Where does the saying,"If you don't work you don't eat" come from?

Answer 1

Actually, it's a misquote. It should be "He who won't work may not eat." It comes from St. Paul, who was advising one of the new churches not to give food and support to people who were able to work and take care of themselves. The early Christian community was one that believed in sharing everything, and there were people who joined just to get a share in the communal wealth. St. Paul was telling the Christians that they were not to be taken advantage of this way, for the money was needed by many who deserved it.

It's interesting one answer said it sounded like something John Smith would say. In fact, it was a rule among many of the Early American communities, who took it from the Bible and applied it to their lives, which they saw as resembling the difficult lives of the early Christians in many ways.

Answer 2

haha sounds like wat john smith said to his crew