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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

2 Thessalonians 3:15

But do not treat them as enemies; instead, warn them as believers.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Commandments;   Fellowship;   Fraternity;   Thompson Chain Reference - Admonition;   Commendation-Reproof;   Duty;   The Topic Concordance - Admonition;   Company;   Disobedience;   Enemies;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Missionaries, All Christians Should Be as;   Reproof;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Excommunication;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Brother;   Church;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Discipline;   Wealth;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Thessalonians, the Epistles to the;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Excommunication;   2 Thessalonians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Excommunication;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Admonition;   Brethren;   Brotherhood (2);   Care, Careful;   Thessalonians Epistles to the;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Excommunication;   Salvation;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Yet don’t consider him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
King James Version (1611)
Yet count him not as an enemie, but admonish him as a brother.
King James Version
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
English Standard Version
Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
New American Standard Bible
And yet do not regard that person as an enemy, but admonish that one as a brother or sister.
New Century Version
But do not treat them as enemies. Warn them as fellow believers.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Legacy Standard Bible
And yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Berean Standard Bible
Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Contemporary English Version
Don't consider them your enemies, but speak kindly to them as you would to any other follower.
Complete Jewish Bible
But don't consider him an enemy; on the contrary, confront him as a brother and try to help him change.
Darby Translation
and do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.
Easy-to-Read Version
But don't treat them as enemies. Counsel them as fellow believers.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Yet count him not as an enemie, but admonish him as a brother.
George Lamsa Translation
Yet do not consider him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Lexham English Bible
And do not consider him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Literal Translation
But do not count him as one hostile, but warn him as a brother.
Amplified Bible
Do not regard him as an enemy, but keep admonishing him as a [believing] brother.
American Standard Version
And yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Bible in Basic English
Have no feeling of hate for him, but take him in hand seriously as a brother.
Hebrew Names Version
Don't count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
International Standard Version
Yet, don't treat him like an enemy, but warninstruct
">[fn] him like a brother.Leviticus 19:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; Titus 3:10;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
Yet, not as an enemy hold him, but admonish him as a brother.
Murdock Translation
Yet, hold him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Yet count him not as an enemie, but warne hym as a brother.
English Revised Version
And [yet] count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
World English Bible
Don't count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Weymouth's New Testament
And yet do not regard him as an enemy, but caution him as a brother.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and nyle ye gesse hym as an enemye, but repreue ye hym as a brother. And God hym silf of pees yyue to you euerlastinge pees in al place.
Update Bible Version
And [yet] do not count as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Webster's Bible Translation
Yet count [him] not as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.
New English Translation
Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
New King James Version
Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
New Living Translation
Don't think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.
New Life Bible
Do not think of him as one who hates you. But talk to him as a Christian brother.
New Revised Standard
Do not regard them as enemies, but warn them as believers.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, not as an enemy, be esteeming him, but be admonishing him, as a brother.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Yet do not esteem him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother.
Revised Standard Version
Do not look on him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And count him not as an enemy: but warne him as a brother.
Young's Literal Translation
and as an enemy count [him] not, but admonish ye [him] as a brother;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yet counte him not as an enemye, but warne him as a brother.
Mace New Testament (1729)
however, don't treat him as an enemy, but reprove him as a brother.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I'm not saying they should be treated as enemies, but let your actions be a warning to them, not because you hate them, but because you love them.

Contextual Overview

6 Our friends, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to keep away from all believers who are living a lazy life and who do not follow the instructions that we gave them. 7 You yourselves know very well that you should do just what we did. We were not lazy when we were with you. 8 We did not accept anyone's support without paying for it. Instead, we worked and toiled; we kept working day and night so as not to be an expense to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to demand our support; we did it to be an example for you to follow. 10 While we were with you, we used to tell you, "Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat." 11 We say this because we hear that there are some people among you who live lazy lives and who do nothing except meddle in other people's business. 12 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we command these people and warn them to lead orderly lives and work to earn their own living. 13 But you, friends, must not become tired of doing good. 14 It may be that some there will not obey the message we send you in this letter. If so, take note of them and have nothing to do with them, so that they will be ashamed. 15 But do not treat them as enemies; instead, warn them as believers.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

count: Leviticus 19:17, Leviticus 19:18, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 2 Corinthians 2:6-10, 2 Corinthians 10:8, 2 Corinthians 13:10, Galatians 6:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Jude 1:22, Jude 1:23

admonish: Psalms 141:5, Proverbs 9:9, Proverbs 25:12, Matthew 18:15, 1 Corinthians 4:14, Titus 3:10, James 5:19, James 5:20

Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:3 - pronounce Job 13:24 - holdest me Matthew 18:17 - let Romans 16:17 - mark 2 Corinthians 2:7 - ye Colossians 3:16 - teaching 2 Thessalonians 3:6 - that ye 1 Timothy 1:20 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the Lord God had made. The snake asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:3
"except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die."
Genesis 3:4
The snake replied, "That's not true; you will not die.
Genesis 3:6
The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it.
Genesis 3:7
As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.
Genesis 3:8
That evening they heard the Lord God walking in the garden, and they hid from him among the trees.
Genesis 3:10
He answered, "I heard you in the garden; I was afraid and hid from you, because I was naked."
Genesis 3:13
The Lord God asked the woman, "Why did you do this?" She replied, "The snake tricked me into eating it."
Genesis 3:14
Then the Lord God said to the snake, "You will be punished for this; you alone of all the animals must bear this curse: From now on you will crawl on your belly, and you will have to eat dust as long as you live.
Genesis 3:15
I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her offspring's heel."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yet count him not as an enemy,.... As an enemy of Christ, and the Christian religion, as the Jews and Pagans were; or as an enemy of all righteousness, as Elymas the sorcerer was; as one that has an implacable hatred to good men, and a persecutor of them, and has an utter aversion to them and their principles; nor deal with him in an hostile, fierce, furious, and passionate manner, as if you were seeking his destruction, and not his restoration. This seems to be levelled against the Jews, who allowed of hatred to incorrigible persons: they say t,

"an hater that is spoken of in the law, is not of the nations of the world, but of Israel; but how shall an Israelite hate an Israelite? does not the Scripture say, "thou shall not hate thy brother in thine heart?" the wise men say, when a man sees him alone, who has committed a transgression, and he admonishes him, and he does not return, lo, it is מצוה לשונאו, "a commandment to hate him" until he repents and turns from his wickedness.''

But admonish, or "reprove" him

as a brother; as one that has been called a brother, and a member of the church, and who, though criminal, has no bitterness in him against the church, or against the name of Christ, and the doctrines of Christ; and therefore should not be treated in a virulent manner, but with a brotherly affection, meekness, compassion, and tenderness; and who indeed is to be reckoned as a brother, while the censure is passing, and the sentence of excommunication is executing on him; for till it is finished he stands in such a relation: though this also may have respect, as to the manner of excommunicating persons, so to the conduct of the church to such afterwards; who are not to neglect them, and much less to treat them as enemies, in a cruel and uncompassionate manner; but should inquire, and diligently observe, what effect the ordinance of excommunication has upon them, and renew their admonitions and friendly reproofs, if possible, to recover them.

t Maimon. Hilchot Rotzeach, c. 13. sect. 14.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother - This shows the true spirit in which discipline is to be administered in the Christian church. We are not to deal with a man as an adversary over whom we are to seek to gain a victory, but as an erring brother - a brother still, though he errs. There was necessity for this caution. There is great danger that when we undertake the work of discipline we shall forget that he who is the subject of it is a brother, and that we shall regard and treat him as an enemy. Such is human nature. We set ourselves in array against him. We cut him off as one who is unworthy to walk with us. We triumph over him, and consider him at once as an enemy of the church, and as having lost all claim to its sympathies. We abandon him to the tender mercies of a cold and unfeeling world, and let him take his course. Perhaps we follow him with anathemas, and hold him up as unworthy the confidence of mankind. Now all this is entirely unlike the method and aim of discipline as the New Testament requires. There all is kind, and gentle, though firm; the offender is a man and a brother still; he is to be followed with tender sympathy and prayer, and the hearts and the arms of the Christian brotherhood are to be open to receive him again when he gives any evidence of repenting.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. Count him not as an enemy — Consider him still more an enemy to himself than to you; and admonish him as a brother, though you have ceased to hold religious communion with him. His soul is still of infinite value; labour to get it saved.


 
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