2 Thessalonians 3:7 (ASV)

Passage

For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

Nearby Context

2 Thessalonians 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us.

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

2 Thessalonians 3:8 neither did we eat bread for nought at any man`s hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:

2 Thessalonians 3:9 not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves and ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "yourselves", "ought", "imitate", "behaved", and "disorderly". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "yourselves" and "ought", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Now we command you brethren in the..." into verse 8's "neither did we eat bread for nought...", so "yourselves" and "ought" belong inside that flow. In 2 Thessalonians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "yourselves" and "ought" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.