And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed:

“Wherefore if any one persists in such deeds, and repents not, withdraw from him, and cease to live with him, otherwise you are a sharer in his sin. Therefore has the injunction been laid on you, that you should remain by yourselves, both man and woman, for in such persons repentance can take place. But I do not," said he, "give opportunity for the doing of these deeds, but that he who has sinned may sin no more. But with regard to his previous transgressions, there is One who is able to provide a cure; for it is He, indeed, who has power over all."”

“Why, do you yourself, when introducing into the church, for the purpose of melting the brotherhood by his prayers, the repentant adulterer, lead into the midst and prostrate him, all in haircloth and ashes, a compound of disgrace and horror, before the widows, before the elders, suing for the tears of all, licking the footprints of all, clasping the knees of all? And do you, good shepherd and blessed father that you are, to bring about the (desired) end of the man, grace your harangue with all the allurements of mercy in your power, and under the parable of the "ewe" go in quest of your goats? do you, for fear lest your "ewe" again take a leap out from the flock-as if that were no more lawful for the future which was not even once lawful-fill all the rest likewise full of apprehension at the very moment of granting indulgence? And would the apostle so carelessly have granted indulgence to the atrocious licentiousness of fornication burdened with incest, as not at least to have exacted from the criminal even this legally established garb of repentance which you ought to have learned from him? as to have uttered no commination on the past? no allocution touching the future? Nay, more; he goes further, and beseeches that they "would confirm toward him affection," as if he were making satisfaction to him, not as if he were granting an indulgence! And yet I hear (him speak of) "affection," not "communion; "as (he writes) withal to the Thessalonians "But if any obey not our word through the epistle, him mark; and associate not with him, that he may feel awed; not regarding (him) as an enemy, but rebuking as a brother." Accordingly, he could have said that to a fornicator, too, "affection" only was conceded, not "communion "as well; to an incestuous man, however, not even "affection; "whom he would, to be sure, have bidden to be banished from their midst -much more, of course, from their mind.”

“"And if any man obeyeth not our word by this Epistle." He has not said, He that disobeys, disobeys me, but "note that man." This is no slight chastisement. "Have no company with him." Then again he says, "that he may be ashamed." And he does not permit them to proceed farther. For as he had said, "if any does not work neither let him eat" fearing lest they should perish by hunger, he has added, "But in doing good, be not ye weary." Thus having said, "Withdraw yourselves, and have no company with him," then fearing lest this very thing might cut him off from the brotherhood-for he who gives himself up to despair will quickly be lost if he is not admitted to freedom of conversation-he has added.”

