The Letters · New Testament
1 Thessalonians 2
1 Thessalonians 2: how the writers conducted themselves and why they stayed away
General context
The writers appeal to what the readers already know about their entrance, saying it was not in vain. After suffering and shameful treatment at Philippi, they were bold to speak the gospel with much contention. Their exhortation, they say, was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile; being put in trust with the gospel, they speak to please God, who trieth our hearts. They deny flattering words, a cloke of covetousness and the seeking of glory from men, and say that although they might have been burdensome they were gentle, as a nurse cherisheth her children, and willing to impart their own souls. They remind the readers of labour night and day so as not to be chargeable, and call the readers and God witnesses of their behaviour, having exhorted each one as a father doth his children to walk worthy of God. Thanks follow again, because the readers received the message as the word of God. The readers became followers of the churches in Judea and suffered like things of their own countrymen. The writers then say they were taken from the readers in presence, not in heart, that Paul would have come once and again, and that Satan hindered them, and they call the readers their hope, joy and crown of rejoicing at the Lord's coming.
Cited passages: 1 Thessalonians 2:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 2:3, 1 Thessalonians 2:4, 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:6, 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:8, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 1 Thessalonians 2:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:11, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 1 Thessalonians 2:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:18, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 1 Thessalonians 2:20
1 Thessalonians 2 (KJV)
1For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
2But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
3For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
4But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
5For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
6Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
7But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
8So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
9For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
10Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
11As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
14For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
15Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
16Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
17But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
18Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
19For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
20For ye are our glory and joy.
This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.
Historical context
Philippi is named as the place where the writers had suffered before coming; no other stage of travel is described here. The first singular self-naming in the letter falls in this chapter, even I Paul, inside a plural sentence, so the letter keeps a joint voice while marking one writer's own attempts to return. The persecution of the readers is attributed to their own countrymen, and the comparison is with the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. The charge in the following lines is the writers' own statement, naming those Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and saying the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost; the letter gives no further account of that judgment. The writers state that they worked so as not to be chargeable, but give no trade. How Satan hindered them, how long the short time in presence lasted, and where they are writing from are all left unsaid.
Cited passages: 1 Thessalonians 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:16, 1 Thessalonians 2:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:18
Literary context
The defence is built by denial before description. Three negatives open it, not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, and two more follow about flattering words and glory, so that the positive images arrive against a cleared background. Those images are domestic and paired: a nurse cherisheth her children, then a father doth his children. Appeals to shared knowledge hold the section together, know our entrance in unto you, as ye know, ye remember, Ye are witnesses, so the readers are made the proof of the claim. A second thanksgiving restarts the letter's opening formula midway through the chapter, and the chapter closes where the first one closed, at his coming.
Cited passages: 1 Thessalonians 2:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:3, 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:6, 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, 1 Thessalonians 2:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:11, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Thessalonians 2:19
Key moments
- Bold after Philippi (1 Thessalonians 2:2). The writers recall shameful treatment at Philippi and speaking with much contention.
- Pleasing God, not men (1 Thessalonians 2:4). The writers say they speak as those put in trust with the gospel.
- Gentle as a nurse (1 Thessalonians 2:7). The writers compare their conduct to a nurse cherishing her children.
- Working night and day (1 Thessalonians 2:9). The writers remind the readers they laboured so as not to be chargeable.
- Received as God's word (1 Thessalonians 2:13). The writers thank God that the readers received the message as the word of God.
- Paul says Satan hindered (1 Thessalonians 2:18). Paul names himself and says he tried to come once and again.
- Crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19). The writers call the readers their hope and joy at the Lord's coming.
For reflection
The writers place their refusal to be chargeable beside their willingness to impart their own souls. What does the letter suggest about the cost of the way a message is delivered?
