2 Thessalonians 3:9

7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you;

8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread¹ free of charge, but worked with ^alabor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you,

9 not because we do not have ^aauthority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are ^abusybodies.

12 Now those who are such we command and¹ exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ ^athat they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

Verse Comparison: 2 Thessalonians 3:9

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American Standard Version
not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves and ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.

Amplified® Bible
[It was] not because we do not have a right [to such support], but [we wished] to make ourselves an example for you to follow.

Contemporary English Version
We had the right not to work, but we wanted to set an example for you.

Darby English Version
not that we have not the right, but that we might give ourselves as an example to you, in order to your imitating us.

Good News Bible
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.

International Standard Version
It is not as though we did not have that right, but, we wanted to give you an example to follow.

King James Version
Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

New American Standard Bible
not because we do not have the right {to this,} but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.

New International Version
We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.

New King James Version
not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.

Young's Literal Translation
not because we have not authority, but that ourselves a pattern we might give to you, to imitate us;

New English Translation
It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate.¹

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