“Above, the Apostle showed what he handed on to them by his own example, namely that they should not be restless, but that they should work; here he shows how he handed this on in the present passage by words and by deeds. Hence he says *when we were*, as if to say: that we might give you a model, we did what we taught, because we declared this, that, etc. These words, as the Gloss says, and Augustine in the book *On the Works of Monks*, certain men were perverting, to mean that it is not lawful for the servants of God to work with their hands, on account of what is said in Matthew 6:34: *be not solicitous*, etc. For they say that this work pertains to solicitude for sustenance. And on account of this they referred this to spiritual works; as if to say: if anyone does not want to do meritorious and spiritual works, he is not worthy to eat. But this is against the intention of the Apostle, who says *we declared* that we ourselves did so, namely in labor and weariness. But what is the meaning of *because if anyone does not want*, etc.? Is this a counsel or a precept? And it seems to be a precept, because below it is said: *if anyone does not obey our word*, etc. Therefore all are bound to work with their hands. Whoever therefore does not work with his hands, but stands idle, sins mortally. I answer. It must be said that it is a precept, but a thing is commanded in two ways: simply, or under a condition. That which is of itself necessary for salvation is commanded simply, and these are the works of the virtues. But under a condition, as when such is the case that the precept cannot be kept without manual work. Now it is commanded to man that he sustain his own body, for otherwise he is a murderer of himself. Genesis 2:16: *of every tree of Paradise you may eat*, etc. By precept, therefore, man is bound to nourish his own body, and likewise we are bound to all the things without which the body cannot live. Hence whoever does not have another means by which to sustain his body lawfully, either by possession or by lawful business, is bound to labor, lest he steal. Ephesians 4:28: *he who stole, let him now steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands*, etc. It is therefore a precept, when one cannot otherwise live lawfully. Hence he says *if anyone does not want to work, neither let him eat*. One or the other of two things is therefore necessary, that a man may eat, namely either that he have a possession, or that he procure it lawfully. Psalm 127:2: *the labors of your hands, for you shall eat*, etc. 1 Thessalonians 4:11: *work with your hands, as we commanded you*, etc. Then when he says *we have heard*, etc., he sets forth the necessity of this precept, because the Apostle says this not so much from the office of a teacher, as on account of a vice of the people. Therefore first he sets forth the fault which induces the necessity of the precept; second he applies a remedy, at the place *but to those who*, etc. He says therefore *we have heard*, etc.; as if to say: therefore I do not conceal this precept, because we have heard that certain ones, etc. For the soul of man must always be occupied about something, and therefore it is necessary that the idle suffer restlessness about unlawful things. 1 Thessalonians 4:11: *give heed that you be quiet*, etc. And he adds *but acting curiously*, namely about the affairs of others. Proverbs 21:25: *desires kill the slothful*. Then he applies a remedy, when he says *but to those who*, etc. And first on the part of those sinning, second on the part of the others, at the place *but you*, etc. He says therefore, to those who are of this sort *we declare* — severely, as a prelate — and *we beseech* — charitably, as their father — that their own bread, not another's but owed to them, namely lawfully acquired, *with silence*, that is, without restlessness, not running about, they eat. Isaiah 30: the cultivation of justice is silence. Ezekiel: idleness taught much malice. Then when he says *but you*, etc., on the part of the others not sinning he applies a twofold remedy. First, namely, that they not cease from doing good; second, that they correct those men, at the place *but if anyone*, etc. He says therefore *but you*, etc., as if to say: do not fail in doing good, even though the idle abuse it. Galatians 5: *doing good, let us not fail*, etc. And this is necessary, even if they should work with their hands, and nothing should be lacking to them, because assistance to others is necessary. Then when he says *but if anyone*, etc., he signifies that they be corrected, and first he shows in what order they are punished; second he shows the effect of the punishment, at the place *that they may be ashamed*; third the end, at the place *and do not*, etc. As to the order indeed: first, he sets forth the fault, second its manifestation, third its punishment. The fault is disobedience; and therefore he says *but if anyone does not obey*. 1 Kings 15:23: *to resist is as it were the sin of divination, and to be unwilling to acquiesce is as it were the crime of idolatry*. The manifestation and the conviction is set forth, when he says *note this man by an epistle*, that is, make him manifest, but through an inquiry into the truth. Job 29:16: *the cause which I did not know, I investigated most diligently*. Their punishment is the sentence of excommunication; hence he says *and do not mingle with him*, etc. 1 Corinthians 5:11: *with such a one not even to take food*. 2 John, v. 10: *do not receive him into the house, nor say to him, hail*. Here note that excommunication is inflicted for disobedience; he must, however, be convicted. Hence he says *if anyone does not obey*, by your epistle, *note this man*, that is, signify him to us, that he may be punished; and yet you meanwhile are not to mingle with him. But the effect of the punishment is that he be ashamed, and from this come to his senses. Ecclesiasticus 4:25: *there is a shame that brings sin, and there is a shame that brings glory*. But the end and intention ought to be his correction, which charity intends; hence he says *and do not regard him as*, because it ought not to be done out of the rancor of hatred, but out of zeal for charity; as if to say: let your avoiding of him not be done out of the hatred of enmity. Matthew 5:44: *love your enemies, do good to those who hate you*. And therefore he says *but correct him as a brother*. In which charity is shown. Psalm 132:1: *behold how good, and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell in one*, etc. Then when he says *but he himself*, etc., he concludes the epistle. And first the conclusion is set forth; second the salutation, which is as it were the seal of the epistle, at the place *the salutation*, etc. Again the first is divided into two, because he first wishes them the gifts of God, second God himself, at the place *the Lord be*, etc. As to the first he says *he himself*, etc. God is said to be of peace with respect to two things. For peace consists in two things, namely that a man be in concord with himself, and with others. And neither can be had sufficiently except in God: because he is not in concord with himself sufficiently except in God, and less so with others, because then the affection of man is in concord within itself when that which is desired according to one thing suffices with respect to all, which nothing can be except God. Psalm 102:5: *who fills your desire with good things*. For whatever other things, besides God, do not suffice for all, but God suffices. John 16:33: *in me you shall have peace*, etc. Likewise men are not united among themselves, except in that which is common among them, and this is above all God. And therefore he says *may the God of peace give* — not a temporal peace, but an everlasting one, that is, a spiritual one, which begins here, and is perfected there. Psalm 147:3: *who has placed peace as your borders*, etc. And this *in every place*, and in the whole world among the faithful. As to the second he says *the Lord be with you all*, because nothing else is well possessed, unless he himself be possessed through faith and charity. *My salutation*, he says this on account of unfaithful men perverting his epistles. Galatians, last chapter: *see with what letters I have written to you with my own hand*, etc. *Which is a sign*, etc. *Grace*, that is, the gratuitous gift of God, which renders you pleasing to God, etc. John 1:17: *grace and truth came through Jesus Christ*.”

