11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,
11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,
11 Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You've heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts.
11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4:11
Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
(Read 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)
We should notice in others what is good, to their praise, that we may engage them to abound therein more and more. All who are savingly taught of God, are taught to love one another. The teaching of the Spirit exceeds the teachings of men; and men's teaching is vain and useless, unless God teach. Those remarkable for this or any other grace, need to increase therein, as well as to persevere to the end. It is very desirable to have a calm and quiet temper, and to be of a peaceable and quiet behaviour. Satan is busy to trouble us; and we have in our hearts what disposes us to be unquiet; therefore let us study to be quiet. Those who are busy-bodies, meddling in other men's matters, have little quiet in their own minds, and cause great disturbances among their neighbours. They seldom mind the other exhortation, to be diligent in their own calling, to work with their own hands. Christianity does not take us from the work and duty of our particular callings, but teaches us to be diligent therein. People often by slothfulness reduce themselves to great straits, and are liable to many wants; while such as are diligent in their own business, earn their own bread, and have great pleasure in so doing.