2 Thessalonians 3:14
“And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →If anyone refuses to obey the instruction in this letter, the believers are to take note of him and avoid close company, so that he may feel ashamed and repent.
What Does 2 Thessalonians 3:14 Mean?
Paul gives direction for those who persist in disobedience even after this letter. The church is to "note that man," to mark him out, and "have no company with him," withholding the easy fellowship that would signal all is well. This is a deliberate, communal response to ongoing refusal of clear apostolic instruction.
Crucially, Paul states the aim plainly: "that he may be ashamed." The goal is not to wound or cast out but to awaken a healthy shame that leads to repentance. The hoped-for end is that the person, feeling the loss of warm fellowship, will reconsider and return. This is discipline in the service of restoration, a kind of loving pressure meant to recover a wandering brother. Far from cold rejection, it reflects a community that cares enough to act when gentle words have not worked, longing all the while for the person to come back into the fold.