“And if any man obey not our word,.... Of command, to work quietly, and eat his own bread, now signified "by this epistle", particularly in Th2 3:12, note that man; some read this clause in connection with the preceding phrase, "by this epistle", or by an epistle; and so the Ethiopic version, "show", or "signify him by an epistle"; that is, give us notice of it by an epistle, that we may take him under our cognizance, and severely chastise him, according to the power and authority given us by Christ; but that phrase rather belongs to the preceding words: and the clause here respects the notice the church should take of such a person; not in a private way, or merely by way of admonition and reproof, such as is given before rejection from communion; but by the black mark of excommunication; lay him under censure, exclude him from your communion, put a brand upon him as a scabbed sheep, and separate him from the flock; and so the Syriac version renders it, "let him be separated from you" and this sense is confirmed by what follows, and have no company with him; as little as can be in common and civil conversation, lest he should take encouragement from thence to continue in his sin, and lest others should think it is connived at; and much less at the Lord's table, or in a sacred and religious conversation, or in a way of church fellowship and communion: that he may be ashamed; that he may have his eyes turned in him, as the word signifies, and he may be brought to a sight and sense of his sin, and be filled with shame for it, and loath it, and himself on the account of it, and truly repent of it, and forsake it; and this is the end of excommunication, at least one end, and a principal end of it, to recover persons out of the snare of the devil, and return them from the error of their ways: so the Jews say (s), "in matters of heaven (of God or religion), if a man does not return privately, they "put him to shame" publicly; and publish his sin, and reproach him to his face, and despise and set him at nought until he returns to do well.'' (s) Maimon, Hilch. Deyot, c. 6. sect. 8.”

“If any man obey not - They had disobeyed his word in the first epistle, and the Church still continued to bear with them; now he tells the Church, if they still continue to disregard what is said to them, and particularly his word by this second epistle, they are to mark them as being totally incorrigible, and have no fellowship with them. Some construe the words δια της επιστολης with τουτον σημειουσθε· Give me information of that man by a letter - let me hear of his continued obstinacy, and send me his name. This was probably in order to excommunicate him, and deliver him over to Satan for the destruction of the body, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. The words of the original will bear either construction, that in the text, or that given above.”

“Here the apostle teaches that our pastors must be obeyed, and not only secular princes; and with respect to such as will not be obedient to their spiritual governors, the apostle, (as St. Augustine affirmeth) ordains that they be corrected by admonition, by degradation, or excommunication. (Cont. Donat. post Callat. chap. iv. 20. & lib. de correp. & grat. chap. iii.)”