2 Thessalonians 3:7-9

Evidently some in the church were not working to support themselves but were living off the charity of their brethren. In Thessalonica, as elsewhere, Paul and his companions sometimes supported themselves by "making tents" to give their converts an example of responsible Christian living (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:3-14; 1 Timothy 5:18). They had the right to receive monetary support in payment for their spiritual ministry (Galatians 6:6), but they often gave up this right for the greater needs of their converts.