Pray for Us
1 Finally, brothers,1 jpray for us, that kthe word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored,2 as happened among you, 2 and lthat we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For mnot all have faith. 3 But nthe Lord is faithful. He will establish you and oguard you against pthe evil one.3 4 And qwe have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord rdirect your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Warning Against Idleness
6 Now we command you, brothers, sin the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, tthat you keep away from any ubrother vwho is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know whow you ought to imitate us, because xwe were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but ywith toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was znot because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves aan example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: bIf anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you cwalk in idleness, not busy at work, but dbusybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.4
13 As for you, brothers, edo not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and fhave nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 gDo not regard him as an enemy, but hwarn him as a brother.
Benediction
16 Now may ithe Lord of peace himself jgive you peace at all times in every way. kThe Lord be with you all.
17 I, Paul, write lthis greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 mThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
In You Do I Take Refuge
A lShiggaion1 of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.
1 O Lord my God, in you do I mtake refuge;
nsave me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
2 lest like oa lion they tear my soul apart,
rending it in pieces, with pnone to deliver.
3 O Lord my God, qif I have done this,
if there is rwrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid smy friend2 with evil
or tplundered my enemy without cause,
5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it,
and let him utrample my life to the ground
and lay my glory in the dust. Selah
6 vArise, O Lord, in your anger;
wlift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
xawake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
over it return on high.
8 The Lord yjudges the peoples;
zjudge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
and may you establish the righteous—
you who atest bthe minds and hearts,3
O righteous God!
10 My shield is cwith God,
who saves dthe upright in heart.
11 God is ea righteous judge,
and a God who feels findignation every day.
12 If a man4 does not repent, God5 will gwhet his sword;
he has hbent and ireadied his bow;
13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
making his jarrows kfiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked man lconceives evil
and is lpregnant with mischief
and gives birth to lies.
15 He makes ma pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole that he has made.
16 His nmischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will osing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
