2 Thessalonians 3:8

νυκτος και ημερας, אBG and six minn.; νυκτα και ημεραν, ADKLP &c. See Expository Note.

8. οὐδὲ δωρεὰν ἄρτον ἐφάγομεν παρά τινος, nor indeed ate bread for nought at the hand of any one: whereas the ἄτακτοι would not work for their bread, and expected the Church to support them. For δωρεάν (advbl. accus.), gratis, by way of gift, cf. 2 Corinthians 11:7; Matthew 10:8; Exodus 21:2; Isaiah 52:3 (LXX); in Galatians 2:21, &c., the phrase gets a further meaning. Ἄρτον ἐσθίειν (Matthew 15:2; Mark 3:20; Luke 14:1) renders the Heb. אָכַל לֶחֶם (Genesis 43:15; 2 Sam. [Kingd.] 2 Samuel 9:7, &c.), to get food, have one’s maintenance (τρέφεσθαι); similarly ἐσθίειν alone in 2 Thessalonians 3:10; 1 Corinthians 9:4. For παρά τινος, “acceptum a quoquam” (Beza)—“from” of the bestower—cf. Ephesians 6:8; Philippians 4:18; Acts 2:33, &c. There was a manly pride about St Paul in this matter; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:10 f., ἡ καύχησις αὔτη οὐ φραγήσεται.

ἀλλʼ ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενοι, but in toil and travail, by night and day working. Ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ forms one adjunct, νυκτὸς … ἐργαζόμενοι another, both qualifying ἐφάγομον and negativing δωρεάν (cf. the connexion in 2 Thessalonians 3:12). Along with the clause that follows, this reminder is almost a repetition of 1 Thessalonians 2:9 : see notes on that verse for the identical words. With hard, exhausting labour the Apostle Paul earned his daily bread; “tent-making” (Acts 18:3) was a poorly paid handicraft. His companions, if not pursuing the same trade, acted on the same principles.

πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα ὑμῶν, in order not to put a burden on any one amongst you. For πρός with infinitive, and for ἐπιβαρέω, see notes on 1 Thessalonians 2:9.