That’s the reason why I’ve sent Timothy to you. He’s like a son to me, and I love him. He’s faithful in serving the Lord. He’ll remind you of the way I live as a servant of Christ Jesus. I myself follow what I teach everywhere in all the churches.
Brothers and sisters, we command you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to keep away from every believer who’s lazy and disruptive and who doesn’t follow the teaching you received from us.
Don’t you have your own homes to eat and drink in? Or do you think so little of God’s church that you’re prepared to humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? Certainly not about this!
But just now Timothy has come to us from you, and he has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have happy memories of us and that you long to see us just as we long to see you.
But each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them. Stay as you were when God chose you. That’s the rule I tell people to follow in all the churches.
And you imitated both us and the Lord Jesus, because even in the midst of terrible suffering, you welcomed our message with the joy that the Holy Spirit gives.