1 Thessalonians 4:11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,

◄ 1 Thessalonians 4:11 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,

English Standard Version
and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

New American Standard Bible
and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,

King James Bible
And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,

International Standard Version
Also, make it your goal to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you,

American Standard Version
and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And that you use your endeavour to be quiet, and that you do your own business, and work with your own hands, as we commanded you:

Darby Bible Translation
and to seek earnestly to be quiet and mind your own affairs, and work with your own hands, even as we charged you,

Young's Literal Translation
and to study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we did command you,

Cross References

Proverbs 17:14
The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

Acts 18:3
And because he was of the same craft, he stayed with them, and worked: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Ephesians 4:28
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs.

2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

2 Thessalonians 3:12
Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

1 Peter 4:15
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

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Affairs Ambition Aspire Attend Business Charged Command Commanded Eagerness Earnestly Hands Instructed Lead Mind Minding Ordered Orders Peace Pride Quiet Quietly Seek Study Vie Work Working

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Affairs Ambition Aspire Attend Business Charged Command Commanded Eagerness Earnestly Hands Instructed Lead Mind Minding Ordered Orders Peace Pride Quiet Quietly Seek Study Vie Work Working

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

4:9-12 We should notice in others what is good, to their praise, that we may engage them to abound therein more and more. All who are savingly taught of God, are taught to love one another. The teaching of the Spirit exceeds the teachings of men; and men's teaching is vain and useless, unless God teach. Those remarkable for this or any other grace, need to increase therein, as well as to persevere to the end. It is very desirable to have a calm and quiet temper, and to be of a peaceable and quiet behaviour. Satan is busy to trouble us; and we have in our hearts what disposes us to be unquiet; therefore let us study to be quiet. Those who are busy-bodies, meddling in other men's matters, have little quiet in their own minds, and cause great disturbances among their neighbours. They seldom mind the other exhortation, to be diligent in their own calling, to work with their own hands. Christianity does not take us from the work and duty of our particular callings, but teaches us to be diligent therein. People often by slothfulness reduce themselves to great straits, and are liable to many wants; while such as are diligent in their own business, earn their own bread, and have great pleasure in so doing.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. study to be quiet—Greek, "make it your ambition to be quiet, and to do your own business." In direct contrast to the world's ambition, which is, "to make a great stir," and "to be busybodies" (2Th 3:11, 12).

work with your own hands—The Thessalonian converts were, it thus seems, chiefly of the working classes. Their expectation of the immediate coming of Christ led some enthusiasts among them to neglect their daily work and be dependent on the bounty of others. See end of 1Th 4:12. The expectation was right in so far as that the Church should be always looking for Him; but they were wrong in making it a ground for neglecting their daily work. The evil, as it subsequently became worse, is more strongly reproved in 2Th 3:6-12.