2 Thessalonians 3:9 Meaning: When Leaders Give Up Their Rights
This was not because we don’t have the right, but to make ourselves an example to you, that you should imitate us.
Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.
not because we have not authority, but that ourselves a pattern we might give to you, to imitate us;
not that we have not the right, but that we might give ourselves as an example to you, in order to your imitating us.
Meaning in one sentence
Paul had the right to pay but chose not to, so he could be an example. Learn what this means for Christian leadership and work today.
Context
Paul wrote this second letter to the Thessalonians partly because some in the church had stopped working. They thought the Lord's return was so near that daily tasks no longer mattered. Others were simply idle, spending their time as busybodies rather than earning their keep. In the verses just before this one, Paul reminds them that he and his companions did not act that way. They worked night and day, paying for their own food, even though as apostles they had every right to receive support from the church. Verse 9 explains why: not because they lacked that right, but because they wanted to give the believers a living pattern to follow. The whole passage calls the church back to steady, honest labour and away from disorderly living.
Key Words
Three Greek words carry the weight of this verse. Exousia is the right or authority Paul possessed, the legitimate claim of a worker to his wages, as Jesus Himself taught in Matthew 10:10. Paul had it, plain and simple. But he set it aside. Tupos is the word translated as example. It originally meant the mark left by a blow, like a stamp on clay. Paul wanted his life to leave a visible impression on the Thessalonians, a pattern they could copy. That is why he worked with his hands. And mimeomai means to imitate, not as a robot, but like a child learning a craft from a parent. Paul was not asking for blind followers. He was offering his ordinary daily choices as a curriculum in discipleship. He voluntarily gave up a good thing so that others could learn a better way.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have found practical wisdom in this verse. Many Protestant commentators, like Matthew Henry and John Gill, emphasize that Paul worked to rebuke idleness by example. Calvin made a similar point, but he also warned against using Paul's choice to deny ministers a fair livelihood, Paul had a right, after all, and he defended the same right for others (1 Corinthians 9:14). Catholic and Orthodox readings often highlight the pastoral dimension: a leader may freely renounce personal privileges for the good of the flock. All traditions agree that this verse is not a blanket rule against supporting preachers, but a specific act of self-denial for the sake of teaching by doing.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers take this verse to mean that Christian workers should never accept payment for their labour. In fact, Paul explicitly says he has the right. He chose not to use it in this situation, so that his hard work would be a model for the idle. The teaching is not about forbidding pay, but about the freedom to set aside a right when love and discipleship require it.
Living This Out
Maybe this week you hold a position where you could insist on your rights, your turn to be served, your fair share of credit, your day off. Paul's example asks a harder question: is there someone who needs to see you serve first? Could giving up a small privilege open a door for someone else to learn faithfulness? You do not have to say no to everything you deserve. But you might choose to say no to something good so that your life becomes a pattern someone else can follow. That is the kind of leadership Paul modelled.
Main takeaway: Paul gave up a legitimate right so that his life would become a visible pattern worth imitating.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Paul worked hard even though he didn't have to. He wanted to show others how to help and not be lazy. You can be an example too by doing your chores cheerfully.
For ages 9, 12
Paul had the right to let others pay for his food, but he chose to work so that he could be a model for the Thessalonians. He didn't just tell them to work hard; he showed them. When you have a choice, sometimes giving up something you deserve can teach others more than words ever could.
Questions People Ask
Does 2 Thessalonians 3:9 mean pastors should never receive a salary?
No. Paul explicitly says he had the right to be supported (the same right Jesus taught in Matthew 10:10). He chose not to use it in Thessalonica to set an example for idle believers. Elsewhere in Scripture (1 Corinthians 9:14, Galatians 6:6), he affirms that those who preach the gospel should live from it. The verse is about a specific act of voluntary self-denial, not a universal rule.
What is the 'right' (exousia) Paul is talking about?
The Greek word exousia means authority, power, or legitimate claim. Here it refers to a minister's right to receive food and money from the church he serves. Paul had that right as an apostle, but he freely decided not to exercise it so that his hard work would be a pattern for the Thessalonians.
Why does Paul emphasize imitation so strongly in this letter?
Some Thessalonians had stopped working, claiming the end was near. Instead of just commanding them to work, Paul reminded them that he and his team had worked night and day. He offered his own behaviour as a visible pattern (tupos) that they could copy. Imitation was a practical way to teach a lesson that words alone had not corrected.
How does this verse connect to the problem of 'disorderly' people in the church?
In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, Paul addresses members who were walking in rebellion, idle and meddling in other people's business. His example of working for his own food was a direct contrast to their behaviour. By giving up his right to support, he made his own life a rebuke to theirs and a model for anyone tempted to be lazy.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study