The Bible Says ‘Don’t Work, Don’t Eat.’ But Does That Hold Up in the Data?

So, there’s this verse you sometimes hear in an evangelical worship service. It’s from 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” From my experience, it’s not one you hear all that often, but it definitely comes up when discussions about government welfare arise. It’s usually cited in defense of free-market capitalism and a smaller government.