2 Thessalonians 3:7 (GNV)

Passage

For ye your selues know, how ye ought to follow vs: for we behaued not our selues inordinately among you,

Nearby Context

2 Thessalonians 3:5 And the Lord guide your hearts to the loue of God, and the waiting for of Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 We warne you, brethren, in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, that ye withdrawe your selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately, and not after the instruction, which hee receiued of vs.

2 Thessalonians 3:7 For ye your selues know, how ye ought to follow vs: for we behaued not our selues inordinately among you,

2 Thessalonians 3:8 Neither tooke we bread of any man for nought: but we wrought with labour and trauaile night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you.

2 Thessalonians 3:9 Not because we haue not authoritie, but that we might make our selues an ensample vnto you to follow vs.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "selues", "ought", "follow", "behaued", and "inordinately". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "selues" and "ought", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "We warne you brethren in the Name..." into verse 8's "Neither tooke we bread of any man...", so "selues" 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 "selues" and "ought" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.