# Where is “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” in the Bible?

> “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” is 2 Thessalonians 3:10.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/if-anyone-will-not-work-neither-shall-he-eat
By Andrew Kittridge · November 10, 2026

Paul writes it to the church in Thessalonica.

## The verse

> For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, he should not eat.”
>
> — [2 Thessalonians 3:10](https://www.lumin.faith/read/2-thessalonians/3#10) (Lumin Translation)

English Bibles word this verse in different ways. The Lumin Translation, a modern English Bible, is quoted here.

## What it means there

Some in the church had stopped working and were living off others. The rule is about people who are not willing to work. It is not about people who cannot.

## Common questions

### Where is “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” in the Bible?

“If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” is 2 Thessalonians 3:10. English Bibles word this verse in different ways. The Lumin Translation, a modern English Bible, is quoted here. Paul writes it to the church in Thessalonica.

### Is “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” in the Bible?

Yes. It is 2 Thessalonians 3:10. In the Lumin Translation, 2 Thessalonians 3:10 reads: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, he should not eat.””

### Who said “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat”?

Paul writes it to the church in Thessalonica.

### What does “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” mean in the Bible?

Some in the church had stopped working and were living off others. The rule is about people who are not willing to work. It is not about people who cannot.

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