Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Thessalonians 3:7

"For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;" — 2 Thessalonians 3:7 (ASV)

Paul himself was not idle. His readers could verify this claim (“you yourselves know,” v.7; cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:1; 3:3; 4:2; 5:2). In imitating Paul, they would be imitating the Lord himself (1 Thessalonians 1:6) because Paul’s life was so carefully patterned after his Lord’s. He did not loaf at Thessalonica (v.7b), nor depend on others to supply him with free food (v.8a). He supported himself in spite of much fatigue (“laboring,” v.8) and many obstacles (“toiling,” v.8; cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:9) in order to relieve the new Christians in Thessalonica of the burden of maintaining him.

Paul did not have to exert himself so tirelessly. As an apostle, he had “the right to such help” (v.9; cf. 1 Corinthians 9:4ff.; 1 Thessalonians 2:7) from his converts. He decided, however, to forgo this privilege and leave an example for them to imitate.

The apostle Paul supported himself in his missionary activity by working in leather (possibly making tents out of leather). In Corinth he joined the leather business of Aquila and Priscilla . Drawing by Rachel Bierling.