarded the right of discipline as residing in the church itself, and did not require that cases should be referred to him to determine; see the notes on 1Co 5:2-4. (4) Though the Greek will admit of either construction, yet it rather favors this; see Oldhhausen, in loc. Note that man. The word here used, means to mark; to sign; to note with marks; and the idea is, set such a mark upon him that he shall be shunned; that is, withdraw all Christian fellowship from him. And have no company with him - The Greek word here means, to mix up together; then to mingle together with; to have contact with. The idea is that they were not to mingle with him as a Christian brother, or as one of their own number. They were not to show that they regarded him as a worthy member of the church, or as having a claim to its privileges. The extent of their discipline was, that they were to withdraw from him; see the 2Th 3:6 note, and Mat 18:17 note; compare 2Jn 1:10-11.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| δέ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| οὐχ | ouch | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ὑπακούει | hupakouei | obey | G5219 → | |
| τῷ | to | this | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγῳ | logo | instruction | G3056 → | 329 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπιστολῆς, | epistoles | letter, | G1992 → | 24 times |
| τοῦτον | touton | of this [man] | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| σημειοῦσθε | semeiousthe | do take note | G4593 → | |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| συναναμίγνυσθαι | sunanamignusthai | to mix with | G4874 → | |
| αὐτῷ | auto | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἐντραπῇ· | entrapea | he may be ashamed; | G1788 → |
ΕἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
δέthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
οὐχnot
ouchG3756 →1664 times
ὑπακούειobey
hupakoueiG5219 →
τῷthis
toG3588 →19766 times
λόγῳinstruction
logoG3056 →329 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐπιστολῆς,letter,
epistolesG1992 →24 times
τοῦτονof this [man]
toutonG3778 →1381 times
σημειοῦσθεdo take note
semeioustheG4593 →
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
συναναμίγνυσθαιto mix with
sunanamignusthaiG4874 →
αὐτῷhim
autoG846 →5565 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
ἐντραπῇ·he may be ashamed;
entrapeaG1788 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 5:11But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler.…
it leads to
- Romans 16:17
Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 18:17
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
- Romans 16:17
Through
Titus 3:10Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,
it leads to
- 2 John 1:10
If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 18:15–17
If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
- 2 John 1:10
Through
2 Thessalonians 3:6Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received…
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 3:10–11
For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,
- Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:10–11
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Thessalonians
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 2 Thessalonians 5; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Nicholas of Lyra, Commentary (church-history corpus); Shepherd of Hermas, Shepherd of Hermas, Commandment 4; Tertullian, On Modesty; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 Thessalonians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 2 Thessalonians.