{For we hear} (akouomen gar). Fresh news from Thessalonica
evidently. For the present tense compare  1Co 11:18 . The
accusative and the participle is a regular idiom for indirect
discourse with this verb (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 1040-2).
Three picturesque present participles, the first a general
description, peripatountas atakt(9373), the other two specifying
with a vivid word-play, {that work not at all, but are
busy-bodies} (m(8864)en ergazomenous alla periergazomenous).
Literally, {doing nothing but doing around}. Ellicott suggests,
{doing no business but being busy bodies}. "The first persecution
at Thessalonica had been fostered by a number of fanatical
loungers ( Ac 17:5 )" (Moffatt). These theological dead-beats
were too pious to work, but perfectly willing to eat at the hands
of their neighbours while they piddled and frittered away the
time in idleness.