And besides that, going around ¹  from house to house they learn to be lazy, ²  and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not. ³ 

Go to the ant, you sluggard; ¹  observe its ways and be wise!

A wise child ¹  brings joy to his father, but a foolish person ²  despises ³  his mother.

Laziness brings on ¹  a deep sleep, ²  and the idle person ³  will go hungry. ⁴ 

Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.

The one who ¹  is slack ²  in his work is a brother ³  to one who destroys. ⁴ 

Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil ¹  and chasing the wind.

For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline ¹  among you,

For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, ¹  not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. ² 

You complacent ¹  women, get up and listen to me! You carefree ²  daughters, pay attention to what I say!

All their watchmen ¹  are blind, they are unaware. ²  All of them are like mute dogs, unable to bark. They pant, ³  lie down, and love to snooze.

Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹  admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.

so that you may not be sluggish, ¹  but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.

In a year’s time ¹  you carefree ones will shake with fear, for the grape ²  harvest will fail, and the fruit harvest will not arrive.

“‘See here – this was the iniquity ¹  of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had majesty, abundance of food, and enjoyed carefree ease, but they did not help ²  the poor and needy.

But we command you, brothers and sisters, ¹  in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined ²  life ³  and not according to the tradition they ⁴  received from us.

“From its earliest days Moab has lived undisturbed. It has never been taken into exile. Its people are like wine allowed to settle undisturbed on its dregs, never poured out from one jar to another. They are like wine which tastes like it always did, whose aroma has remained unchanged. ¹ 

At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps. I will punish the people who are entrenched in their sin, ¹  those who think to themselves, ²  ‘The Lord neither rewards nor punishes.’ ³