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1 Thessalonians 3

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1
Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
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And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: ​
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That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. ​
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For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
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For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. ​

Joy Over Timothy's Good Report 6–10

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But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: ​
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Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:
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For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. ​
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For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
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Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? ​

A Prayer for Their Sanctification 11–13

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Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.
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And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: ​
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To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Thessalonians 3

Verse 2

our brother, and minister of God — Timotheus is 'minister' (diakonos) and 'fellowlabourer' (synergos), the word of 1 Cor 3:9, 'labourers together with God'. He is sent 'to establish' (sterizo) and 'to comfort' (parakaleo); the first verb returns as 'stablish' in v.13. Paul had been 'left at Athens alone' (v.1), and Timotheus later rejoined him (Acts 18:5).

Verse 3

moved by these afflictions — Saino, 'moved', occurs only here in the New Testament. 'Afflictions' is thlipsis, the pressure under which they had received the word (1:6). 'Appointed' is keimai, to be set, as Paul says of himself, 'I am set for the defence of the gospel' (Phil 1:17). In v.4 he reminds them he had said beforehand 'that we should suffer tribulation'.

Verse 5

the tempter — Peirazo, to test or tempt, is used as a title: 'when the tempter came to him' (Matt 4:3). Paul had written that 'Satan hindered us' (2:18). 'Forbear' (stego) is to bear up under, as in 'Beareth all things' (1 Cor 13:7). 'In vain' is kenos, empty, as in Phil 2:16, 'that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain'.

Verse 6

good tidings of your faith and charity — 'Brought… good tidings' is euangelizo, the verb of preaching the gospel, here used of Timotheus's report. It names 'faith and charity' (pistis, agape), two of the three of 1:3: 'work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope'. It reached Paul when 'Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia' (Acts 18:5).

Verse 8

now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord — Steko, to stand firm, is the verb of Phil 4:1, 'so stand fast in the Lord', and 1 Cor 16:13, 'stand fast in the faith'. 'Now we live' (zao) follows the good news of v.6 and depends on their standing. Paul writes in the same vein, 'we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong' (2 Cor 13:9).

Verse 10

night and day praying exceedingly — 'Exceedingly' joins the three elements of 'exceeding abundantly' in Eph 3:20. 'Perfect' is katartizo, to fit or put in order, the word for 'mending their nets' (Matt 4:21). 'That which is lacking' is hysterema, what is behind or wanting, the word of 'that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ' (Col 1:24).

Verse 12

increase and abound — Pleonazo and perisseuo are two verbs of more and more; Paul urges 'abound more and more' (4:1) and 'increase more and more' (4:10), both from perisseuo, in a love already there. Its reach is 'one toward another, and toward all men', as in 'let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith' (Gal 6:10).

Verse 13

unblameable in holiness — Amemptos is blameless; hagiosune, holiness, occurs only here, in Rom 1:4 and in 2 Cor 7:1. The coming (parousia) is named in chapters 2 to 5 of this letter (2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23). 'With all his saints' (hagios) echoes Zech 14:5, 'the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee'. 'Stablish' is the verb of v.2.