2 Thessalonians 3:9 - Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

Not as if we had not power: but that we might give ourselves a pattern unto you, to imitate us.

More versions

not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

[It was] not because we do not have a right [to such support], but [we wished] to make ourselves an example for you to follow.

not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.

We did this to give you an example to imitate, not because we didn’t have a right to insist on financial support.

It was not as if we had no authority, but this was so that we might present ourselves as an example to you, in order to imitate us.